Oxford Times, February 5, 1862
Letter from the Burnside Expedition
Oronco Inlet, Cape Hatteras, Jan. 16th, 1862
We left Washington Sunday, Jan. 4th, and went to Annapolis that night, staid on the cars. We left the cars about 10 o'clock and marched to the Navy Yard and stood in snow all day, but we put up one of our stoves and made coffee, and at night went to a church to stay, but were removed to the College buildings for better quarters. Went out in the morning to take a look at the city. It is the poorest place I ever saw. Did not see only one white woman and she lived in the rich part of the city, and was for the Union strong, for she came out to the door and held out a nice pair of knit yarn mittens with a finger on them and asked some soldiers if they would take them, and I supposed they were afraid of a pretty woman, not seeing one in so long a time, and no one started, so I went, had a piece of dry bread eating, and took the mittens and told her I would fight for her, and in turn she asked me to come in and get something to eat. I went in and had a good breakfast, the only one since I left Washington.
We went on board, the Arricon, a new ship and staid one night, and in the morning the Captains of Companies E,C,D went on shore to Gen. Burnside and got the schooner Horace E. Brown, 200 tons burden, and our Company and two others went on board. The others laughed at us because it was small and rocked so, for the Arricon was 1,400 tons and did not rock any, but when we started we beat them six hours, and then had to wait two nights and one day, and the wind blew a perfect gale. When the wind went down the captain said that if the wind had changed, he would have put to tail and run her on ground. One nice steamer got wrecked with 500 soldiers on board, but all were saved but two men. She has gone to pieces and a schooner nearly as large as the one that we are on, beached and sat two rods off. Tried to move in the night and got on a sand bar and by [unreadable] and now coal boat and all is gone and [unreadable] a sign of distress, and our captain says that there is no danger at all. The harbor is the worst on the coast.
We are on the ground where a battle was fought only a few months ago, and the fort on the point was taken by our forces, and one of their schooners was sunk and at this point and just about 500 prisoners were taken, some of which I saw at Washington. We will go into North Carolina, through Dismal swamp, or so the rumor is, and help the loyal citizens to maintain their liberty as they are coming back into the Union, and we will have what I wanted, a chance to try my gun on a rebel, though they are scarce. A division leaves Kentucky to meet us so as to cut them off from the supplies from the South and then the forces at Richmond will be in close quarters, for they will be surrounded and then they must either surrender or starve, and I don't believe they will do the latter as it is very unpleasant to think of, and I for one don't think I should like it.
A pilot came on board last night. He was from one of the towns below here and said that the inhabitants was looking for us, and was ready to use us well and give a good hand to help, for some of the people can't get salt to put in their bread. In the town that he was in, there was 75 Union and 5 secesh, so you see that they have got the upper hand, and he says that the most part is just the same, and if it is so, we won't be very bad off, but I had rather go in the very heart of them, and everything is lawful plunder and we will have good living. As it is, we will have to live on government fare, and I will tell you what it is, nine soda crackers as hard as flint, and can't break one with your hands, white corn hominy, not half cooked, and beans the same (neither of them can be eaten by your humble servant) and a quart of water if you are around in the morning. You will see that it is rather hard for one who has had Oxford fare and water, but it will be better soon. S.F.B.
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