Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family

In camp about 1 mile south of Newbern across the Trent, May 5, 1862 Dear All, We reached our present camping ground yesterday A.M. & are now nicely settled in our old tents again. Before we left Morehead City we heard that a large mail was waiting for us at Newbern & when we came here & I found only one letter from home I was a good deal dissappointed & this letter was from George & tho' I was much interested in his account of rents, new coat, garden work &c yet the subject of the deepest interest to me was not mentioned directly, & that is - home - I mean the - folks there - for I think home is made by the mother sister & brother not the house. I should have probably not noticed this if you had all written but only one writing I wanted that one to mention all hands. I feel like blessing Geo for the letter tho' just as it was he writes in such good spirits that I cant think any of you are much sick & I do hope you are all well. My anxiety was rather increased by the letter in the - Express bundle - which Lt. Shepard brought over from the city yesterday P.M. I looked over the precious bundle when it arrived rather hastily & did not find the letter until a second over hauling in the evening. In this mother writes a line or two & says if she ever sees me once more & then Ellen takes up a half finished sentence & adds a few lines about the bundle & Geo's sheet does not mention mother particularly & I cannot but fear she is unwell & shall await rather anxiously the next mail arrival which should be here soon as this arrived last Wednesday. Now a few words about the bundle, for I must close speedily as I have much to do. Every thing seemed to be just the thing. I (top margin, second page) Col. Harland is on duty again. Major is getting on better than expected. wanted especially. Yesterday was Sunday & when I pulled out the Hymn book I thought I must sit down in the old pew & hear the old Doctor again. I am real glad to have it & with the "call to Prayer" & the Hymn book the evening was most pleasantly spent & I hope not unprofit- ably. The evening was the only portion of the day that could be called Sunday for we were all hard at work pitching tents &c all day and after passing the day in such manner I appreciated the more the rest of the Sabbath evening. To day is very unpleasant, real April weather only warmer rain like the dickens a while & then clear up for a few moments then rain again. I am so much obliged to you all for the things in the package I could not imagine why you sent me such a - lot - of cloves until I found the letter in the evening. I shall hardly keep the tea until we are on the march again. I began on it last night. without the sardines I should have made a light supper last night & breakfast this morning but they are always so handy & good. The brushes & case are first rate. I enjoyed a good combing & brushing & tooth washing the first thing after opening the bundle. the old brown windsor soap I guess Ellen put in, dont see it - very often - down here. I could not but laugh when I found the gum drops everything was just right, the mat I have not had a chance to unroll yet but I know it is all right. The Express seems to be in working order. Have got along very well with the Co. thus far, but it is now the toughest Co. in the Regt. They seem to like me but that would be so of course at first. I have persuaded Napolean Bonaparte to accept a command under me & he will hereafter preside over frying pan & coffee pot for which I am to pay him eight dollars per month. He has done very well thus far. Says he is a good cook, can make bread, biscuits, pies, &c besides cooking meat. I am - well entirely - again. Do not smoke at all & use but little coffee. I hardly know why I drop either. Hope to see the trunk soon. Did you receive the $140. Hope I shall get another letter from you very soon. Your affct son & bro. Chas