Bishop is again not feeling well. A heavy battle, 20 or 30 miles Bayou Teche took place the night before. They were informed that there was a body of Confederates not far away. Troops were sent to Donaldsonville. There is monotony but he has plenty of time to lie down. He had just finished his dinner of fried chicken & bread & coffee purchased by a former enslaved person, Bill.
Napoleonville, La.
April 13th 63
My dearest Wife
not feeling very fine to day I thought I would try to raise my spirits by writing to you. we are still here by ourselves as we were when I wrote my last letter to you. there is a heavy battle going on about 20 or 30 miles from here on the Bayou Tech [Teche]. last night we could hear the cannonading very plain but this morning we do not hear it as yet. our Forces are supposed to be 20 thousand strong and we donot know how many the enemy have but suppose that they have as many as our folks have. if our folks whip them out from where they are now it will cut off their communication with Texas and will probably have quite an influence on the war but if they should whip us it will make our position untenable. we were informed yesterday that there was a body of Rebels not far from this place and we expected an attack last night but they did not come. we have since ascertained that they were a body of Secesh that were on an island and could not get off. so we sent to Donaldsonville this morning to have a force sent from there to rout them out of the way or take them prisoners. I have not heard how it will succeed yet.
I dislike this kind of soldiering very much because we are detached from our Regt. and I donot have anything to do but to fife for the Revilee in the morning and the Tattoo at night. the rest of the day I try to pass away as well as I can but I can assure you that it is hard work.
I have plenty of time to lie down and I am afraid that I shall be lazy when I get home but if I once get home I think I shall be able to overcome that. the time seems to be slipping along and I suppose will finally arrive to the period when we are to start for home. it will be a happy time I think, how much I do long to be home with you my darling to feel that I am with my best friend and that I am surrounded with an atmosphere of love. you cannot think my darling how precious our homes become to us when we are deprived of them. many people think that there is much in the army to sustain soldiers under their privations but there is not much but jealousy and envy and ungratified ambition but then I do not have much to complain of as the Boys treat me pretty well but they are generally strong and robust and I am troubled a good deal with my nervous difficulty and that makes it hard for me to content myself until our time expires.
well my dear I have just finished my dinner of fried chicken & bread & coffee. yesterday I bought a chicken of a Negro and had our N!@#$% Bill dress it and cook it for me so that I have had 2 good meals.
well darling I intend to write 4 more pages and put these so as to make it more interesting to you. but I can only tell you that I love you as well as ever and that if I had not you and the children to think of I should
[Ed. Remainder of letter appears to be missing.]
