A friendly fire incident is reported at the Bayou crossing. A lack of fresh meat is reported and his health is suffering.
Bayou Lafouch L.A.
March 11th 1863
1st Letter
My Dear Wife
after receiving 2 letters from you last night I thought I would write another letter this morning. I wrote one last night but I might just as well send 3 or 4 as one.
last night we were all up in arms the firing commenced on the other side of the Bayou. it seems that some of the Pickets of the Co. that is stationed on the other side of the Bayou mistook some of their own men for the enemy and fired at them because they did not answer to the challenge and they being part of a very green regt. they continued to fire back & forth. their Drummer beat the long Roll which is the signal for alarm & our Drums beat it immediately and we were all in commotion in a jiffy. the night was very dark as there was no moon and it was storming but that makes no difference in an attack everybody must turn out rain or shine.
I had not felt well in the afternoon and my head felt quite bad. I think that is in a great measure owing to our having been without fresh meat so long. we have not had any fresh meat for over a month now and I for one feel the need of it. the reason of it is that regulations donot order it unless it can be bought for 6 cts per lb and it cannot be bought here for anything like that here. the army is used here for guarding the property of Rebels or of those that claim to be loyal. I should think that at least they might be made to furnish us meat at 6cts per lb. but there are plenty of cattle running and the commanding oficers will not allow them to be touched.
well our men stood up in line for about an hour watching for the enemy to come at us and it proved that there was no enemy to come and so we went to bed and took a glorious snooze. this war business is a curious business my dear wife and is rather tedious it is pretty much the same story the year round.
My dear wife as it regards your visions of the war I am well enough satisfied with them. I do not expect to see a peace until we have whipped the Rebels but I donot think we shall do that until we have more men in the field. I think if I was home that I could explain to you why we do not succeed the soldiers know very well why we do not succeed in whipping them. it is for several reasons, which I will tell you when I get home.
My dear Wife I felt supremely happy to think that I have made you happy by my letters and I felt happy in reading your affectionate expressions. my dear wife I would that your dream of my being home would prove true as that hug you speak of would delight me very much. how good it would feel to once more get between good clean sheets after sleeping with my clothes on a good part of the time and always with my drawers on. but I hope my dear wife that the time will roll around and bring us together so that I can take you in my arms and caress you and kiss you and hug you and tell you that I love you dearly &c &c.
goodbye for now I intend to write another sheet and send with this. give my love to the children and believe me to be your loving Husband
J.D. Bishop
