Bishop provides a relatively detailed description of his new surroundings and that they are slightly more isolated than before.
Napoleonville La.
April 7th 1863
Dear Wife
finding that I should have time to write more as the mail is not taken to Lafourche until this afternoon I will add another sheet although there is not anything of much importance to write about. this morning I do not feel as stiff as I did yesterday morning although I do not feel quite right yet. this place proves to be a town of considerable business. there are at least 4 or 5 stores here and the Steamboats & vessels come here from New Orleans. this Bayou is the same as a River. it is an outlet of the Mississippi River and empties into the Gulf of Mexico and is as wide as the wolf River at New London. [Ed. He is referring to the Wolf River in New London, Connecticut] there is a Levee on each side of it and the water is at least 4 feet higher than the surrounding country. so that if the Levee is broke away it floods the country. you will see as you pass along where the water has stood in the country by the difference of shade on the fences and Trees &c. when the Levee does break away the whole immediate country is obliged to help repair it as it grows to fearful dimensions if not immediately Repaired.
this morning I saw two schooners from New Orleans pass down. we expect a steamboat from N. Orleans to day and we are in hopes to get N. Orleans papers by her. up in this isolated town we shall not be able to get the news as quick as we should do down in Lafourche therefore we have to take advantage of the arrival of a boat or messenger. to day one of our sergeants and a squad of men will start for Lafourche to bring up our weekly allowance of Provisions. if our fodder should stop of course we should grow beautiful less. Some people talks about starving the Rebels out but that I think is a mistaken idea. there is plenty of Beef and Pork, Poultry &c. I think that the Rebel army may some times be on short allowances but there is plenty of money and food in the country. the people in Louisianna are mostly French and do not talk anything else among themselves.
I wrote you in a letter about 4 days ago about getting your teeth fixed. I hope you will atend to it. I mention it in this letter for fear that that letter may not reach you.
Our Boys will have Horses to ride when they go out scouting as they have a large extent of country to watch.
now then my little darling wife I must fill out this page with something besides war news so that you may know that I think of you still. my dear when we make a move I take your pictures out of my knapsack and put them in my pockets so that I shall not lose them. I wish to preserve your likeness if I cannot be where the original is. My little darling you of course know how much I suffer by not being with you not that I find it at all troublesome to do without woman but I feel the want of you particularly. there are in the army a great many husbands who are sighing for the prescence of their wives. darling it is sometime since I have had a letter from you on the account of the Steamers not arriving with as much certainty as they did. well my darling wife I must draw my letter to a close but remember that I love you fondly and that I think of you alone as the one and only one that I wish to love except the children and them I love with parental love good bye my darling for this time. write me often and affectionately.
from your loving Husband
J.D. Bishop
