Bishop reports of heat, mosquitoes and further discontent with his term of enlistment. Bishop tells Sarah that two days prior 2000 formerly enslaved persons were transferred to farms run by the Federal authorities.
Lafourche Crossing La.
June 1st 1863
Dear Wife,
Today is the 1st of June and we are beginning to find out something what this climate is. My darling the sun pours down with a fervor that can only be appreciated by being felt, when I think of staying until the 141h of August it makes me think that if I get safe out of this scrape I will try not to get caught in another one, but there are many thousands of soldiers that have no other prospect but to stay until the war is ended and why should be of more value than they, but we are selfish and after we have done all that we agreed to we feel as if we were entitled to return home to our families, in the sheet that I wrote to you 2 or 3 days ago I thought that things looked very gloomy up at Vicksburgh and Port Hudson but by yesterdays N. Orleans paper our side seems to be progressing in the reduction of both the places and our folks think that we shall come out best. General Banks has been risking everything that he can possibly spare up to Port hudson. Our loss has been very heavy up to the present time in killed and wounded, some 3,000, and a great many officers. I feel thankful myself that we have not been sent along with the rest into Battle, our Regt. has been very fortunate as to losing men and as to hard service lost now we re [are] beginning to have it heavier there is considerable sickness in the 28th Connecticut Regt. they left Brashear the other day for Port Hudson, they came out on the same vessel with us from N. York
last night I slept out in the air as I could not sleep in the Tent it was so Hot and the mosquitos bit so. we sit up as long as we can and then we have to lie down on a board on the ground and cover our heads up in our indian rubber blankets to keep the night air off. the dew falls very heavy in this climate and saturates the clothing with dampness at least, but we hope to get out of the climate in a couple of months if they donot keep us longer, we understand that the legislature of Conn. is endeavering to get the Gen. Government to let us off some time in June if they have undertaken to do it we hope they will succeed but we have no much hope.
I donot suppose that there is much prospect of the mails leaving N. Orleans before next Saturday but I thought that I would write just the same as if they mail went regular in that you might receive at some time the news that we had to impart. I have not received the 2 or 3 letters that was sent by the Quincy on the 6th of May as she has not arrived yet.
2 days ago we have 2000 Negroes from the Tech [Bayou Teche] country left at this station to be distributed on the Government Plantations about here. Men, women & children of every form and shape, some sick, some or one dead and they say more are likely to die. I am afraid that the negro will not be benefitted much in this generation by freedom. Our prospects depend a good deal on our success up the Mississippi River, but I trust that God who is the disposer of all wants will watch over us and save us from sicness & death.
My dear wife, my little darling, this page belongs to you. I sat in my tent after sun down and read your letter of the 10th over and over to get as much of you as I could. I often take your daguerotypes out to look at them and try to realize that I see you but I find it difficult to realise it as much as I should like to buy [but] nothing but being with you will satisfy me entirely, your letters are the best consolation that I could have probably under the circumstances and I take much comfort in receiving them, but my darling I shall not be satisfied until I can take you in my arms and talk to you just as I want to, will the time ever come my darling? I hope so, in the mean time you must do the best you can without me until I can get out of the service, ifl once get out I think I shall try to keep out, there is no pleasure in living away from ones Family especially when they are as dear as mine are to me. My dear I love you still the same and want to be with you to lighten your burden & make you happy generally, give my love to the children and believe me to be your loving Husband
J. D. Bishop
