They are informed that their enlistments will probably last until August 14, 1863. General Weitzel's Brigade was ordered to go to Baton Rouge but he doesn't know whether the 23rd will be included. Fighting reported at Berwicks Bay and Confederates in the vicinity of Bayou Boeuf. Bishop feels that the war effort is discouraging in hearing that Banks has made an unsuccessful attack.
Bayou Lafourche or Lafourch Crossing La.
March 20th 1863
letter #1
My dear Wife
today has got to be the 20th of march and that is within 11 days of the 1st of April and that is only 2 months from the 1st of June. then I expect that we shall begin to be anxious to know when we are to start for home, some of the men think that we shall be kept until sometime in August but I hope that that will not prove to be true as the month of august and september are considered very unhealthy in this climate. the authorities of Connecticut have got the time of our service in the U.S. commencing from the 14th of November consequently that would bring our time to the 14th of August. I shall feel very much disappointed if we have to stay until august.
the news has just come that General Weitzels Brigade is ordered up to Baton Roug whether that will include this Regt. or not I do not know. we are under General Weitzell and the probability is that we shall have to see some fighting before our time is out. there has been some fighting up at Berwicks Bay and the Rebs sent some of their men down to Bayou Biff to attack that station which is guarded by Co A of our Regt. but General Weitzell sent more troops from Brashear there and they have not attacked as yet. General Banks has been at work at Port Hudson now for a week and I think he finds it tough work and needs reinforcements and that accounts for Weitzells Brigade being ordered to Baton Roug.
I think we shall know positively whether we go up there before the mail will go from the Regiment. we have been expecting the mail from N. Orleans for 2 or 3 days butt has not been brought up yet. we expect it to day and I am in hopes that it it will contain 2 or 3 letters from you as it is as much as l O days since we had our last mail.
my dear little Wife I lay last night thinking of you and how glad I should be when the orders come for us to start for home. it makes me tremble my dear Wife to think of the possibility of my never seeing you again through sickness and Battle but I have always thought that a kind providence governed such matters and he would carry out his intentions in regard to myself and if it is his good pleasure that we shall meet again it will make me happy and I hope it will you. at any rate my dear wife it make me happy now to love you and to know that I possess your love and I hope that providence will give me that happiness in the future of keeping your love.
there is something ennobling in the love of a virtuous woman and there is also the same value in the love of a virtuous man how my heart does yearn for your presence my dear wife and I long to be able to lay my head in your bosom and open my heart to you as I can to no one else. we never know the value of a wife until we lose them. neither do we appreciate the true friendshop of a virtuous wife while we are permitted to enjoy her society. I think my dear wife that I can better appreciate your self denial than I used to and I hope that I shall always use patience and forbearance towards you in the future if I am permitted to join you again believe me my dear wife when I tell you that I love you dearly and wish your happiness and that I take great pleasure in contributing to it all in my power.
kiss the dear children for me and believe me to be your affectionate Husband
J.D. Bishop
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Lafourch Crossing La.
March 20th 1863
Letter #2
My dear Wife
I wrote I sheet full to you this morning thinking that I should add to it so as to send it in a mail tomorrow morrow morning. when I wrote this morning I expected of course that I should receive a letter from you by the mail today that we expected from N. Orleans but the mail came and there is no letter for me. I suppose of course that you must have written to me but perhaps the letter was not in time to come in the mail that we had to day at all events I must cultivate patience and wait until I receive a letter. I am satisfied my dear wife that you must have written unless you were sick or the children were sick. the Boys say that we are likely to receive another mail tomorrow so that I think there will be a letter for me.
I think my dear that our cause does not look very encouraging at this time. Gen Banks has made an attack on port Hudson and the news from there does not show that we have been very successful as yet. we think that fighting is going on up and Brashear and the rumours that come from there do not appear encouraging. we may in a day or two be obliged to evacuate this place before long. but time will tell.
well good bye my darling wife and believe me to be your affectionate Husband with hopes of being able to join you before many months.
yours affectionately J. D. Bishop
