Morehead city 24 5 P.M. 100 page Have just recd your two letters of 15 & 16 & two papers & must reply to several things immediately & reserve the rest for a few days hence. First of all, Mrs. Beckwith - why dont you kick her out of the house, I certainly shall if she appears when I get home. Her two sons I guess & I learn it from others are about as tough physically & morally as privates in the Regt. I heard the other day that after the battle of Roanoke when they met the first words said were "Herb give me a chew of tobacco" & with an oath adding how scarce it was. Truly affectionate, Half the men in Co. D were inquiring if any thing had been heard from B. of the 10th & I was asking every body. He had been very much exposed. These boys write home lies about their command &C & Mrs. B. worked them over to you & you seem to believe them. Mother please don't write me any more about Mrs. B. sayings if any thing happens to the boys I will mention it. You write that she has loaded you with a report that all express matter lies over at Ft. Monroe, (I don't believe it,) & you say you shall send my things by sergt Webb of the 10th. I fear I shall never see them as we are 40 miles apart. I dont even know where they are & we have no communication. I am mistaken I find about Mrs. B. telling you things lay over at the Ft. I was very willing to lay it to her & her name appeared in the same sentence. I shall write him soon if I hear from you that you really sent by him, tho' I dont know what good it will do. Co. B is from Thompsonville, near Hartford. Capt. Ruth was very fond of whiskey & did not preserve the least discipline in the Co. Once more about the stars & Stripes on the battery, you say you will if it is mentioned, tell exactly how it was. well this it - It was a lie made up out of whole cloth by my servant who is a liar. He was safe miles away page 101 behind & I have no idea he ever heard any thing that gave him the least foundation for the report. Probably thought it would please me. I would not have had such a story started for any price. I am in earnest about this matter. I would not have it get back to the Regt for the world. I have had a real hearty laugh over the cloud of military ancestors whose fame I have got to sustain. I differ very materially from you in several respects in regard to governing soldiers. You cannot imagine 90 men who have had no care to take of themselves for 7 months & no responsibility & very far from the best class to begin with. You must live with them to know anything about them, very many cannot be shamed by my punishment & often you must revert to physical pain unpleasant as it is. I agree with you entirely as to the occasional kind word. I do not think they are lost. I was very much pleased with Ellen's good long letter, and am so glad to hear uncle Geo. is so much better please remember me. old Tan is sick has been since I returned from Newbern & have turned him loose to graze round here, some trouble in the head that may kill him. I should not probably keep him any way, his food & care would soon be sufficient to buy a good horse when I get home. I intend to be horseless as soon as possible. Lt. Eaton I think may never return to his co. he is at Meridan now on furlough having been sick for two months or more I think I think he will lay round home a while & then resign, if so he ought to do it now. Dont ever send bundles by persons going to other Regts certainly not unless they know me well. The insects of this region have not come much yet. May & June will bring them. The lice are not in the head as you write, but cover the whole body, they are body lice. Cleanliness makes no difference in regard to being attacked by them or the itch or any of these things. I intend to carry (vertical left margin) in my pocket a box of ointment which Dr. Storrs will give me. This will keep off lice & the itch. Your affct. son bro Chas