The Civil War Letters Camp Hamilton April 17, 1862

Camp Hamilton April 17th 1862

My Dear Wife

 i received your kind letter today and i was glad to hear from you again. i have just came in of Picket  Your letter came yuesterday but i being out on picket i did not receive it until today  everything about here is quiete today though the Merrimac and Jamestown and Yorktown and 4 or five other Rebel War Steamers have been in sight of our camp for this last week  but as yet there has been no fighting with them yet. early this morning as i was posting the pickets on Fox hill close to the Back River in the Direction of Yorktown i heard very loud cannonading which continued for a couple of hours  but i dont think that our men have commenced yet. but when they do commence there will be a tough old fight as ever you heard tell of.

i did not know that my Brother John as Before Yorktown  his Rigement did not land at the fort  i suppose that they must have landed at Hampton  they was a great many Rigements landed there and i suppose that is how i missed him for all of the Rigements that landed at the fort had to march right past our Camp. the troops that are before Yorktown have sufferd a great deal of hardships all ready  most of them have no tents and are exposed to the wether Wet or Dry  and the Roads are so bad that they have to work almost night and day to make any head at all  but the Sun is Drying the roads up now and i expect they will better before long. our company is still encamped hear  i dont know how long we will stop here but we have no orders to move yet.

as you say that you are going to send me a box i will be on the lookout for it. i think that it will be very exceptable for Soilders are very Fond of Receiving things from Home

i have no news to send as all the news is bublished in the papers and i suppose you have all of the news from the fort  it is my opinion that there will be a Bloody fight at Yorktown before long  the Rebels are very strongly fortifyed and they have about one hundred thousand men to back them  but i hope and pray that our Army will Beat them which i think they will or if they dont it will go hard with us on the point

i have no more to say at present  Give my respects to Your Sister Jane  Your Mother and all of the family and all inquiring Friends.

And with my very Best Love to you my Dear Wife
i am Your Affectionate Husband
William Lancaster

P.S  When you write again please send me a few Postage Stamps
Yours
Wm Lancaster

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