Houghton Civil War Letters

8

case I never return and you can find any old schoolmate of mine that was with me in 63 give them all to him.

Please remember me to Mrs Warren and all inquiring friends Yours Truly Eugene C Houghton

Fort Heckman Morehead Citty Dec 28th 1863

Dear Warren

Dear friend

I wish you a merry christmas and a Happy New Year and although the greeting may come rather late it is none of the less warm and hearfelt. I spent christmas on picket, & believe the rest of the Company spent it playing ball for a christmas dinner we had a quart of good fresh beef soup. An expedition left here for Swansboro last thursday night it consisted of six Companies of the 158 N.Y., two of the ninth New Jersey, one detachment of this company with a howitzer and two or three companies of the 3rd N.{ ? } cavalry.

I was so unfortunate as not to be picked out to go although I was as well drilled on the howitzer as any man that went but I have got the promise of being picked the next time a detachment goes from this Company on an expedition.

Do you know wether Mr Hayward is stationed in Boston Harbor now, if you see any of Mr Hayward family please remember me to them. My health still continues good and soldiering has not yet lost its charms for me yet. I received a letter from Andover to day and it says that school is quite full there being nearly 200 at present. the religious interest is prevalant over the school and there promises to

be another revival there this winter I hope it is true. The news from the west is very encouraging I think I saw a journal of Dec 11th and it contained Gen Halick {" message" striked out}report of the war I think on the whole it looks hopefull.

I suppose by the time you receive this the draft will have commenced.

I am in hopes before next spring to get transfered into a light battery if I do I shall probaly be at the front and so see more service than I do now

I hope you are still in good health. I cannot think of much more at present.

The expedition has just returned they went to destroy some salt works in Swansboro none were hurt and all came back alive. There is great excitement among the better class of young men for commission in the corps DeAffrique so you must not be surprised to hear of me in the Department of the Gulf, but I dont think you need be very much afraid of it at least. but I am geting to the end of my sheet & will close, please give my regards to Mrs Warren

Yours Truly Eugene C Houghton