<hi rend="bold"> Letter from John Henderson to his father, Archibald Henderson, from Fort Branch, [February 1865] :</hi> Electronic Edition. Henderson, John, fl. 1863 Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Caitlin R. Donnelly Text encoded by Caitlin R. Donnelly First Edition, 2007 ca. 12K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2007

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 John Steele Henderson Papers (#327), Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from John Henderson to his father, Archibald Henderson, from Fort Branch, [February 1865] John 2 pages, 2 page images [1865] Call number 327 (Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2007-05-27,</date> <respStmt> <name>Caitlin R. Donnelly</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc09-18"> <body> <div1 type="personal letter"> <pb id="unc09-18-p01" n="[1]"/> <head> Letter from <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John Henderson</name> to his father, <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Archibald Henderson</name>, from <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Fort Branch</name>, [February 1865] </head> <p>Damp and wet as they were sleep over took me and it was an effectual protection against the cold. Perhaps "effectual" is too strong a term; for I feel more indebted to D<hi rend="sup">r</hi> <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Kennedy's</name> blankets than to anything else and to use his own expression "They feel very comfortable of a warm night. The march from <name key="name0001096" reg="Tarboro, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Tarboro</name> <!-- Bari had the first part of Tarboro as unrecovered. I checked a map to figure it out - Fort Branch is located in Hamilton, NC, which is twenty three miles from Tarboro. -->was painful and toilsom in the extreme. The distance is twenty three miles and we began it yesterday about twelve Oclock. The stragglers were innumerable but I was not one of them; far from it I arrived at the fort about eight Oclock last night. Most of <gap reason="[unrecovered]"/> men camped on the way and did not arrive here until noon to-day. I like the life of a soldier very well so far but of course it will be some time before any decisive judgment can be arrived at. There is something romantic about the life; the mode of life; the cause he is contending for. He has to bear with every species of inconvenience; to live well or ill is with him the same. What difference does it make whether he is furnished with a pound or a quarter of a pound of meat a day. One third of a pound is the usual allowance. If they draw five days rations they eat it up in two. But starvation: they dont starve Well how do they live? Dont ask me; they can tell you more about it. Soldiers can eat anything and relish it too. While at <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Fort Clifton</name> I was <pb id="unc09-18-p02" n="[2]"/>astonished at seeing men eat beef which smelled so very offensive. The stench was intolerable. But yet it was eaten. I have met several of my old friends and acquaintance, companions of school and college days. <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Adams</name>, <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Gardiner</name>, <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Brookfield</name> and myself mess together and will share the same quarters as soon as we become comfortably situated. <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Fort Branch</name> is jammed. Our company will remain here but a few days. Already it has been ordered to <name key="name0001221" reg="Weldon, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Weldon</name> and will probably leave here for that point the latter part of the present week. Lieut. <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Primrose</name> is not here; stays at home on furlough nearly all the while; should have returned to the <name key="x" reg="x" type="place" rend="">Fort</name> today. If you can find a <name key="name0000976" reg="Richmond, VA" type="place" rend="yes">Richmond</name> paper containing accounts the full account of the late tremendous mass meeting in that city, you will confer a great favor upon me by forwarding it. If it is to be found you need be in no hurry to forward it to me until it is positively known where I am to be stationed permanently. Give my love to <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Mother</name>, my cousins, and the little ones and my respects to Miss <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Gilpin</name>. I have written a long letter though labouring under many disadvantages and though it may be unsatisfactory, still it is the best I can do under the circumstances. As soon as I am stationed somewhere permanently I will write oftener and better. Forgot to mention that I saw <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">Stephen</name> in <name key="name0000934" reg="Raleigh, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Raleigh</name> With my best wishes for your health I remain very affectionately</p> <closer> <salute rend="center">Your Son</salute> <signed> <name key="x" reg="x" type="person" rend="">John</name> </signed> </closer> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>