April 22.
Your letters of the 13th and 14th came last night as I expected. I passed about as uncomfortable a night as I have seen lately. It had been raining all day, but at night it commenced to pour down, and the water ran through our tent, round it, and under it, and we just had to lie in a puddle of it all night. There was no dodging it; scarcely a dry spot in the tent. To-day I don’t feel very keen, so, if my letter is not interesting, you will see my excuse. You certainly deserve credit for giving me a good long letter. I like to receive such, but, if I don’t mention that I noticed such and such items, charge it to want of space, for this is my second sheet and I can’t get in but three. One thing, however, you made a mistake in, and that was in giving me an inventory of your wardrobe. Haven’t you known me long enough to know that I never can remember what color the ribbon on a bonnet is long enough to get out of church to talk about it? And all those details about the black broadcloth dress trimmed with traveling goods, the para matta cloak, the black satin congress gaiters, the white bonnet with yellow crossbars and flowers and all those things— why, I can hardly remember them now long enough to write them. I have no doubt but you looked well in them though, for you always do.
Well, the Tribune said that Porter’s division made the attack. Did they, and we have been in a battle, have we? To be sure, we led the column, and our brigade the division, but there was not much infantry fighting. Our batteries opened on them at long range and we came up in line of battle to support them. They replied with spirit from their forts and their first shell killed two brave fellows in Follett’s battery, which was planted in the very spot where the rebels had been practicing at target. The firing was heavy on both sides till dark and we lost some eight or ten, and a good many horses. We all expected that Sunday would prove a bloody day, but it was very quiet and the great battle has not come off yet, though there is considerable firing every day and some skirmishes.
