Camp White, April 9, 1863.
Dear Uncle: — Yours of the 3rd received. Yes, Jenkins made a dash into Point Pleasant, but he dashed out before doing much mischief with a loss of seventy-five killed and prisoners. He attacked one other post garrisoned by men under my command but was repulsed. His raid was a failure. He lost about one hundred and fifty men while in this region and accomplished nothing. But we expect repetitions of this thing, and with our present force we shall probably suffer more another time.
I do not look for an end of the war for a long time yet. I am glad the late elections show the second sober thought to be right. We can worry them out if we keep at it without flagging.
Come on, it will be good weather in a few weeks.
I send you a soldier’s photograph of our log-cabin camp near Gauley. It is not good. You can see the falls beyond the camp and the high cliffs on the opposite side of the Kanawha. My quarters were at the long-roofed cabin running across the street towards the back and right of the picture.
Sincerely,
R. B. Hayes.
S. Birchard.
