The following letter was written by John Quincy Adams Johnston (1836-1906)—known to his comrades as “Quince”—who served as 1st Sergeant in Co. A, 17th Massachusetts Infantry. He enlisted in May 1861 at Amesbury and was discharged for wounds on 10 September 1863. He was married to Lucy Stevens Moody in 1857 but she died a little over two years later in 1860.

Quince’s letter concludes with a brief recap of the expedition made with other troops of the 18th Army Corps to the relief of the besieged garrison at Washington, North Carolina. When they engaged the enemy at Blount’s Creek on 9 April 1863, they found them strongly entrenched and finally withdrew and returned to New Bern.

Quince wrote the letter his brother William Johnston who served in the US Navy during the Civil War.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Newbern [North Carolina]
March 10th 1863

Dear Brother,

I thought perhaps you would like to hear a word from me. I have little or nothing new to write. My health is very good and I hope this will find you enjoying the same blessing.

There was an expedition left here last Thursday morning but the 17th was left behind although we have been under marching orders since they left. But I think it was only to be in readiness in case they came across a force too large for them. But today they have returned, or a part of them. They say they did not fire a gun. They took some ten or twelve prisoners.

There is a report here that there has been another call for troops and I am glad of it although I don’t want any of my friends to get into the army. Let some of the lazy bummers that have got plenty at stake as well as liberty. You and I have dine enough for nothing. If they want my services as much longer, they will have to give me a better berth. I have heard within a few days by way of a [ ] that I was to have the next promotion. I hope it is so. We have got the best captain in the regiment. He is a perfect gentleman. He has the most influence of anyone in the regiment and he improves every opportunity to use it for [his] men. At the Battle of Goldsboro, I was wounded in the first volley but I kept on firing as long as the battle lasted and the captain tells everybody of it and also tells them that I am an abolitionist or I never would have such hatred towards the Rebs. When I got through fighting, my leg was so swollen that I could hardly get my pants off but it is as well as ever now. We shall whip them at last. The Rebs must come. Uncle Sam is good for them.

There is a report here now that our gunboats have got up past Fort Sumter. I hope it is true, If it is, they will soon break Charleston into a cocked up hat. We heard heavy cannonading last night and I think it was a bombardment of either Wilmington or Charleston.

About those boots that Rowe sent me, I sold them the next day after they arrived for $29. They cost me $18.13—a very good profit. I wrote to Rowe for a case of twelve pairs. I was glad to hear that you had got a job on the Navy Yard but don’t say in the next [letter] of being drafted. If it should happen that you should have to go at all, go in the Navy, but be sure and not get into the army. It is enough to kill anybody, these long marches made in [ ], I tell you. — Quincy

April 11th. We have just returned from an expedition just as I finished this letter and before I had time to send it. We had the order to march this way. At 9 o’clock on Monday evening and 10 o’clock we were on the way to what is called Bay [Blount’s Creek]. We had a fight with the Rebs and had some 12 men wounded in our regiment, four in Company A slightly by a rebel shell. I will give you the particulars in my next. I will give you the names of the wounded [on 9 April 1863]: G. Rezen, S. Reed, T[homas A.] Murray, F[rancis] Peabody

— Quincy