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Camp Near Goldsboro, N. C.
February 8th, 1864

John W Martin
Dear Brother
As I have time at present to write you a few lines, I avail myself of the privilege, for the purpose of informing you where I am at present, and how I am a getting a long, etc. You can see from the caption of this little note where I am at this time, we came to this place on yesterday. We have been as far as Newbern N. C. or in other words near there for the yankees were there and we kept at a respectable distant although we drove them from their position 8 miles this side of Newbern after a short skirmish with a slith loss on our side the yankees loss in killed, I suppose not very many we took some 700 prisoner and captured any amount of clothing and the like burnt up their encampment etc. My health is pretty good now I do not like this country very well It is too sandy & swampy; the weather is at present is tolerably cool, But since we came down here we have had some very warm weather. As far as eating doings is concerned we draw about as usual, Provision is quite scarce here, it is hard to get any thing to eat in the country. We only stayed one day at Petersburg during that day I only eat $5.00 worth of pies etc. We have been on the move every since we left Tenn. From one Sunday to another; we were some 500 miles distant.
James M. Robinson met us as we returned from Newbern. N. C. on the third of the present inst. I return ten thousand thanks to the donor of the two little sugar cakes. Oh! how I thought of the good things at home, while I devoured them those two apples it is not worth saying anything about, for they were so good and so soon gone. I still cherish a hope of coming home and eating some of them notwithstanding the great distance and gloomy prospects, But my motto is "Hope on Hope ever",
How long we will stay here I do not know, but rumor says not long. I must hasten to a close although I promised in my last Epistle to give you a full account of my stay at Elisha Martin's. But I defer it at present, and hope that an opportunity will be afforded me at some future time, you must excuse me from not giving you a fuller account of our present strife.
I know close by requesting you to give love to Mother, Jane, Sally & all of my relatives and friends. May God bless you and make you happy in time and eternity is the sincere prayer of your
Brother & friend
H. W. Martin

P. S.
I requested you to give Sally my love but if you and her do not speak to each other as I am informed you will have to give it through somebody else.
If the good Lord spares me to visit Home again I hope that feeling of animosity which now exists between Home and Archers House will be entire extinct - God grant that it may.
H. W. Martin