This letter was written about March 3, 1863, in Newbern, North Carolina. In this letter Warren gives his opinion on using black soldiers in the union army. He this time, on page eleven, quotes George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron. (1788–1824). And he also mentions of having Union Cavalry along on their march in case they run into Confederate Brigadier General Roger Atkinson Pryor. The actual quote comes from Byron's Poem, The Giaour, line 123, and reads:

For Freedom's battle once begun,
Bequeathed by bleeding Sire to Son,
Though baffled oft is ever won.

It was first published in 1813 as a 685 line 'sketch'. The seventh, and final edition, of 1334 lines, was published in 1815.
 

Images of the original Letter.

Pages: 1 - 2   3 - 4  5 - 6   7 - 8   9 - 10   11 - 12
 

My Dear Parents-

I am well- (Missing) papers are at hand. Please send more (Missing) I will redeem that long letter promise. At Suffolk on the 28th of Dec. 1862 orders came for the Empire Brigade to strike tents, sling knapsacks, form into line, load at will, fix bayonets, shoulder arms, right face, forward march. Soon we were in step and "marching along" through "A land of cotton persimmon seed and sandy bottom".
Our line of march was southward, and through a low, flat, miserable, sandy, clayey, woody, swampy, good-for-nothing, godforsaken and devil taken country (It was particularly ol-l taken while in our possession) Three days marching at a rate of twenty miles per day brought us to the banks of the Chowan River; where we found transports awaiting our coming. We were soon aboard the boats and packed like herring in a box or, as a pedlar would put up a sett of spoons; and thus we went sailing down the river into Albermal sound, thence into the Pamlico sound, thence up the Neuse (or nuisance) river to this place.

2^nd

(missing) amusing incidents of the march, were, (missing) of persimmons-foraging for chickens (missing) that was eatable and drinkable; and (missing) and Negroes into the Union service (missing) them carry knap-sacks; and once and (missing) coming upon a rebel scout. The principal productions of North Carolina are tar, pitch, turpentine, peanuts and persimmons. The frosts of the winter ripen the persimmons and make it quite an eatable fruit. The fruit is about as large as a common plum, has a sweetish taste and is very “puckerish” to the lips. The North Carolina girls during the winter months must have their lips in a kissable shape most of the time; for they eat great quantities of the persimmons (I send you one of the seed). Every house we passed, unless a guard was put over it, was rummaged from garret to cellar, apple jack (a kind of a drink that is made in this state) and every barn for chickens. As we passed plantations, you would soon hear hens cackling-ducks quacking-geese squawking pigs squealing-dogs barking and d-l let loose generally; orders to the contrary notwithstanding- Hungry soldiers are hard 

3^rd

things to manage, Sometimes a heap of sweet potatoes would be seen buried up in the sand and in a twinkling of an eye they would disappear, into the pockets or knap-sacks of the soldiers, to be roasted at the next stopping place. When we happened to meet any Negroes the solder would ask him a few questions in the following manner “Waal Sambo where is your master” yah yah: dono sir aint been around desparts in a long time sir.” Well did you run away from your master or did your master run away from you. Yah Yah: I reckon he run away from me and right sharp too. When he heard dat you gemmum was comin. “Do you want to be free Sambo” Yes I reckon I does “ Well then carry my knap-sack to the Chowan and I will give you your freedom papers” in the meantime the soldier would take from his pocket an old newspaper containing Lincoln’s proclamation. If the negro refused to go, the sight of a few soldiers at a charge bayonet soon made him willing. Sometime we would come across a man with a horse and cart, Soon his cart would be loaded and he driving toward the Chowan no excuse or cerconstance would be heeded

 4^th

When we bivouacked for the night some dry and cleared place with plenty of rail fence near was selected. Five thousand men will burn in one frosty night all the rails on an ordinary farm, or, plantation. God Save the country through which an army of friend, or, foes has to march. The second day of our march we met some rebel cavalry. It was rather expected that we should met Pryor’s force. The meeting of these rebel scouts confirmed our expectations. The bugle sounded the halt and soon we were in line of battle and ready for any emergency. The line of battle was along the road in which we were marching. As soon as the line was formed the order was passed from one regiment to other “Unfurl the flag”. No language can describe the feeling of loyal hearts he sees the good old flag flying to the breeze in the presence of an enemy. The cavalry scouts and the skirmishers that were deployed soon reported that no large force of the enemy were near, and that the few we met had prudently “ skedaddle” Thus ending the anticipated battle. We had an escort of cavalry and light artillery. Had Pryor offered battle there would have been blood work 

5^th

March 2^nd 1863

Some of the unamusing incidents of the march, were the marching of twenty miles per day, and the carrying of your knapsack filled with under clothing and the little trinkets that a soldier finds necessary to have with him. And the carrying of a knapsack filled with rations for three days; consisting of a piece of meat about as big as a little chip, three dozen crackers or “hard tack” about as large as another “chip” and a little coffee and sugar about as much as you could put on to a chip. The soldier generally manage to eat up their three days rations in one and the other two days have to eat “chips” or forage chickens and add and added to the above is a cartouche box containing forty rounds of cartridges and gun, overcoat, canteen and blanket. The above named articles will weigh about sixty five pounds or as much as a bushel wheat. I should also add a shelter tent to this list. A shelter tent is made of three or four yard of cotton cloth cut into two equal parts. One man carries one part and another the other part. When night comes the two parts are buttoned together and put up such sticks or limbs as are near at hand. When the tents are up and the occupants into it, it looks like this. You see it keeps the head and feet dry. Another very unamusing thing was the fording of the streams sometimes waist deep. There are but few soldiers that can march twenty miles per day and carry all of their accoutrements: and the consequence is that overcoats, blanket and knapsacks are by many “chucked” away on the road side for the benefit of the rebels. Many men become completely used up and have to fall behind and picked up by the rear guard and put in the ambulance wagons. 

6^th

On the evening of the third day we reached the river, as we neared the river the signal lights of the transports first came to view and quickly passed along the lines “there is the river”, “there is the river”, hurrah-hurrah-hurrah and for once the cheerless woods of North Carolina echoed the cheerful cheers of Union Soldiers. We were soon aboard the boats and were packed; and sailed as I have described. This place did once contain about ten thousand inhabitants of the real old persimmon stock. It now contains about the same number of  “d----d Yankees”. We had a grand review a few days ago by Gen. Porter and I think there were ten thousand troops out, say nothing about those left in camp. By what I can learn by the negros, the people of this place thought that Burnside could not take it and so they did not take the precaution to remove this “moveable” ( ? ) in spite of the obstructions that they had placed in the river, and of batteries that they had planted upon its banks: what ( ? ) one fine afternoon did they behold but Yankee gunboats and the massing on Southside of the river Yankee “bluecoats”. I seems that the chivalry thought a good run was better than a bad stand; and so they cowardly ran away. Had they stood their ground as well as they have in other places (missing) would have found his Fredericksburg at (missing) But the rebels run and our troops found a camp at hand with dwellings well furnished – and streets are well shaded, wide and look quite clean – There are many costly buildings with fine surroundings. (?) that are fast going to ruin for want of care by those that have something more than a temporary interest in them. Where are they who once lived so happily within; echo answers where on that porch where one sat haughty wealth, now passes a poor sentinel of the Provost Guard – Such is war.

 7^th

I suppose that you frequently ask yourself the question; when this war will end, will it ever end, or, will it continue on till the crack of doom. The only way to judge of the future, is by past.- There never was a war that did not end-There never was a people ,or, a nation that have not been conquered. History teaches us that all conquered have submitted with a good grace to the will of the conquers. In no place the enmity of race bee carried to a greater extent, than in the civil wars of England and Scotland And in no place has it been more completely effaced. Island, that has been through the damnation of two confiscations one by catholic England before the reformation, and one by protestant England after the reformation, and rebellions without number; begins to be sincerely loyal to her master. The bitterness engendered by the two wars that we have had with England has become so effaced that the heir apparent of the throne, was most joyously greeted when he landed on our shores. The hatred produced by the wars of Napoleon 1^st could not keep Napoleon 3^rd from going to England to kiss the Queen; nor, the Queen from going to France to Knight the Emperor. The talk that the South cannot live in peace in a government with North is all “ bosh “, that the South cannot be conquered is all “ bosh “. That the South will be conquered is quite another question. 

8^th

The people of the North should not be so discouraged. They should remember that France and England and Turkey were nearly two years with their standing armies at hand in taking Sebastopol. That at one attack they had eight ships of the line disabled – That there were three different Generals that were put in command. That Raglan thought it could not be taken. That his life was shortened by a blunder that he made. That the French General Camberet gave it up to Pelesier That there were nearly as many lives lost at the siege as we have lost in the war, yet Sebastopol was taken. You must remember that blunders have been made by other generals than our own, Bonaparte made some huge blunders, Gen. Scott was accused of blundering in the Mexican war. In fact history teaches that all generals have been roundly accused of blundering and roundly abused for their blundering. Yet I would not try to screen the present administration from their damnable blunders. There seems to be much talk about the Proclamation: One party thinks it is a balm that will heal our national wounds, Another party thinks it is Pandora’s box opened, One party argues that it will end the war in three months. That millions north are ready to smell powder under the Proclamation. 

9^th

And that four millions of slaves would rise up in mass and strike for freedom. And that we should have the sympathy and aid of other nations. Another party argues that the war under the Proclamation would become a war of extermination and that all the Border States would fly off at a tangent. Well I think they will all be mistaken. Lincoln’s first idea of the proclamation was correct “ the Pope’s Bull against the comet” It has about as much effect on this war as water has on the back of a duck. The proposition to raise three hundred regiments of niggers seems to have frightened some people at the North. Well they need not be afraid, before you make a rabbit soup you must catch the rabbit. The free niggers of the North will not enlist and there are not enough able body negroes in the possession of the Union forces to do the dirty work, to say nothing about making soldiers of them. There are not any more negroes around the Washington department than is wanted to do the dirty work, at least so says Quartermaster Meigs. There were not enough at Suffolk and there are not enough here. There are large numbers of women and children and lame and blind negroes, but comparatively few able bodied men. There may be a few more negroes at Beaufort S. Carolina at New Orleans then they want. Yet it seems to me the niggers at Beaufort should have been building forts for heavy artillery to bear on Charleston instead of playing soldier. The shovel and spade have been laughed at by many, but they are very efficacious weapons. T shovel has made Richmond impregnable and I am afraid it has Charleston. The niggers know how to dig and let them dig. As for niggers making fighting soldiers, they will not. Undoubtedly the French octoroons of New Orleans would make good solders and many of the mulattoes of other places, but soldiers cannot be made out of the mass of negros. That is my opinion others to the contrary notwithstanding. Every effort should be made to bring together and keep together these now dis-United States. Surely it is most unfortunate that we should have such a weak administration. But there is no help for it, until the time appointed by the constitution. It will most certainly end then. The soldiers that are now sustaining it by the sword and bayonet will then end it by word and ballot. The defeat of the republicans in the last elections was caused by the soldiers letters written to their friends. The army has lost all confidence in the party in power. The nonpayment of the soldiers has had much to do in producing this state of feeling. By the by we have not been paid yet and the lord only knows when we will. You are most undoubtedly thinking that the government credit or green backs will be 

11th

soon valueless. Well you are very near right in thinking so. It is history repeating itself. In all great wars “promises to pay” become worthless, at least comparatively so. The war of Revolution had its worthless continentals. The credit of France during the Bonaparte wars was worthless and also that of England became nearly so. The promises to pay off Austria were not worth the paper that they were printed on. Yet we become a richer and powerful nation in spite of a once lost credit. England and France are powerful today. Yes England came out of a war in which she spent millions a day for years richer than she went into it. So let the history of the past cheer up for us the untried future and hopefully trust that,

 “Freedoms battle once begun
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son
Through baffled oft is ever won”

The 132^nd Reg. is now in the Second, or Jordan’s Brigade, 5^th division, of the 18^th Army Corps of North Carolina. I have no news to write. 

12^th

Give my love to all. I am afraid that this gingled up mess that I have written will be more trouble to you than pleasure. So I will end it and write less another time. 

So Good Bye

Warren