No 3
			Camp Sherman
			April 26, 1862
Dear Mother
	         I have received the follow-
ing dated letters from you this month
March 18th, 24th, & 30th. Also several illus-
trated papers
I am glad to hear of George’s good
luck.
    I was surprised to hear of Ed-
wards death. I must confess that
the will is a mixed up affair to
me, especially I do not understand
that Barry Co. affair. But as for be-
ing disappointed, I am just the
other way.
  Do the best you can about the will.
I will send you as much money
as I possibly can to carry it on. William
can probably do something to help it,
he wrote me under date of April. 2
saying he had received six months pay
the week before & was about to send
you $50. I have received two letters

from him. March 1 & April 2.
And now for the reason of my long
delay in writing to you, which 
is this. On the 21st day of March
we had orders to march immedi-
ately, in light marching order I had
a letter written ready to send to you
but neglected to do so. You will
probably before this have heard of our
skirmish at Ponchatoula. We drove
the rebels out in fine style. & two
days afterward they drove out our
small picket force which had been
left to hold the town. Nothing of special
interest occurred afterwards until after
we have been at Manchac Pass several
days. 10 miles from Panchatoula. A
schooner came down on
Lake [Mirabeau?] to raise the
guns of the Federal gun boat Barra-
taria, which had been sunk at the
mouth of the Amite (2 24 pounders
constituted her armament.) She

was observed from this shore & a
small boat, with 2 lieutenants
& 7 men, & one lieutenant accom-
panied the party in a dugout.
They pursued the schooner into
a river where our men were
ambuscaded, and all except 
the one in the dugout, who
jumped ashore. He afterward subsisted
on berries, until he found a  boat
& escaped to the shore where we
were. Write to me once a week
at least, concerning the suit.
I have received several papers form you
at different times for which I am
truly thankful.
	       Your affectionate son
		            H Bostock
Mrs. Maria B.
I have received a letter from Wm this even
ing. Nothing of importance.


Mrs. Maria Bostock
			Marshall
			Michigan