Item Description: Letter from Jerome Riggins to Martin Moser about conditions near Kinston NC, including Union reluctance to engage with the Confederate “gun boat.” The boat referred to is likely the CSS Neuse, which sunk in March 1865 when the crew set it on fire instead of letting it fall into the hands of the enemy.

Item Citation: From Folder 3, in the Martin Moser Papers, #3972-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item Transcription:

Martin Moser
Mr. Martin Moser
Alamance Co.
Rock Creek Rd.
N. Carolina

C.S. Steamer Nuse

December 18, 1864

Kinston, N. C.

Dear Sir,

i sit mi self down to write you a few lines to let you no that i am well at this time and i hope that when this few lins come to hand they may find you and the rest of the famley well and doing well   i have ben looking for a letter for the last two munts and have not got one yet but i am well satisfide at presents. I gane to think that you had forgot me but i hear from you every week. I have not got any nuse at this time. I learn this morning that the yankees taking Tarbough aboat 2 days ago. I want to fight the Yankees with our gun boat but they is aferd to come in shooting distance. Our gunboat is what hole Kinston. We have 75 men on our boat and we can whip 10 hundred Yankees. We have good wether now. I will send you a few lines about the Yanks. Mr. Moser I want you to write as soon as you get this so I will close my time by asking you to write to me at presents.

Dec. 1864

Jerome Riggins to Martin Moser

There is also transcribed copy with corrected spelling to make it easier to understand: