Dear Carrie,

            Your anxiously looked for favor of 31^st letter came duly to hand by Dr. Hunter

& I will now fulfill the promise made in my letter to Nellie, viz: that I would employ
my first leisure moments in writing you. 

            As I stated to Nellie, we broke up our camp on Bull Run at Mitchell’s Ford
yesterday morning & moved about two miles making that march nearer Manassas
(our post office).  Perhaps a few of the incidents of yesterday & a description of our
present abiding place may be interesting to you.  Early yesterday morning we
commenced preparations to strike tents & after breakfast at the tap of the drum

As I stated to Nellie, we broke up our camp on Bull Run at Mitchell’s Ford yesterday
morning & moved about two miles making that march nearer Manassas (our post
office).Perhaps a few of the incidents of yesterday & a description of our present
abiding place may be interesting to you.Early yesterday morning wecommenced
preparations to strike tents & after breakfast at the tap of the drum all were struck. 
I being officer of the day immediately marched the guard over here & posted the
first relief.  After that my time was occupied in instructing the guard as to its duty
& attending to any & everything generally throughout the whole encampment.

            The first thing to be done after the arrival of the regiment although men had
been busy here the whole day previous was for each company to clean off & arrange
its respective place.  This required the greater part of the day as the larger portion
of the encampment is in a grove to which the under growth was very thick & vast
piles of leaves had to be removed outside the lines as well as dead timber etc.  Late
in the evening almost all the tents were pitched.  I am now pretty well skilled in
cleaning off new ground, cutting out roads, digging ditches etc. etc. 

            We have everything laid off in regular regimental style.  First are the advance
guard tents two hundred paces in rear is the color line, immediately behind which
the private’s tents are arranged in order.  Sixty paces back are the commissioned
officers tents.  The kitchen being about half way between there and the men’s tents,
thirty or forty paces retired are the tents or the field & staff.

            The ground is nicely cleaned off now & as I said before almost all the tents are
in the shade.  It is the prettiest place for an encampment that we have had yet.  The
main cause of our moving was to get better water.  We have very good water now if
the supply will hold out.  In addition to the springs we are digging several wells &
in a few days hope to have an abundance of good clear water which I will not say

The ground is nicely cleaned off now & as I said before almost all the tents are in the
shade.It is the prettiest place for an encampment that we have had yet.The main
cause of our moving was to get better water.We have very good water now if the
supply will hold out.In addition to the springs we are digging several wells & in a
few days hope to have an abundance of good clear water which I will not say

candidly has been rather a rarity for the last two or three weeks. 

            From our camp we can see six other regimental encampments.  There is no
telling how many troops are between Manassas & the Potomac.

            Last night after working hard all day I felt considerably fatigued but about
nine o’clock I had Sid to make me some hot coffee after drinking which I started out
had “tattoo” beat at 9:20 o’clock, which is the signal to call the roll for the last time
that day & at 10 o’clock “taps” at which time every light except in commissioned
officers tents must be extinguished & perfect silence prevail.

            After drinking the coffee I felt considerably better & after “taps” wacked
throughout the whole encampment to see that everything was going on right.  Being
satisfied on this point I went over to guard tent & it now being after midnight made
my “guard rounds” which is the officer of the day taking an escort of one new
commissioned officer & two privates & going the whole rounds of the encampment
to see that every sentinel is doing his duty.

            It now only was an hour or so until day break & I concluded to take a short

It now only was an hour or so until day break & I concluded to take a short

nap, but on laying down I could not sleep soundly for fear that I might over sleep my
time.  After dosing for about an hour.  I got up & attended to having the different
calls sounded at their proper times.  Took breakfast w/ the Colonel & Major.  During
the meal the Colonel remarked “Captain I must say you have been the best instructed
guard we have had yet.”  I thanked him for his compliment but thought it very
flattering indeed.  But there goes the draw for battalion drill & I must stop.

            Well, we had a very nice battalion drill concluding with dress parade & have

also had a good supper.  Henry Barrow having gone to the junction this evening &
accidently & fortunately found & brought a box of very nice honeycomb & several
(sixteen) dozen eggs.  We tried some of the honeycomb for supper & have eggs enough

for several breakfasts.  In addition to this the regiment has some eight or ten very
fine calves, two of which will be killed tomorrow.  This country is a very good grazing
country & the beef we get is much better than any I have seen in Salem for a long
time.  So you can just imagine us about day after tomorrow morning sitting down
to breakfast with fine beef steak, eggs, good bread, honeycomb & hot coffee.

            Why I declare this bill of fare if printed in the French language, would appear
almost as large as those Yankees had prepared for their grand & triumphal march to
Richmond.  I think we will enjoy it more.

            This is only an oasis in the desert, it is not often that we have such a variety. 
There is no fruit at all in this whole region of country.  I have sent out scouting parties
in hopes they might find some, but they always report “no fruit to be found”.  Willie,

Henry, Sam & myself thought of having a box fixed up at home for us & sent to me, but
are afraid the fruit would spoil before coming to hand.  We have not tasted an apple,
peach or melon, nor do we expect to this season.  Willie has just brought a letter to be
mailed to his father, & say she wrote to him to consult w/ you & father & if you all

thought it could be done to fix up a box of fruit & send by Adams Express to Capt. A.
H. Belo, Co. D, 11^th Regiment N.C. Volunteers.

            The report came to camp in a letter to Corporal Atwood that it was rumored
in Salem that I wish several others had been killed in the late battle & perhaps this
was bad news you alluded to in your last.

            Do not believe such flying rumors in a great many instances, they originate in
Salem.  If any accident or misfortunate should befall any one of us there certainly will
be left some to tell the tale & we will communicate just as soon as anyone else can, so
whenever you do not hear anything, just take it for granted that everything is going
on right, & you will save yourself a great deal of anxiety & uneasiness.  I am sitting
out doors under the trees & a shower is coming up, so I will stop. 

                                All wish to be remembered at home. Hoping you are all well & to hear from you soon.  
                                                                                    
                                                                                    I remain very truly your cousin, 
                                                                                                                                                Alf

This wonderful letter is signed, “Your cousin, Alf”, however, full I.D. is provided in the text of the letter when Belo gives particulars of where to send his mail.  Belo was first elected Captain of Company D of the 11th North Carolina Volunteers – “The Forsyth Rifles” and later the 55th.  This is a letter that deserves to be in a University archives or part of a North Carolina lover’s collection – perhaps someone from Belo’s town of Salem?!  Anyway, this is truly an historic piece that we are privileged to offer!