Calvin Shedd letter to wife, S. Augusta Shedd, March 11, 1863

              St. Augustine March 11th 63 

Dear Wife 

The Mail is reported to leave in the forenoon, so I will write a word to you this evening. I wish I could know you were in good health, I think then I should feel quite contented, I sleep in my quarters tonight the first for ten nights, I am in commnd tomorrow & shall have but little time to write.

We have had quite an excitement this week not much to our credit viz Co. C. in comnd of Lt Lane went on Picket Monday Morning well Sunday morning the Guerilla Capt Dickenson with about 150 Cavalry laid a trap to take the Co that should go on picket, there is a place occupied near the picket line "just beyond," by a man named Biar there was another man stopping by with him Dickenson put then both under close arrest, so they would not carry the news of his whereabouts to the city; early monday morning he dismounted Sixty of his men, & posted them in the woods, between the picket post, & the city; then just beyond the picket line he had forty mounted men ready to charge on them ie the Co, as it marched into the clearing from the road that leads up the Beach [this clearing is the Fairbanks place the buildings have been burnt by our Soldiers] an excellent plan which would have succeeded if he had waited thirty minutes longer but the Co did not arrive till 9 oclock & Dickenson was afraid we had got wind of it & called off his men, now comes the rub I hate to write it