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I leave at six o clock in the morning for my Regt which I learn will leave for Richmond tomorrow

Portsmouth Va. May 7th 1862 Dear Brother I wrote you last soon after the battle near South Mills (called by Col. Wright battle of Sawyer 's Lane) which letter I hope you rec'd in due time. To come down to the present time without going [inserted: into the] minutia of detail of our movements since I wrote you last. I came here yesterday with some dozen of our [inserted: sick] men & complaining sent about half of them to the Gen. Hospital the balance will rejoin the Regt. The Regt. is at Bowers Hill about seven miles from this city on the Seaboard & Roanoke R. Road in the direction of Suffolk. how long we will remain there I know not but a short time I expect, in fact I hear it reported that we will leave there tomorrow probably for Richmond. I don't believe we will go so soon as that as Col Wright & Lt. Col Reid are both in town this evening. Amid so much excitement & confusion I hardly know what to write. There's one thing you may set down as true, that is these twin cities are being rapidly evacuated That is, all the machinery [inserted: & some of the the guns] is being removed from Gosport Navy yard. Some of the ammunition from our batteries in the harbor also being removed - mostly to Richmond I believe. A great many families have left the two cities - a good many of when I learn have gone to Ga. A great many of the patients have been sent from the Gen. Hospital to Richmond in short they intend to leave as little here for the Yankees as possible if they do come & take possession.