[1862]


[stamped L encircled and with a crown]


South Carolina Dec th 23


Dear fother I received your leter with much plazer on the the sixth day of Dec and I receved Mareys awnser on the 18 Day of Dec also one from J M Pierce, Marey Jane said she wanted to no how I like soldgen tel her that that I wil tel her all about it when we get home Again tel her when she rights to sine my name at the top of the invelop for I think it is much nicer this than at the botom of it if pleases her to do so gorge says he roat home for som letr stamps and 


[page 2]


dident get eney answer yet  Tirsea said in Mareys leter [said] that brother told them in his leter that I was geting fat on [illegible] and patridges and she wanted to no ho we cucked them and wethe we swindged them or not ask her how swinges them ones that is swiming in the Delaware river then I thing she will no how I swing theas ones that was swiming in the bay georg and I is well at presen an I hop tha tyou are all the same but their is A god meney has the measils now Joseph Booth has them now long leged [illegible] was left behind at Fortrys monrow Va all the hundred boys is well except the one


[page 3]


we left Fortrys monrow on the eights of Dec fore hear we came hear on the steam ship carnon we had nice wether until the 11 of the month and that night the wind blew a living gail for about four ours and the waivs ran over deck then their was some sick boys they was spuing all around as wel as the other thing but it dident make me sick that night I was a litle sick the next morning but I couldent spew right whel we got heir the sixteenth after eight days on sea that is at good wile then you haint half A nuf to eat the cofee we   had I want you to tel me wether you 


[written vertically on right margin] have to pay for this leter or not we cant get stampes for ene price


[written upside down on top margin]
I still remain you efettion son E W Pierce wright soon and direct your leter in care of D Clenton Lewis Co F 97 Pa Rigt lol[illegible] Camp weels Port royal South carolina all at present


[page 4]


wasent fit for a hog to drik the cuck was the darke thay had on the boat and he dident throw the grounds out a tol I dont think and the santt leaf dident get washed at all cofee or hog wash was all we got and leaf and hard bread this is A alent wich we ar on it is about eight miles wid [long] and fiften long we can sea plenty coton stock standing when this was taking it was pruty near al in coton and swet potatos but it is pruty near all tramped down their is about sixten thousen troups hear now I cant tel you for serten how meney for they ceap coming and others going further we are throing up breast works hear now and we will have it stron for hear befor long the breast works is from three to four miles long around but when we got of the boat we had to waid in water about three feeat deape ot giting at shoir for the tid was down and the worf that they wer building dident reach out [illegible] and that night we 


[written vertically in right margin] had to sleap on the ground because we dident get our tents