[blue pencil: Southern women and flag]

Portsmouth May 23^rd 1863

 

            Dear Sister

                                    I got the receipt for my box wednesday and your last yesterday. The box came to day. Every thing all right but the oyster can. when you nailed the strips of iron around the corners the nails went through the can & of course the stuff that was in it leaked out I see that there is a little left yet. I like my shirts first rate and every thing else

 

The army shirts I have been wearing lately are meant to be white woolen, but they are the dirtiest looking things you ever saw and I have got sick enough of them.

 

The chip hat comes just / right. The weather is awful warm have not had any rain in some time. There are some nice flowers here more different kinds of roses than I ever saw before. I wish I could send you a bouquet beat any thing you ever saw.

 

Green peas and strawberries have been in market some time Strawberries are twenty cents a quart I expect they will be down to ten pretty soon and then I shall go in for some I had some peas to eat to day. for the last ten days I have been boarding a good many of the boys are doing so. They draw their rations and give six shillings a week extra They find it cheaper than to board in the company / for then half of the time they did not have any thing but bread and coffee & they could not help buying something to make out with and every thing being so high it would cost more than they now have to pay extra

 

There are 14 of us where we are, have good board fresh fish fresh meat every meal and now we have green peas and so on. The old lady brews beer for us to drink now it is so warm. I took my butter over and put it in an ice chest so it will get cooled off now. It was pretty warm when I opened it I guess I shall have to stop now my box has come but I have lived well for the last ten days 

 

I feel first rate now have had my hair shingled off close to my head that is the fashion among the boys I have been over to see Helen Pitts again went up to the school but she was not there so went to where she boarded but she was gone. I shall go over again the fore part of the week. I wish Sam could have seen what I did this A.M. I went over to Norfolk and there was a large steamer load of negroes going to Washington to enlist. All large able bodied fellows I suppose there was were nearly a thousand on board. When they started one of them proposed three cheers for the President's proclamation and the gave three hearty ones &c the secesh looked rather down in the mouth 

 

one woman said "that was a pretty sight for a southerner" I thought so only think a million dollars worth of property starting to leave them. I have no doubt but a brigade could be raised here and in Norfolk Five companies of our reg^t are here now we have to do picket duty again. My eatables will come very handy to take out. I shall be on duty tomorrow, city guard we have to come out with white gloves on and boots blacked look slick all over. The news is good / to day from the southwest

 

The boys have quite a time with the secesh ladies. They are determined to wear crape mourning for Stonewall and we are determined they shant One of our boys had a free fight with one on the ferry yesterday. She said she was wearing it for Stonewall. He requested her to take it off as such things such things were not allowed. She said she would not nor no Yankee could not take it of. He went in got the crape and a few punches with her parasol. A good many are bitter go out in street off the side walk so as not to pass under the flag. One was going around it the other day when the guard stopped her and made her walk in under. She said all the flag was fit for was to poison

 

[margins]

 

rats. The guard told her he thought a piece of her shirt would do better for that. wasn't she mad but good bye. your affect Brother C E Reed

SOURCES