Seabrook Island, S.C.

May the 19 1863

 

Dear Brother Herman

 

                                                I now take my pen in hand to answer your kind and most welcom letter you must excuse me, for not writing before but how som ever I will write now to you for if you are is anxios to hear from me as I be from you and the folks at home you would write oftenner but never mind I hope the time will soon come when we can talk with each other with out pen ink and paper dont know how soon that may be there is some sign / of getting home on a furlow in 3 or 4 months, 2 out of a company at a time untill the whole of the regt has bin home. 2 out of our company is a going on the next boat, 30 days furlow and then when they have bin gone 10 days then 2 more goes and so on untill the whole regt has bin home O Herman I must tell you where we went the other day we took a boat, 10 of us and went up the river a bout 4 mild and then we came to a plantation there we landed and loaded our gunns and going up to the house we saw a dog and he laid back his ears and ran like fury and have not / seen him since and we went up to the house and found no one there all had left nice chairs and a nice peano there and tables stair carpets and it was a splended place and the walks all laid out nice and flowers all down the walks and all kinds of roses that I ever saw and a large glass house full of flowers it looked a pitty to see them go to ruin so that is the way the rebels leave their houses down hear got some flowers and some bords and some oranges and came back lots of strawberies and black berries all ripe eat a plenty of them they are ripe down hear we got back safe and sound / that is all this time give my love to all and take a good part your self with mutch love remember me to all and be a good boy kiss Eddy for me write soon and all of the news this is from your ever loving Brother

                                                                                   

Miles L. Smith

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