Hdqrs African Brigade

Folly Island S.C. October 17^th 1863

 

Dear Mother                                                               

                        I am thankful to be able to write you once more in good health and spirits for although we have done nothing worth putting in the papers since my last to you, we have been on the "qui vive" just about the whole time. Thus you will perceive the "anticipation was much worse than the reality" as it usually is and begins to tell on our men who were obliged to sleep on their arms for six nights besides being broken of their rest at all hours. We have averaged a man defunct per diem ever since our arrival in this execrable District but think we get off cheap at that and I suppose we do out of twenty two hundred originally brought here. We are having magnificent weather just now, just cool enough to remind us of home and such moonlight nights, with a lady or two to promenade our ten mile beach with, the "delusion" would be complete. N.B. no sarcusm is intended.

 

Our Navy continues as idle as ever with a brisk prospect of the cordage rotting away and having to be replaced at a Northern port at some future period. I must say I am glad that my particular branch of the Service is the Army just now for my own credit if nothing more. We are fighting in the old M^clellan style with shovel and pick and axe and hatchet. /

 

E.A.'s health continues first rate and the prospect of a return soon to New Berne has animated him extensively this week. He sends much love to you and all the family circle and were it not rather a task for him to write, I should urge him to add a line to these. We have an Adjutant General now at these Hdqrs and an Inspector General also on our Staff which lightens my labors materially although I did not begin to work as hard here as I had to at New Berne when I was sole Staff Officer. I only wish we could exhibit our Brigade today for a few hours in any Northern city and if we did not satisfy the most incredulous of our efficiency would willingly "hide my diminished head" (in a basket of green apples) or flea to some more congenial clime where one has not to quarrel with "Musqitoes and Midges".

 

George Cushing Sr. is somewhere near us but we have not seen him yet. Both of my old Captains Comstock and Brayton have gone home to Rhody to accept positions in your Colored Reg. there. How wonderful a change from the opinions they both expressed to me when I was leaving them last Feb. Strange to relate I have not fallen in with a paymaster yet who has happened to have any funds on hand but I manage to get along wonderfully well on credit and am obliged to leave one or two buttons loose. Give my love to father and Wilcox. I often try to compare their farms with these plantations & desmesgnes. With a kiss for every one of you I remain ever your affect Son,

Walter H. Wild

Capt. A.D.C. & A.A.A.G.

 

Ellen dear, will you send this to Laura                               

with strict injunctions, to send it back to me,

She will get it sooner than from me, also G.E.'s note—I think she has not heard lately fm

Walter

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