Fort Drayton Otter Island, S.C.

January 1^st 1862.

 

A Happy New Year to you     

                                                         

My Dear Major.

                                    And to all the Regiment the same is yours from Lieuts Lanahan & Barney—late as you say, but none the less welcome I know. You say it is to bring peace to our unhappy land, "Let us hope!" Niggers? Do not talk of them, we have all we can attend to, the lazy whelps! The advance does not as yet extend beyond Fenwicks Island. 2 Companies occupying the Fort, without Artillery. I have just returned with Capt. Truxton of the Dale, and Surgeon Potter of the [faded] from the upper end of Fenwicks, where we made a tour of observation and upon a point at the mouth of the Musquitoe creek, some mile & a half from the house we were at, we saw the Rebel Picket their horses under the trees (5 in number) and the men walking about, but we were too far off to [torn] them. It is very dull here, and I heartily wish the order would come to advance. We heard very heavy cannonading all day, in the direction of Beaufort, can you tell us where and what it was? I love the music, and wish I could have [torn] be near enough to have played a part.

 

            We fired 3 rounds [faded] of our guns yesterday (Blank) and the pieces [faded] and were / handled well. I think the Boys would rather astonish Admiral Tatnall, if he should be induced to show his head down the Ashepoo River. I wish he would come. Next week, I propose to have a little practice in handling the shell—just to let the Boys see what they can do if required. I will let you know the result. It is an honor, and if left alone here in Command, I shall feel proud indeed.

 

            Our little Fort if we stay long enough to finish it, will a perfect little Bijou, and when complete you must come and see us, and we will show you how we thrive. We are all getting fat and my clothes are getting very tight.

 

            I thank you most heartily for the handsome compliment you mean to pay me to Col. Sprague and shall strive to deserve it. Also I thank you for the abundance of news papers.

 

            We are too busy to have the blues except at night, when we have time to think of the tardiness of the movement [torn] sea coast Army. It does seem to me [torn] we move very slow, giving the Rebels time to fortify themselves strongly, when we could with a small force completely rout them. I may be wrong but so it seems to me. Well I am but General in chief, Commanding so must be content to await orders, but [torn] / have the right to hope, as you do that the end may soon come, and we shall leave this sunny Southern clime, and Niggers for our homes. Write by return mail and give us all the news you can. Give our best love to the Colonel, (especially mine) and excuse all errors for I must close as the mail leaves at an early hour in the morning

                                                                                               

Very Truely Yours

Chas. G. Strahan

 

Major E. Metcalf

Commanding Detachment 3^rd R.I.V.

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