Hilton Head May 17^th '63

 

Dear Captain

                        I send you John C. Farrell, Co. M., who is an excellent mason. Esleck, of Co. I., is detached as attendant in Gen. Hospital. I know of no other saddler. if you can find one in any company, I will detail him.

 

                        There is no hopes for your additional section. Capt Hamilton says he had great difficulty in getting 36 horses, & it is thought had to give them to the 3^d N.Y. Battery on Seabrook or Folly Island which enables them to mount 4 guns only. Their other battery has no horses.

 

                        Hope you will keep on good terms with Langdon if that be possible tho' if there must be fight I'll back you up very / cheerfully.

 

            Things are working to give our reg^t the garrison duty of F^t Pulaski. I shall help it on, if possible, for the sake of the practice, tho' I shall try to keep out of it myself, as a man had as well be buried. But Hell is a cool place to what that promises to be for one arty Colonel, and I am still working to be ordered off.

 

            Thanks for your kind offices in taking the saddle to M^rs Hamner.

 

                                                                       

Truly Yrs

Metcalf

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