Flag Str. Phil^a

On The Way to Charleston

From Port Royal

 February 22^nd /64

 

Sis,—

                        Last evening I received your letter of the 11^th & 4 inst. and Hary's also. We are now on our way to Charleston. We left Port Royal early this morning and where a couple of hrs. on the way when we had to return to Port Royal for some despatches that where forgoten. We commenced our jurney again at seven Oclock and are now several hrs. on the way. While at Port Royal we did not get a chance to go ashore on account of haveing no means of geting there.

 

            The Admiral returned from the expedition I mentioned in my last letter, on Sunday evening the 12^th inst. The expedition was to Jacksonville Fla. and the New South I intend encloseing this letter in will give you a very good account of it. As it contains all that I know of it, it will not be necessary for me to say anything further about it, only that the Admiral appeared in a very good humor on his return, which agrees with the statement in the South that it was a compleet success. The South also gives a letter picked up by the expedition, which states there is a great scarseity of meet every where and most all has to be suplied from Fla. This statement agrees with the statement of all / the prisners I have seen.

 

            Last Fryday morning we received the news at Port Royal, brought by the gun boat Paul Jones from Charleston, that the sloop of war Hoosetonic was sunk the night before by a torpedo boat from Charleston, which caused quite an excitement for a time among Officers & men not excepting the Admiral although he was not excited as much as you would suppose. It was a very sad afare, although we could scarsely expect any thing else, for we knew those boats would work not only from reports of deserters but that attack on the Ironsides was proof enough that they where not to be trifeled with and if they should have succeded in placeing that torpedo properly under her, it is hard to tell what may have been the result more than likely her distruction, but luckily it exploded at her side and wasted it strength against the iron plates, but not without jaring her slightly. Wether this catastrophe was from any neglect I do not know. If it was by any neglect I hope it may be looked into and the offenders punished to the full extent, otherwise we will only have a repetition of the same. The Ironsides is very well protected with a net and a light also, which she runs around her every few minutes and by it can see any thing on the water for two or three hundred yds. The Monitors have nothing of this kind to protect them and I think it very strange they did not / make the attempt at one of them instead of going out side of the bar to the wooden fleet, but I suppose they wanted to make a successfull trip I hope it will be the means of more life being manifested in the opperations here.

 

The Admiral left Port Royal for Charleston in the Paul Jones on Saturday evening on some important buisness. He would have gone in this vessel and we had steam all ready to go when our boilers commenced to leak again so he left in the gun boat and left orders for us to follow as soon as posiable, we are now on the way and we all firmly believe we will be off Charleston before morning comes. There was nothing new or of any importance going on at Port Royal up to the time we left.

 

I forgot to mention in my last, that the pair of socks I received in the box fit me very well allso the gloves and cuffs. the dried beef is still affording me with an extra bite at supper and the celery at dinner but the rest of the things are all gone. The weather has been very cold since we have been at Port Royal, for these parts, but the Thermometer has not been much below thirty two at any one time. I hope you will excuse this very rough drag, for the vessel is shakeing so, makes it very unpleasant for writeing. I will now close with much love to all and hopeing these lines will be in time for the Atlantic Fulton.

 

 Charley /

 

Flag St^r Phil^a

Feb 22^nd/64

            Brother Rosh,—

                                                I have just received your letter enclosed in Sises, it was a very long and well writen letter and Char was glad to hear from you, but he did not like to hear that you where not going to school. When you answer this you must tell me the reason, but I suppose it is because the weather is to rough, but when ever the good wheather comes you must commence again and go regular to make up lost time or the other boys will get ahead of you. You say you read the New South. Char sent you four nice little books in the last letter which you must read also and let him know how you like them. Char thinks you are learning to write very fast and well and so does Hary, so you must write to me every time that Sis does.

 

Your Brother Char.

 

Rosh Leaman

Leaman Place

Lanc Co.

Penn^a

 

[upside down]

 

Feb/22/64

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