U.S. Str Harvest Moon

Washington N.Y.D.C.

March 24^th /64

 

Sis,

            I have just received your letter of the 19^th Inst. after arriving from Ft. Monroe. Since we left Charleston we have been hall around a great deal together with being halled on the dry dock and how long we will remain here or where we will be sent to next it is hard to tell. This morning I asked again for liberty to go home and received the same answer that I did before when we arrived first, which was that the order issued stated to leave any day and no one could have more than 24 hours ashore, so I will not be able to obtain a pass.

 

I believe when I wrote to you last I was at Hampton Roads, on the Harvest Moon. The following evening the New York (The flag of truce steamer) arrived and after the Admiral has some / communication with her we raise anchor and start for this place about 10 Oclock. The Bay is very rough and it is quite stormy, but we run along safely untill four oclock in the morning, when we run in to a schooner, which you have heard of and mention in your letter of the 19^th. The collision wakened all hands and in a few minutes all is reported right untill an hour afterwards the water is seen in the fire room and then it is only discovered that the bows of our vessel are knocked in and we are allmost in a sinking condition. All the pumps are immediately put in motion and are not able to gain anything untill the opening is partially closed. The splinters which it causes check our speed a great deal, so much that we are not able to reach Washington untill twelve Oclock that night. What damage was done to the schooner I do not know but we have the best reason to think that she sank. We came to anchor a mile below the City / at the twelve oclock and the following morning (Thursday) early we raise anchor and move up to the Navy Yard warf. In a few minutes a private carriage came and the Admiral starts for home. The crew are engaged during the remainder of the day clearing ship for the dry dock. The only mast she has is removed the guns and anchors allso and we moor to the warf. Fryday there is nothing done and Saturday morning we are called early to hall her in on the dry dock. By eight oclock we have her far enough to prove that we can not take her up without removeing some of the padles of her wheles, which is done by five oclock in the evening, with some other necessary fixing and the commence halling her up and at a late hour she is as high as is necessary for to repare her bows Sunday morning comes and we are high and dry. The workmen commence at the usual hour of commencing work 

 

In the forenoon we receive orders to be ready to go on board the U.S. Str. Baltimore (on which the Admiral transferred is flag on Saturday at twelve Oclock) at one Oclock. 3 Oclock comes and the barges crew and us goes on board of the Baltimore and in an hour or two we have ourselves and every thing over. At eight oclock Monday morning the Admiral and Sect. Welles Son comes on board and at eleven Oclock we start for the Ft. Monroe, where we arrive at one oclock at night. We remain in the Roads untill yesterday. In the afternoon the New York arrives. The Admiral sends Mr Johnson (Ensign) to her and brings back word to the Admiral that there is only one man knows where his son is burried and that they will get him up and forward the body to Washington. At three Oclock we start for washington and arrived here at seven this morning and where sent immediately to this vessel and we had every thing transferred by eight. They are pretty well on fixing the vessel They are now weatherboarding it and are working on it as fast as they can.

 

You mention in your letter of  the tenth that I have not answered your questions about Friend Burton. I have not received the letter with that question. You where right calling him a friend for I think him one to me, for he is a man of about fourty years of age has seen a good bit of the world being ten years in a western Hotel five years in the Army and is just finishing four years in the Marine Corps and has very good judgment of what is right and wrong and can give one like me some very good ideas how to get along. His parents live near Boston Massachusetts. his time is out in a month. You did not let me know wether you received the Journal I sent you on the / "Cruise of the Susquehanna" writen by him. I was glad to hear that Harry has a situation in the Army and paticulary pleased that he is to be stationed at Port Royal for while he is there (as you mention) we may be able to see each other at times if I return and think there is no doubt but we all will.

 

Gen Grant is commander of the Armies of the U. States, and as he is going him self with the Army of the Potomac I hope he may meet with the same success that he has met with at the head of the Western Army.

 

As you mention it is thought at home, it is allso the opinion here, that the coming Spring will be one of stiring events, and I hope the Admiral will not be behind in strikeing a deth blow to Charleston I think him a man (as far as I am able to judge) with the abilities to do all that is required of him and I hope his love of the / the esteem of others and love of the country for which his son died for especially may encourage him to do his utmost towards striking treason at the fountain in such a manner that will prove successful. You mention in your last that the [?] P.V.R. where on there way for Washington last Sunday, I suppose they are here now and if I get ashore I shall try and get to see them. Your statement of their conduct along the road does not becomb Old Veterans as they pretend to be. However we must not judge all by a few and hope that they are but the very few of the Regt.

 

I will now close hoping you will not trouble your selves about my furlough, but if I can obtain one I shall but I think you need not expect to see me home this time.

 

Charley.

 

Miss M.E. Leaman

Leaman Place

Lan^c P.O. Penn^a

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