U.S. Flag Steamer

Phil^a Charleston Roads, S.C.

May 19^th/64

 

Sis,

            I received your letter of the 29^th a few days since in the Fulton's mail. The Supply St^r Massachusetts will leave here today or tomorrow so I take this opertunity of answering it.

 

When I wrote to you we where at Port Royal and remained there untill Sunday the 8^th. up to that time there was nothing unusual. The Admiral was visited several times by Brigadier Gen. Hatch, and seemed very friendly, and on the 5^th inst the Gen, with Gen. Seymore, Capt Reynolds of the Vermont & Fleet Capt Bradford took dinner with the Admiral 

 

Harry I understand in your letter is at Beaufort so we had no chance of seeing each other. We left the harbor on Sunday morning the 8^th leaving the Monitor Katskill ready to follow us the next day, and arrived in Charleston Roads at 7 o'clock in the evening, the Admiral was saluted by almost all the vessels he passed by dipping their ensigns. Every thing looks the same as when we left. There where 6 Monitors and the Ironsides, and the Katskill arriving on Monday morning made the full compliment of Monitors except one which is down the coast, and there seemed nothing to hinder an engagement on the part of the Fleet, and as the Ironsides on the 9^th was clearing away her obstructions from around her and covering her deck with sand we all expected something was going to be done. 

 

On the 20^th there was considerable firing to and from Cummings Point which was the first fireing since we arrived. On the same day the Admiral had a council with all the Commanders of the Ironclads and on the 12^th there is another council, and Fleet Capt. Bradford, Capt. [?] of the Canandaigua, who is a guest of the Admiral's & Capt Lake of the Nantucket takes dinner with him. On the 13^th the Sangamon and Nantucket goes up in the morning and keep firing prety regulary all day at Sumter, the north east corner paticularly, where (I understand from deserters) there are three guns mounted. Some of the Bateries on Sullivans Isl. fire at the Monitors without being answered. On the 14^th the Nantucket & Passaic goes up in the morning and fires on Sumter the same as / the same as on the 13^th. Sunday there is nothing done, but yesterday the Sangamon & Valiant goes up in the morning and layes very close to Sullivans Isl. firing at Sumter as usual and after each of them was struck a number of times and slightly dammaged, we with several of the men wounded (I do not know how many) where called out at noon. After Sullivans Isl fired 65 shots and a great many of them good ones.

 

The Massachusetts brought news up to the 7^th inst, which reported the Grand Army moving. The Massachusetts is here now and I do not know what minute the mail will close. I do not think you may look for any thing exciteing in this quarter, for some time any way.

 

I will now close wishing to be remembered to all inquireing friends.

                                                                                                           

Charley.

 

M. E. Leaman

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