Flag St^rm "Phil^da"

Port Royal Harbor S.C.

November 29^th 1864

 

Sis:—

                        I received your note in the Fultons mail, which is expected to leave for the north tomorrow.

 

Every thing is quiet here this morning on account of the Admiral and Staff leaving last evening on an expedition up Broad River. It is quite an extensive expedition consisting of several hundred sailors equiped for shore duty and manning howitzers and also as many Marines as could be raised in the Squadron, amounting to a hundred or an hundred and fifty. These are the landing party and there are also to be quite a number of gunboats among them the famous "Pawnee" /

 

I understand the naval expedition is to act in junction with the Army, amounting I understand to some ten thousand (10,000) troops. There is great excitement among the Army vessels this morning carrying troops this morning. The object of the movement is believed to be, to burn or destroy the bridge crossing Broad River on the Savannah & Charleston Rail Road, and thereby destroying the communication. This has been unsuccessfully tried several several times before and I hope will not be so this time.

 

The expedition has been forming for several days. Embarked on board several gunboats last evening, and on account of something unknown to us was detained this morning untill a later hour than was wished.

 

            At four o'clock they moved up Broad River in the following order: "Mingoe", "Pontiac", "Sonoma", "H. Moon", (Flagship) "Pawnee", "Winona", and "Wissahickon", with the Frigs "Pettit" and "Daffodil" to act as guides

 

            The landing party of the Navy is under the command of Commander Preble of the U.S. Sloop of War "St. Louis". He is noted here for having left the the Pirate Florida escape him on several occasions.

 

            From the precautions the Admiral has given to cruisers to look out along the coast and report immediately anything strange discovered, I think showes that he has some official information of the movements of Sherman. This expedition is believed to be got up to aid Sherman's arrival at Savannah.

Sis, as you say you have nothing to write about, I hope you will excuse me for giving you a few ideas to assist you in such an unmergency / when about writing to me.

 

I am going to speak now from experience and I do not suppose I am taught much different from many thousands more that are now in the same school.

 

            You may think it strange and I have no doubt but that you will laughf at your own letter when finished.

 

            When hunting up any thing to write about it is not necessary to go out of the boundaries of home to find anything to write about, and anything found within those boundaries are always interesting to me and I judge anyone else in the same situation. The cat, dog, pigs, horses, cattle, any improvement or anything strange or unusual about the house, barn or fields are all fit to pick to write on and will always be read with the greatest interest. I hope you will not think that I am not ancious to hear of anything that may be going on in the neighborhood or any where else, I am just letting you know what is of interest to me here which you may think is not, and untill you have taken a glance around home I hope you will not concider your self at aloose for something to write about 

 

Since I have writen to you another Thanksgiving has passed and I imagine there wher some inquiries on that day as to what Charley is doing. I will say do, with other days, (Sundays,) even more quiet than Sunday is generally for a great many went ashore on liberty, some to Hilton Head, and a great many less returned, for the very reason they where kept untill they where sent after. I need not say why they where kept. The day was kept different from all other days (a portion of it) by me, for in the afternoon getting up some of your letter that I had, I read them all over and arranging them according to date, formed them into a book with mucilage, making quite a nice one, all being so near the same sized sheets.

 

            I will not ask you what was going on at home for I can give a pretty good guess, knowing from experience. 

 

I have not heard anything from Harry since my last writing

 

            Sis, I am going to ask you, what you may think a strange question, but I am desirous of knowing. I wish you would ask Papa or Mother if they know whether in my spell of "Scarlet Fever" I was given Murcury in any form and much or little of it.

 

            I still continue well, and close wishing to be remembered, with much love to all.

 

Charley.

 

M. E. Leaman

            Leaman Place

                        Lancaster Co.

                                    Penna.

 

[upside down]

 

Nov. 29, 64

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