Flag St^mr "H Moon"

Port Royal S.C.

Feb 9^th /65

Sis:—

                        I have not heard from you since my last writing, but will however try to write you a few lines under the presant circumstances in order to meet the demands of the mail which will leave tomorrow, knowing I will hear from you on the arrival of the first mail.

 

I am still on the H.M. and can not say when we will leave her again for the Admiral seems to have made arrangements to remain on her for some time and I think will untill Charleston falls. The movements of Sherman seem as distant and are as misterious as / to us now as they where when he was in Atlanta. What we do hear though is of the most favorable character, but there is no doubt but he is meeting with a stuborn resistance at every step and we will have to wait patiently for the result, which we know will certainly sooner or later be victory. If during spring he succeeds in clearing S. C. it will certainly be a glorious thing, for then Richmond will surely meet its doom and the predicted "eclips" will become plainly visable.

 

            We have been laying here almost all the time since my writing. We just returned from St. Helena last evening by way of Beaufort stoping off that place a few minutes. The Admiral seems very much engaged now and I judge he is making arrangements to assist Sherman all he can 

 

The raising of the Naval landing force is still being continued on Bay Point but little is expected from it. If the Navy has occasion to take part in the capture of Charleston as I think they will there will be a tremendious bombardment, I think as heavy as any since the war for there are a large number of Ironclads and and wooden vessels here. the only difficulty there is, however, is that large vessels drawing much water cannot cross the bar, and there is not a great quantity of room for a large fleet to opperate inside of the bar when they are in.

 

It still continues as cold and unpleasant as ever here, the most severe and longest spell of cold we have had since I have been here. I suppose you are / receiving a double portion of it. I am while writing manageing all sorts of ways of keeping myself warm which is allmost impossible. I have however found myself up in a small enclosure around the smoak stack siting on an old greasy box writing on an old "Mitchels Atlas" brought from Washington with me, surrounded by all sorts of paint keggs and barrels and all manner of dirt, and between writing a line and rubing my hands alternately I have succeeded in getting this far. I received a letter from Harry on the 6^th writen on the fourth (4^th) he was well.

 

            This is a good time for peace commissioners to go north they will most undoubtedly be cooled down before returning.

 

            I still continue well and write with much love to all.

 

Charley.

 

Miss M. E. Leaman

            Leaman PLace                       

[upside down] Feb. 9/65

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