Flag St^mr "Philadelphia"

Charleston S.Carolina

March 21^st 1865

 

Sis:—

            Just having finished a dinner of roast beaf (which I mention to assure you I am following the example of the "Good little pig") I find myself in the attitude of writing, with my left hand, in vain, trying to extricate something from the roots of my newly cut hair in answer to yours of the 9^th, received yesterday.

 

            I see you still continue to harbor and manufacture false and groundless fears of Charley and more particularly now since Charleston has been evacuated. I will not try to remove your fears now, for I know ere this you are satisfied that Charley continues to enjoy the greatest gifts a kind Providence can bestow—life & health.

 

            Since my last writing nothing of much / importance has occurred. The funeral of Lieut. Bradford U.S.M.C. wounded and captured at Ft. Sumter. It was the first funeral he had, but it was the third time he has been placed under the ground. He died from the effects of the wound received and through the influence of D^r MacKey, now a promonat Union man in the city, was placed in the Masonic burring ground in the Magnolia Cemetry. Other parties not being satisfied, he was removed and placed in Potars field where all but a few of our men are burried. On the occupation of the town the Admiral tryed to catch the Keeper of the Cemetry at the time his body was exumed, but he had, fortunately for himself, quit the job and gone to Augusta and was in a bank in that place.

On the 16^th the Admiral had the body exumed from the field, and after the propper funeral solemnities where performed in the Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Paul performed by the Chaplin of the U.S.S. "New Hampshire", and attended by the Admiral and Gen Hatch with many other Officers of both Army and Navy, he was replaced in the Magnolia Cemetry with military honors performed by a company of Marines under the command of Ensign Dickman / Dickman Act. Fleet Lieut. He is not replaced in the same spot, yet a very beautifull one near an old oak which is said to be an hundred and fifty years old. I understand he is again to be raised to be taken north. A great many of the people of the city, Masons particularly, say it was a disgraceful affair and a disgrace to the state. Of all the marines who were taken with the Lieut. at the assault seven remained to be exchanged.

 

            I have been out to see the race course where our prisoners brought from Andersonville where kept without shelter of any kind. There is still to be seen the small mounds they have pressed to keep themselves out of the swamp and the holes they have dug to get the filthy swampy water. The food they received they where allowed no fire to cook. Citizens where not allowed to give them anything, nevertheless they did throw some eatables over the centries heads, and one centry refusing to allow coffee to pass without having his share of it first, received the whole of it from the kind lady in the face. I understand they died on an average while there of twenty per day. All are burried in a spot close by, they are laid in trenches as close as possiable / and at the head of each is a small board with a number and looking at the last I found it to be (249) two hundred and fourty nine. There was a list kept of the names of those who died but I believe when they evacuated they either took it with them or it was destroyed so it is not likely any of them will be ever known.

 

            The Magnolia is a very fine Cemetry and if it was properly taken care of it would be a beautifull one. It has many splendid monuments among them that of Col. W^m Washington who was Col. of Cavalry in the revolution. The most beautifull tribute of memory and most romantic is one to M^rs Wise by her husband and erected to her by his own hands except the head and foot stone alone the remainder is all wood and glass work (I will not attempt to discribe it for I would only fail) In the monument is hanging exposed the white handkerchief and black lace gloves she had when married. there is also a moddle of the ship they came to America in. In his plot beside her grave he has a bench where he spends a portion of each Sabbath. She died in /61 in the 51^st year of her age. The Capt. and seven men who where drowned in the torpedo boat at this city on the 15^th Oct. 1863 are laying side by side. The epitaph for each is worthy of notice and I think is to premature. After giving their names it says "died in the service of their country 15^th Oct. 1863.

 

            A party from this ship on a scouting tour up the Cooper River returned on the 18^th and they bring a terrible account of the actions of the negroes through the country. One man particularly they found in his own house laying in his blood and surrounded by his three young helpless weeping daughters aged thirteen, fifteen and seventeen the youngest had her father round the neck after he had received a wound from a shot fired through the door by the negro when three of them entered and one placing a pistol to his breast and he expired in a few minutes in the embrace of his daughter. The negroes where caught and recognized by the girls. / What was done with them I cannot say, what ought to be is unnecessary. The young girls they brought with them and are being properly taken care of in the city. The slaves seize every thing and call it their own and say to their masters you are the slaves now, we are free. The people of Charleston say as soon as the Yankees came they could not get any more work out of them for they said they where free. Many outrages are commited by them but a few miles from the city.

 

Yesterday I was in the city and by being there missed seeing the distinguished visitors the Admiral had yesterday. They consisted of several Senitors and a number of ladies. They took a lunch with the Admiral and afterwards visited Ft. Sumter returning late in the afternoon.

 

            I will send you some more Charleston money. I will not comment, it speaks for itself. I will send you also a Sermon delivered in St. Philips Church just after the fire it may prove of some interest to you / It is a very splendid church, and was very near being destroyed by the fire, the whole of the block in front of, or opposit to it being destroyed. It only remained however to be destroyed by shells and will now require an immense amount of repairs to make it the splendid building it once was.

 

In looking through the Charleston Library yesterday I found a tract containing an address by a M^r Townsend in favor of secession I think it is something which will interest Jack who I intend sending it to. The library is totally destroyed and nothing remains of it now but old books and papers which scarsely any one would want. It was organized in 1748 and has lived ever since, in 1848 it contained twenty five thousand (25,000) volumes.

 

The news we here from Sherman and particularly Sheridan is very favorable and I hope to hear ere long of our forces being in Richmond.

 

            I have just received a paper with the account of the inauguration, and the Presidents address. I have not read it yet but he has plenty of material for a good one. I trust he will not disappoint the people in his future administration.

 

Sis I will now have to close. I expect this will leave for the north tomorrow. I suppose you think it strange that I mail my letters in Boston I hope before long to be able to do it always. I will send you another list of sailing days.

 

With much love

Your Bro,

Charley

 

Miss M. E. Leaman

            Leaman Place

                        Lan^c Co Pa.

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