Camp Hilton Head      Port Royel SC

Feb 1 1862

 

Brother Charles as it has been a month to day since you dated your last that received about the 7 and i having a few hours leasure hours this saterday afternoon to prepare for sunday that i would write you a letter if a letter if a letter it can be called the weather hear at this time is uncomfortably warm in the middle of the day and not very cool at night but it is very changeable it is sometimes warm enough in the evening to walk about the camp barefoot and in your shirt sleaves next morning you are glad to wear an overcoat which thank god i have a good warm one thare was several gun boats and 2 man a war ships left here last tuesday to join the fleat for some expedition we understand towards Savanah and i think it was so for on the 27 and 28 we heard a very heavy firing in that direction on the 28 about 1 and 2 oclock it was very heavy we have heard a good many different tales about it since which i put but little confidence in i have heard from pretty reliable source we have cut off communication with fort Mcluskey and do not intend attacting savanah for a wile but draw the attention of thear armey at that place while G. Sherman attacks them at another point G. Sherman is head commander of this camp thear was 3 Rigments left with the fleet and i believe there is about 12 left here yet we are not assigned to any Division at present Goverment intends something here there thay are putting up a great many buildings of different kinds but they are wood thay have built quarters to hold about 2000 negroes thare they are low wooden houses with a garret some of our soulders find fault with there having in houses and they live in tents but i dont such houses as them i was on guard the other day at the negro quarters and was told by the overseer that the Goverment at different places was feeding one hundred thousand negroes thare here all ages and sises 

 

it is very difficult landing goods or cattle especely here as the wharves are not finished thay have to onload all in small boats and then into wagons 4 ft in water but thare a building a very long wharf out of pine logs i do not hear of much sicknes here once in a wile i see them hauling some chap of in one of the baggage waggons playing the da march after him one of the new york Captains got tired of living about 10 days ago and poot an end to his mortality by shooting himself he was honoured by having the band play after him as for my part i enjoy very good health with the exception of a cold on the last day of last year and the first day of this year about the time they ware taking beaufort we heard the guns very distinctly we was ordered to pack knapsacks the and hold our selves in readines at a moments warning on the last of the year and on the first the long roll beat to arms we was formed in a line of battle and kept thare about 1 hour just as dinner was ready but it has been very quiet since we can not tel from one hour to another what may time we may be called away to some other point nor neather does the most of us care. we have a chaplain in our ridgment and i believe him to be a cristian and a gentelman he gives us some very wholesome advice and we have a sutler and i believe him to be a D—m rascal the 2 cheapest articals that he sels is chese and tobacco chese 20 cts a pound tobaco about 1.25 per lb 5 cts for a box of maches the soldiers are allowed to go 4 dollars a month with him in orders some has gon as high as 18 and 20 dollars but i have only gon 2 dollars and i have enugh to last me some time yet i dont intend he shal shut my eye up much we have not been paid yet nor do we know when we will. / some of the men complain about it as thay have families at home in nede of it and i think myself it is not right but it suits me very wel thare is a great many vessels from a manawore ship to a small scuner laying here all i suppose employed by the Goverment thare are some 16 prisoners rebels here thare they are kept under close guard but not very close confined thay get soldiers rations this eyland is i am told about 10 miles wide and 15 long with many very hansome plantations which they left on double quick leaving all behind crops an negroes thare is plenty of flyes here and some few musketoes which would be rare at the north this month. New years day our captain treated us to a mes of oysters i do not like the oysters here as wel as some that i have eat. Charles i hope you will write to me soon and let me know how your familey is and the rest of our frends and what kind of weather you have and have had so that i can compare the north to the south. and what is your opinion and the opinion of the masses concerning this war as we have a poor chance of hearing much news

                                                           

Give my Respects to all and write soon

as i cant tel where i may be from

one day to another

                                               

Your Brother William W Shivers

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