Off the mouth of the Savannah River            

On board Steamship Atlantic

Off Port Royal S.C. Oct. Nov 5. 1861

 

I don't hardly know whether the above is correct or not as some say it is off Beaufort SC but wherever it is I suppose it is the destination of the Great Naval Expedition of which you probably have heard considerable and of which our Regiment is a part. We arrived here after a rather rough passage of one week from Fortress Monroe, though We lost one river steamer called the Governor and I believe quite a number of soldiers though how many I suppose you will know more / more about than we shall till we get letters or papers from home which I hope will be soon.

 

Yesterday afternoon at ¼ past five a dozen or fourteen of our gunboats run in shore to draw the fire of the enemy and find out the position of their batteries which they succeeded in doing and rather a brisk cannonade was kept up for about an hour or until dark and this morning about 9 o'clock they commenced again and the whole fleet weighed anchor and stood in shore but now at 10 I believe they have stopped firing, though being down under water I can't tell; I suppose we shall land / as soon as it is any ways safe for us to do so, perhaps not till after the enemy's batteries are silenced.

 

The Exeter boys are all well with the exception of Gunnison Dudley who has the measles, I believe slightly; as most of them are writing or have written, I suppose their friends will hear from them quite as soon as you will from me.

 

I have made arrangements to have the Ballot sent to me regularly so if you send any papers send something else and half the time I had just as soon have a paper as a letter.

 

As soon after we get paid off / as possible I shall send the most of my money home and shall send to Charles Grant for some things that I want and you can pay him i.e. if there is any chance to send anything out to me.

 

The reason I send to him is because he is in the way to get most of the things I want.

 

Give my respects to friends—

 

I shall leave this so if I think of any thing else I can write as the mail will not probably go out to day

 

Direct your letters as before to

John W Clement Co B 3^d Regt NHV

Via New York N.Y.

 

To Mr John Clement

Exeter N.H.

 

[top margin upside down]

 

Nov. 7. We have not got ashore yet but may soon As I have no present use for money here I enclose thirty dollars ($30) which you may use for me as I have directed when I send J.W.C.

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