Hiltons Head S.C.

Dec. 3. 1861.    

          

I rec^d yours of the 17^th ult on Thanksgiving eve also yours of the 4^th ult soon after we landed, don't recollect the exact date, so you see that I could not have rec^d it before I wrote my last as that was finished and put into the PO aboard the Atlantic, in fact the last part of it was written during the bombardment of Forts Walker and Beauregard now Forts M'Clellan and Welles; on Saturday the 9^th our Regiment landed and the same afternoon Uncle Thomas came out to see me. he was in the battle and no one on board the Pocahontas was hurt and the vessel was not hit but once and that was in the rigging. He said he had enquired about / our Regiment when he was in Washington and they directed him to the 2^d N.H. and at Fort Monroe he could not get time to come on board the Atlantic tho' he knew I was on board—

 

I tho't it would be a hard job to find him at Washington, and I never knew till he came into our camp that his vessel was in the fleet and I do not know where it is now as they are going and coming every day and we are too far from the shore to tell one vessel from another 'tho' we can see a good part of the fleet from our parade ground which was a sandy cotton field till we took possession of it and pulled up a good part of the plants which are bushes 3 or 4 ft high. Our whole Brigade ( of about 5000 men) is encamped on one / cotton field and does not begin to cover it so you can judge of its size.

 

The same afternoon about 5 o'clock Capt Wilbur took about 30 of us across the Island about 9 miles on a scouting expedition. we got plenty of oranges and sweet potatoes and the next morning about 9 o'clock we had a breakfast of chicken; about 3 o'clock the next day we returned to camp. The day before Thanksgiving 4 of our Company (myself one) went with Lieut's Ayer and Fogg of Co B and Lieut Dearborn of Co D (Hampton) went over to St Phillips Island visiting Fort Beauregard and a battery of light artillery and getting some turkeys for Thanksgiving 'tho' we did not get hardly enough to go round in good shape, 'tho' to make up we had doughnuts and apple sauce for supper /

 

This morning at about ½ past 2 the picket guard commenced firing, the long roll was beat and we were called out and formed in line of battle and kept standing there for about an hour, when we were told to go to our quarters but to be ready to fall in again at any moment so we went to sleep with our equipments on and were not disturbed again so I think there was not much cause for the alarm. You see we have our amusement and excitements as well as you at home do

 

[insert]

 

If CG has not sent the box put in my best woolen vest

 

You seem to hint, by what you say about Charles Grant, that you have recd the $30 which I sent in my letter of the 7^th ult 'tho' you don't say so I wish you would tell me if you have recd it and also whether he (CG) has sent the thing I ordered or if he has got the order. All the Exeter boys in the Regiment I believe are well including W. Berry.

 

Give my respects to all my friends especially those that take so much pains to send me letters and papers.              

 

Yours in haste

JW Clement

 

To Mr John Clement              

Exeter NH

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

I enclose an order for my January Dividends which you may send instead of the one I left                                                                       

JWC

 

[front left margin]

 

send     1 pair gloves

            2 pair socks

SOURCES