"Fort Mitchell", Hilton Head

Nov. 25^th 1862.    

      

Yours of the 11^th inst. together with the "Traveller" and "Frank Leslies" I rec^d last Thursday the 20^th I also rec^d a letter and paper from George Eaton in the same mail It was the first mail we had rec^d that for about three weeks so you may judge that we were glad to get it. You need not worry about the pictorial this time at any rate as it was the only one rec^d in this part of the Company (there are 31 of us out here) so it had a very good circulation, and the pictures were very fair. the only fault I heard was MacKeys Point did not have trees enough on it, there should have been trees to the right and left of the steamers and the distance should have been pretty well filled with them.

 

I don't know whether you have heard of "Fort Mitchell" or not as it is not built yet but there are detachments from 6 different / companies at work on it viz Co's B & I N.Y. Vol. Engineers and Co's B of the N.Y. 47^th N.H. 3^d R.I. 3^d and Penn 76^th a Company or part of a Company comes out and works a week and then is relieved by another. The Fort is about 6 miles from the "Head", 1½ from Seabrook's, 1 mile from Pope's & 2 from Stoney's, these two last are the plantations we visited the first night we came ashore. Sunday I went over Stoney's for the first time since then, the buildings are the only things that look as they did then, though we could find all the places that we then visited.

 

I suppose it will do no good but I will just say that if you put any eatables in the box keep them well away from the clothing, as some of the boys have had clothing spoilt by having fruit &c spoil in contact with or near it.

 

Hilton Head Nov 27^th. I rec^d yours of the 18^th and a "Frank Leslies'" of Sept / 13^th from C. Grant yesterday the latter seems to have been some time on the way.

 

I was glad to hear that the box had started and wish it was here but it has not got along yet. we are having some very cold weather. Last night was the coldest night we have had. 2^d Lieut Libby of our Co. arrived last Monday. our Co. did not come in till yesterday instead of Tuesday as we calculated. J. Broadbent was in camp yesterday forenoon. S. Lamprey is better so that that he is on duty.

 

I am on guard so you must excuse me if I do not write so much or so connected as usual. We have a boiled dinner instead of turkey &c it is something of a rarity to get squash cabbage / almost as much as turkey pudding &c are to you.

 

I hope the Express Co. will try and do better for the future or they will lose customers

 

Apples are from 5 to 8 dollars a barrel, a little higher than with you

                                                                       

Yours in haste

J. W. Clement

 

To Mr John Clement                          

Exeter N.H.

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