Headquarters 3d Regt. N.H.Vols.

"Folly Island," S.C. April 10. 1863

 

I have just rec^d yours of March 28^th together with 2 papers and 8 postage stamps, besides a letter and paper from George Eaton. Those stamps came just in season as I had but 2 left, which I shall use on this letter and one to George Eaton.

 

Perhaps you don't know where "Folly Island" is; if you have a map of this region you will find it near and to the south east of "Morris Island" in Charleston Harbor, our folks are said to be building a battery on the other end of this island to drive the Rebs off "Morris Island".

 

We left "Pinckney Island" on the 3^d inst. on the steamer "George Washington" and went down to the wharf on Hilton Head, then we got on board steamer "Mary Boardman" and stayed all night but finding we were too much crowded, our Company with / Companies "A" and "D" were sent on board the schooner "Rhodella Blew" when we came up to the mouth of the James River and anchored, and stopped till last night when we came ashore and stacked arms and laid down and slept all night without a guard for the first time since we first went to Concord; but then there was a gunboat out in the stream and 4 Regiments on the other end of the island so I suppose we were safe enough at least we were all right when we woke up in the morning.

 

George Eaton writes that Charles Goodwin wrote to me a fortnight before he did which would make about the middle of March but I have not got it yet. I don't see where it can be. I suppose he knew my address and I believe I gave it to him when I wrote. I am going to try and hunt it up if it is here anywhere.

 

The story about that Capt Wilbur had / command of any Negroes is news to me and I don't think that many in the Regiment knew of it and think they would laugh if I should tell it to them; he came up to "Pinckney Island" after we had been up there about a fortnight, and as he had no command he couldn't pitch his tent in the line of Officers tents and so pitched it near the creek, there were some Negroes camped near him but I never heard that he had any command over them. he also came up on the "Mary Boardman" but I have not seen him on shore yet; I should think we ought to know by this mail the decision of the authorities at Washington but if it has come we have not heard of it yet.

 

I suppose by appearances that the attack on Charleston will commence before many days. The ironclads went up last Tuesday afternoon and there was pretty sharp firing for 2 or 3 hours, with what results I do not know, but there are plenty of stories going but I have not seen anyone that knows, there has / been a few guns fired about every day since but nothing very heavy. I don't know what part the land forces will take in the battle but I think they cannot do much as there are not enough of them.

 

I believe I wrote in my last that Jere. Weeks had died, if I did not I meant to.

 

I meant to have asked you if you had got twenty dollars since our last payment which I believe 11^th of February; most of the men say they have either not heard about it or else they say that their folks have not got their allotment. if I have a chance I shall send a release so that I can have the handling of my own money, as the it is now I am out of money too much of the time to suit me very well.

 

Simon Lamprey and Cornelius Donovan are in the Hospital all the rest of the Exeter boys are well I meant to have told you in my last that that John Molton of Co "D" who belongs in Kensington and married Josiah Smiths 2^d daughter has got his discharge and gone home on account of deafness. Yours in haste

John W. Clement

 

To Mr John Clement                                      

            Exeter NH

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