St. Helena Island, S.C. July 2^d 1863.

 

Yours of June 22^d I rec^d last Monday and should have answered it before but they have kept us so busy lately that I have not had time. As I believe I wrote you before Gen. Strong is a regular old tiger; he gives us a Review or a Brigade Drill nearly every day no matter how hot the weather is. Yesterday we had a long drill but I happened to be down to the "Head" and so got rid of it; while there I saw a thermometer and noticed that the mercury stood at 98° and I don't think it was much cooler here. Besides drill and guard duty there is a Fatigue Party that goes down to the "Head" to work every day and nearly every night. I think if things go on at this rate that the Regiments will be small enough by next October even if we don't go into any battle. / I am glad you have at last started on your travels, I should think it would seem pleasant to get out of Exeter and feel as if you were not obliged to hurry back. I know it would to me if I had been confined to the place as long as you have. I suppose it will be of no use to tell you to give my respects to the folks as I judge from what you say that your journey is nearly over by this time, but when you write to any of them you can do so with perfect impunity and great boldness.

 

There are all sorts of rumors in camp such as that we are going to Folly Island, and that we are going on to the Main land, and various other places; but we shall know nothing certain till we get orders and maybe not much then.

 

That box has at last got along, it came yesterday and my share of the contents answered very well for a Birth-day present the same as your letter reminded me of your / Birth-day. Mother, may you and all the rest live to enjoy a number more of them.

 

Horace Hall also got his bundle, he has a slight attack of pleurisy and went to the Regimental Hospital day-before-yesterday, and he is already some better and thinks he shall be out in a few days. He did not like the idea of going to the hospital but the Doctor and all of us thought it would be better for him to go as the hospital tent is much larger and cooler than ours, which are hardly decent for a well man to live in. If a man is sick more than two days, the best place he can go to is the hospital, as besides having better quarters they have better care taken of them than their tent-mates could give them. By the way I hope Cousin Mary's husband will get well enough to write to her soon. I should think the best way for her to do would be to write to him and direct as she has been in the habit of doing, and if they have any decent / kind of a Chaplain he will forward it to him. She might write "please forward" on the back of the letter.

 

Head and Marston are still in the Signal Corps they are on Folly Island. Giddings is stationed on this island a short distance from our camp. Colbath and Donovan are still in the General Hospital they are both up here on a visit to-day, they are about as usual. Morrison and Lamprey are well; Fieldsend is still in the bakery at the "Head" and well, I saw him yesterday. All the rest of the Exeter boys are well.

 

I must now close as we are to have a Review at 5 o'clock and it is past 3 now. M.J.P. has not been heard from by me yet, but I sent her my picture to-day as she sent me hers some time ago. Horace wants me to write to his sister Martha and I shall do so as soon as I have time, if you see her or her Mother tell them so

 

J. W. Clement

 

To Mr John Clement                                                 

            Exeter NH

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