Morris Island S.C. Oct.1.1863.

 

I got a letter from you to-day and 1 from George Eaton dated Sept. 20^th also a "Ballot" a "Traveller" and a "Weekly" of the 17^th, 19^th and 26^th ult. respectively. The pictures in the "Weekly" are very good as are all Mr Davis' are; I saw one mistake in the last one viz a U.S. Flag on the Sailors' Battery. Our batteries on this island don't use flags.

 

Since the 8^th of Sept. our batteries have not fired much, but within a few days they have opened on Fort Sumter again, or rather the ruins of it, it is rumored that the Rebs were mounting some mortars and that our folks were trying to prevent them. You must not suppose that because we do not fire much that we are not doing anything, for on the contrary we are as busy as ever and some day you may hear from some of those works.

 

Oct. 4. Day-before-yesterday I was on guard, / and yesterday we moved our camp about a mile to Provost Head-quarters; I believe I wrote you that our Co. was one of 4 that were doing Provost duty; it will make our duty much easier as we save the travel each way when we go on and come off guard.

 

I suppose Mrs. Hall is somewhat surprised that Horace's box does not get along, but I have done my best to get it along and have not got it started yet. I don't know but it was just as well that I didn't as the Hospital Steward from Hilton head came up day-before-yesterday and brought the rest of the clothing, a blouse and shirt a pair of pants and a pair of shoes; so I went and got the box and by a little crowding got them all into it. I expect to get it started in a day or two as we are much more conveniently situated for doing any such business than we were before we moved.

 

You need not worry a great deal about the papers you send not being perfect, if we get them and can possibly read what news there is in them we feel perfectly well satisfied; I have / seen a New-York "World" of Sept. 25^th which gives a rather bad account from Rosecrans' Army, but as the paper is of the Copperhead persuasion and Rosecrans is a man that don't always stay whipped I don't feel so bad as if it was some other General and some other paper that was telling about it. I don't know as you know it, two pictures that you have sent me represent scenes near the three camps that we have had on this island, the first camp was just back of the signal station on Craigs' Hill and the camp we left yesterday was on the beach just in front of it. the hill is higher than it looks in the picture, as it is the highest one I have seen in South Carolina. Our present camp is a little to the north of where Gen. Gillmores Head-quarters were at the time a picture of them was taken. He don't live there now.

 

To-day I have put on one of those new shirts for the first time. it feels much better than the one I took off which was a white Army shirt, which is good one to wear but makes a man look when in his shirt sleeves as if he had lost all / all his friends, and never expected to have any more.

 

I don't know whether we shall stay on Morris Island this winter or not, but you may send me another box as soon as you can get the things I want without hurrying. I want 2 pairs of socks, 1 pair of unlined buckskin gauntletts (or long gloves) [be sure and get those that are not lined]. 2 of the best style of military caps that Carter can pick out. 1 size 7 3/8 for me and 1 size 7 1/8 for a friend of mine. 2 white rubber cap covers to fit the caps. I want covers with capes to them. To fill up the box you may put in 4 or 5 pounds of good nice butter in a wooden box and as many crackers and soda biscuit as you think ought to go with the butter. Put the towells round the butter box so that if any of the butter soaks through it will go on to something that can be washed. Also put the crackers between the clothing and the butter. We have plenty of vegetables to eat now.

 

My health is some better but I still have the palpitation considerably, and 24 hours guard duty wears on me a good deal. The Exeter boys are all in good health except Ward Leavitt who has the dysentery. Respects to all Aunt H at the head. Yours

J. W. Clement

 

Mr John Clement                                                       

            Exeter N.H.

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