Morris Island S.C. Oct.7^th 1863.

 

Yesterday we got another mail and in it was your letter of the 27^th of Sept. the "Ballot" of the 24^th the "Traveller" of the 26^th and the "Weekly" of Oct. 3^d also a letter from Dr Perry dated Sept. 28^th. I am sorry he could not send me any medicine, for he seems to take a good deal of interest in my case, the Doctors here have given me all the medicines he mentions and more too; Dr. Buzzell was the only one that gave me Elixir Vitriol, and that seemed to do me more good than anything else. My health is considerable better than it has been though I have now and then a touch of the palpitation. Give my respects to Dr Perry and tell him I hope I shall be able to consult him personally when there is anything the matter with me, in something less than a year from now.

 

I don't know what I wrote about Edward Hall, but just before Dr. Buzzell went / home he got him a furlough and he has gone North. He has been quite sick and Dr. Burnham abused him shamefully as long as he had the opportunity.

 

We have now got moved and settled down again. I worked all day yesterday fixing up our tent and have got it in little better shape than it was ever in before, but I don't know how long we shall stay here to enjoy it; it has generally been our luck to move as soon as we got our camp nicely fixed up.

 

I should liked to have seen Uncle Thomas very much. You are right as to the cause of my not going to see him when we were at Port Royal, I have not had half a dozen passes since I have been in the Army, while men who have not done half the duty that I have have had passes by the dozen.

 

At a little past 9 o'clock last Monday night a lot of Rebs came down to where the "Ironsides" lays with a torpedo for the purpose / of blowing her up, but her crew were too wide-awake for them and drove them off, though I hear that they exploded the torpedo near her bows, without however injuring her to any great extent. Probably you will get the whole story in the papers before you get this; but I was on guard that night and saw the flashes and heard the reports of the muskets and 2 reports of larger guns. The next morning the "Ironsides" lay right where she did the night before.

 

Of course I wrote to M.J.P. last or she would have heard from me a good while ago. I hope she will not postpone writing much longer, as I wish to hear from her very much.

 

We are all very anxious to hear from Rosecrans as by the last reports we could hardly tell how he was likely to come out, but from what we know of the man we think he is very likely to come out all right. We also hear that Admiral Farragut is coming here, if he does he will be likely to find out what the defences of Charleston are made of /

 

I have not started Horace Hall's box yet, but think I shall to-morrow or next day.

 

There is not much news, everything seems very quiet, but I think one of these days there will be a rattling among the dry bones and perhaps among those that are not so dry.

 

All the Exeter boys that are with us are well except Ward Leavitt and he is getting better I think.

 

Respects to all who enquire for me by letter or otherwise

                                                                                               

Yours in haste

J. W. Clement

 

Mr John Clement                                                                                

            Exeter

                        N.H.

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