Hilton Head, S.C. March 23. 1864.

 

I rec^d your letter of the 15^th inst. and papers sent at the same time this A.M. I also got a letter from Martha Hall, and for a great wonder one from Newell Head, for all of which I am duly grateful.

 

I suppose by your not saying anything about your health, that you are all as well as common; I have very good evidence that two of you were well enough to write on the 15^th inst.

 

I hope some of you will see all of the Veterans from Exeter before they start to come back, though Newell says he has seen but 5 or 6, and Martha Hall but 1, out of about a dozen that used to live in Exeter, probably the rest are visiting their folks who live in adjoining towns.

 

I think I have written you the reason that I did not write at the time they went home, but if I haven't I will here state that I was so busy at that time that I could not; the first of every month is a very busy time with me. Nuff ced. /

 

The date of this will show you that we are not in Beaufort; how long we shall stay here I don't know, but it seems to be the general impression that we shall go to Florida before a great while, but I shan't be too sure of it till we get there.

 

We were paid off again last Monday and to-day I sent $30.00 more to you by express, which with the $50.00 sent on the 3^d inst. makes $80.00 which I hope will reach you safely, and I hope I shall too, some time next August, which is about 5 months from now. I have at present no arms or equipments, and another man has got my horse. I don't know how it will be when we get our "Spencer Rifles".

 

Mrs. Hall and Martha seem very anxious to get Horace's body home; I asked Dr. Buzzell about it this forenoon; he said that at present no bodies would be sent, but that Gen. Gillmore was going to have a transport fitted up soon for that special purpose soon, and those that had friends buried here would be no- / tified when it was ready, and that in that case all the expense would be the express bill from New York to the residences of their friends, which could be known by enquiring of any express man. I shall write to Martha as soon as I can get time but as the letter might not reach her you can tell her or her mother how it is. The expense in that case will not be near so great as it would from here home.

 

I believe I wrote you in my last that Mr Jacob Smith of Exeter was sick with the chills; he is in the hospital, but is more comfortable. Since I wrote Thomas M^cEnery, who is our "Fife Major", has been taken with the "Dumb Ague"; he has not gone to the hospital yet and walks round when the chills are not on him. His wife was one of the Barlow girls, she has died since we came out here.

 

Our line storm which lasted for 3 days was a very tough one both for wind and rain, it is pleasanter to-day, but rather cool yet. I think it will be the last cold weather we shall see in this Department, as before an- / other fall gets round our time will be out. And warm weather generally commences the last of March or first of April. Though I believe we had some cool weather in April last year.

 

My health is about as usual, though I have a slight touch of palpitation occasionally, but not so bad as I have had it.

 

I hope this will find you in good health, and also all our relatives and friends.

 

Give my respects to aunts, cousins and friends and all who enquire for me.

 

I am glad to hear that Cousin Mary's husband has not re-enlisted. I see in some of the papers that Lieut. Oscar H. Clement—who I suppose is a cousin of mine—was a friend of the Captain he was accused of killing, and came home with the body; and seemed to think it rather strange that he should be accused of murdering him. I have seen nothing about it lately.

 

I see they have revived an old custom of electing young married men as Field Drivers, such as young Chs. Conner, Chs. Goodwin, Chs. Lane & Chs. Rogers.

Talk about straight writing, look on this page.

 

from J. W. Clement

Co. "B" 3^d NHMI

Port Royal SC

Mr. John Clement                                                       

            Exeter                                                                         

                        N.H.                                                                

SOURCES