H.Q. 169 Regt N.Y.S.Vols

Camp on Folly Island South Carolina Sept 14^th /63

 

Dear Mother & Sister

                                    it is with pleasure that I now sit down to write a few words in answer to your kind & welcome note of Aug the 26^th which I recd on the 13^th of this month I was pleased to hear that the folks were all well in that vicinity and glad to hear of your own good health which is one of the best blessings that God in his kind mercy can bestow upon us I am enjoying good health at the pressent time and I hope I may long remain so I am glad to hear that Cousin Mary is there visiting and I am also glad that she likes the hill I hope she will enjoy herself while her visit lasts I would like to have been there to make the time pass off pleasantly for her but I have no doubt but she found some one with your help that done just as well as I would do I am very thankfull to her for her picture and I think it is a very good one she wanted me to find her a soldier for a beau I think if you both want beaus you will have to find them for yourself for it is all and more than I can do to find one for my self and I think where they are so plenty up that way that you could find at least one a piece although / they are not either sound or healthy men as has been clearly proved by the draft I think that a heavy draft is a very bad thing for the health it is still worse than our southern swamps for while that only bring on fever the draft fetches out diseases of all kinds from a broken back down to a sore toe those are the stock you have north now (returned soldiers excepted) so you see that you have a gallant lot to pick out of I was on duty over on morris island on duty the day before yesterday we go over about once in five days this time we went all through batery wagoner and our post was picketing in battery Gregg which is on the extreme point of the island directly opisite fort sumpter it is worth all our time labour and trouble to visit those celebrated forts that has cost us so much trouble sumpter is the worst looking ruin I ever saw and I was close enough to have a good view of it it is a complete pile of rubish when we go to morris island on duty we go in at night so that the rebs cannot see us from their forts as it is they throw a good many shells among us but our regt has been very lucky about getting hurt we have had only two men killed in our regt while in some other regts has had over a hundred men killed we have 10 miles to march when we go there when we return we are not relieved in the trenches untill about 10 Oclock at night and then it is most daylight when we get home we had a splendid view of Charleston City & Harbor this time but we soon expect to have a closer view of that doomed garden of secession and it will be a pleasure / to every soldier to see it in ruins for it was the polluted spot where the first act was committed that opened this unhapy rebellion it has always been the hot house and nest of traitors & I for one want to see it laid in ashes it may probaly take a good while for to get charleston but then it is ours as sure as death its fate is sealed sooner or later it must fall with such a man as gilmore there is no such word as fail the boys in the company are enjoying good health at pressent give my love to James Hains and all of my friends and keep your own share I will close this by hopeing that it may reach you in due time I remain your afectionate Son & brother                       

James Caton 

 

PS Direct your letters to me 169 Regt Co. D N.Y.S.Vols Folly Island S.C

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