Galloups Island

Boston Harbor

March 10^th/65

 

I must write a few lines now to let you know how I get along &c I get along well and have a good time We have enough to eat and that that is pretty good We have bread and meat and coffee most of the time some of the time we have potatoes and pork & beans &c I have just over to 12 to see Selden he is well and contented and some expects to go off this afternoon There is a big transport laying at the wharf now / partly loaded with soldiers it will take off about 800 men. I dont know when we shall go off. Some say we shall not go untill this transport comes back from City Point but we cannot tell any thing about it. perhaps we shall go before night and perhaps we shall not go for more than a week. they dont give them more than fifteen minutes notice

 

We were paid off last monday one hundred dollars each. those that enlisted before the 18^th of Feb got the money and those that enlisted after the 18^th got a State Treasury Note I believe / they call them

 

I sent my note home the same day by express I suppose you have got it by this time. we did not get our checks from the Express Co untill yesterday so I have not wrote to you since for I wanted to send the check I will put it in to this. I guess Selden has gone away I will go over and see if he has now. Yes he has gone on board the transport has been gone about fifteen minutes I guess. I saw him about half an hour. I dont know what time they will sail but before long of course. Selden has not had a letter since he has been on the Island and I have not had but / one. the first one that you wrote.

 

The boys are all all well and fat

 

We dont have much duty to do we have to sweep the barrack and wash it and bring water to the cook house &c We dont have to stand guard nor any thing of that kind the sea is a good guard to keep the boys from running away

 

this is a good place to keep soldiers and a very handsome place We can see the City of Boston & Charleston and fort Warren you want to know how I feel &c Well I feel about right am not home sick one mite and have not wished myself at home since I enlisted cannot write any more for want of space

                                                                       

Write Soon

Yours &c        H. F. Dowst

 

I forgot to put a stamp on my other letter dated march 5 /

 

I forgot to tell you that we were paid $33 one third of our U.S. bounty there is no chance to Express it home so I shal have to send it in letters I shall send 20 or 25 dollars of it. I guess I shall not send any in this letter the check will be enough this time It rains hard here today and so we dont have to drill—Ephraim had a letter from Lewis Cofren the other day he says they have been ordered to the front and they are going into the 12^th Regt        no more this time

                                   

Yours &c

H. F. Dowst

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