Galveston Texas

Wed Eve Dec 23

 

Dear Brothers

            Thus far on our way we are all safe & sound the weather has been very fine all the way from N. York with the exception of a blow or two. after I wrote you we had a narrow escape from getting on shore besides getting blown out of the water by a gun boat in the night the taking us for a Rebel craft, but we arrived safe at Ship Island on Monday 15^th & then got orders to go up to N Orleans where we went & went into camp at Carrolton, where / I was in hopes that we might lay for a few days & then go in garrison duty at Orleans but orders came to sail in two days on the same steamer for this port.

 

all of the stores had been taken out & all had to be put in again. when we left on Sunday morn last, had a fine run here, arriving this noon & we had to lay outside of bar till 4 on account of tide we are here at last at anchor in the harbour & it looks rather bad for us there are no Federal troops here but us, but there are 4 gun boats to keep the Rebels back. we go on shore in the morning & take a sail loft on the wharf for our quarters, one gun boat / on each side at anchor & there we stay till the rest of our Reg come. Genl McGruder is in command of the forces on shore & you know he is tough I am some fearful of the rest of our Reg. one boat is at Key West disabled & the others have not been heard from as yet.

 

there are some 3000 Rebels here & they have a battery in the rear part of the town where the boats can not reach & it will have to be taken by the troops when we have force enough to do it the town is very pretty & is almost deserted. the Rebels keep out of sight of the gun boats but have the range of the whole place. our Engineer / is now writing to Genl Banks for more troops at once & I suppose they will soon be here & after we once get possession of the town we will have a rest I guess.

 

the weather is very hot here & at night our over coats are of service but in the day time we are in our shirt sleeves. all of the men are well on board & we pass the time pleasantly tell Father that this letter is for him & all of you for I have many other ones to write. give Love to all Mary, Lizzie, Mother &c &c with the hope that God will preserve you all & us to see each other again is my prayer & earnest wish

                                                                                   

yours with affection

Alfred

 

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Thursday 12 AM have all landed on the wharf & quartered in a sail loft & tore up the wharf & made a breastwork of it

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