Fort Norfolk Virginia

Jan 31^st 1863.

 

Dear Sister Phema

                        I am now in my tent at the Fort, having been relieved from duty on Picket this morning, by some of the boys of Company A. The Paymaster called on us this forenoon and left us a few "Greenbacks". Only two month's pay however. Perhaps you have heard that I signed the Allotment Roll on Geneva for sending ten dollars per month of my wages home. I was to receive for the sum allotted a check which I could send in a letter without danger of losing and if I should lose it it would be of no value to any one but the person to whom it was made. In case it was lost I could get another from the Paymaster. The check would be the same as current bank bills for it must be cashed at any bank where presented. The Allotment Roll of our Company is said to be lost so the Paymaster gave us all "Greenbacks". This suited the most of the boys pretty well and if the $20.00 note which I will send to Father in this letter reaches him safe I will be satisfied. I expected four months pay instead of two but I must wait now four months longer it may be before I can send much more home. I wanted to / get enough so as to be able to make you a small present of some spending money, also the rest of the family who do not have their purses replenished in their due time. Among this no. I include Mother, Missa, yourself, and possibly Hattie. As it is I am sending Father all that I can spare and do as I ought by others. I am enjoying myself very well considering times and circumstances, and I believe that we can not complain of these. I must tell you something about picketing as we have it with us. Of course it is very different from picketing on the lines. There are 33 privates and three Corporals at the Fort each day, one Picket post on the road to Lambert's Point just west of the city of Norfolk where are stationed three others with a Corp. and not far from this post is the house of Mrs. Johns on where are stationed three others and a Corp. This last post we call the Second Picket but properly it is only guard duty that they perform. There are so many more men on guard at the fort than on these posts that there are always enough ready to go on Picket just for vanity if nothing more. I was out on the 28^th with some boys at the first post and as is not common for one Corp. to go on the same post for two times in succession I went the why is this The Sergeant of the Guard generally has applications for the Corporals for the different Picket posts and they pick / their men to go with them. The rule of the Corporals generally is to take those boys with them who apply first. This makes the boys willing without any objections to go as they virtually choose their Corporal. The Sergeants rule is to let the Corp. that speaks first for a post on a certain day, have the post. Yesterday the boys that I had with me got the start of me. They found that the Sergt. had not been applied to for the first post. They applied at once for me to go with them. Of course I could not refuse their wishes after they had gone so far; neither did I care to for they were good boys (Bloomfield Boys) and besides I am not as particular about the posts as some are. There is nothing bad about any post only some are easier than others. The Patrol is the easiest because they can have their nights to sleep. We manage it so that each one takes his turn on every duty. You have been told I believe the duty of the Patrol I will not again write it. You see by what I have said that there are six Corporals on duty at a time. This is all that we have for duty or have had for some time. One Corp. Charles Lamon was put on duty to help the Sergt. Dalton (a member of the 99^th N.Y.V.Regt.) when we first came here. He has not done anything for the Company since. John Rodney has been sick and for a time stayed in the Hospital with Brigham. Brigham has been reported for duty by the Surgeon but he still claims to be unable to do his duty and reports himself / sick. It seems to me that he is bound to "play out" as we soldiers say. Rodney too seems able to do duty If he would it would give some of the Corporals a chance to come off once in a while. Now they have to be on duty steadier than the other members of the company, for all the Co. are not on guard at a time and there are supernumeraries and men off duty every day. Now when one of us is sick he is given the Patrol and the men go without their Corporal. I have gone all around in explanations and my paper is nearly written over before I have come to what I started to write. I guess that I will have to write at least half of this sheet twice over. I will try to draw you a map of the road on which our Picket post is stationed. Our duty is to examine passes in the daytime allowing no one a pass without a properly signed pass, and in the night to allow no one to pass without the countersign. Yesterday a man whom I well knew who had been out on a gunning pass gave us some robins which we picked and roasted on a stick over the coals. They were excellent I assure you and you must not say that I should not eat them. The sportsmen hereabouts can not find much else to shoot and this time of the year is the time to shoot them. I do not know as there is more wrong in shooting them here than in shooting quails in the winter with us north. But to shoot robins at the north would be wrong because they are there but a short time without having a nest and brood to care for / When this man returned from the city he brought each of us an apple which was quite a rarity. This man is the same one that I spoke of in a previous letter, the man who I considered sensible in his views of the cause and justice of this war. His name is Denby. One day when I was on picket he came from the city on his way to his farm on Tanners Creek (His mother lives in the city.) he had a basket full of pies that his mother made and he gave us pickets some. You may think me unwise or injudicious when I tell you that I took it thanked him and ate of it. It was the best that I had tasted since I was in Watkins where an elderly lady gave me a piece of warm pie to answer in part for my dinner. I remember that lady well and I am of the opinion that I can find friends in this part of the world too. I intend to pay this man a visit some day if I have a chance. I can tell whether he is what he appears or not. One Sunday when on picket at this post an elderly man evidently of Secesh proclivities called for a few moments to talk with us. He was Secesh I knew but he very kindly invited us to attend church as often as we could. Said that he knew not why we should not meet friends on the Sabbath at church. Said that we would be welcomed and kindly shown a seat. I thanked him and promised to improve my first opportunity to attend divine service at his church. Last Sabbath I attended church (Baptist) in Norfolk at the most flourishing (to all appearance) church. I listened first / to some as sweet singing as I ever heard. A small choir but a strong one I felt when I heard it as though I would like to enjoy peace at once and always. But war is as noble as a dangerous peace. I say dangerous because I am concern of such a peace. A peace but for the silent growing strength of war. The minister was a man of noble powers to all appearance. His hair was slightly silvered with at least a [?] but his clearly defined Platonic features, vigorous physical powers and freedom from antiquarianism marked him as a man of study a real man in his sphere. I noticed nothing in his sermon to cause any secession gratification or fixedness of purpose to hold us ever enemies. On the contrary it seemed to argue a kindness of action toward us though nothing thus was directly said. The text was the latter part of the 8^th verse of the 53 chapter of Isaiah. I can not give it verbatim or I would give it with the division and treatment of the different parts of the sermon. There was much to learn in the church aside from what the minister spoke. I must say that I had some thoughts altogether foreign to the text while I sat there. The congregation was small compaired to the size of the church. It would however be a large one for Chapinville. The greater part of the congregation was composed of females and the prevailing color of their attire was black. This shows that the South has suffered severely in this war. It shows also that the South are muted more than the North. There were not over twenty men there in all and they were mostly greyhaired men over the age that admit them in the Service either as marines or Army soldiers in the C.S.A. On my return I concluded to go in the afternoon over to the Hospital to see Cassius who went there to spend a few days out of choice / I found that the tug that runs from our dock to Norfolk every day for our accommodation would stop at our dock 20 min. I hastily ate my dinner and took some of Cassius things with me as I went back again on the tug. I found Cassius doing well and prospering. Said that he would be up to the fort in a few days. I went down with him and visited him twice since. He had a slow fever I believe the Doctor gave it that name. On my way back I thought to improve an opportunity to see the new Monitor gunboat Weehawken just brought up to the Navy yard from N.York. She was built at Jersey City. In the Hospital is one of Co. C's men Thomas Powel from Naples. I became acquainted with him at the Teacher's Institute. He is a good fellow. He was accidentally shot in his foot and now is getting along so that he walks about with crutches. I told him that I thought of going up near the Navy yard to see the Weehawken and would like to go with him if he could walk as far. He thought that he could and would like to very much if the Surgeon in charge of the Hospital would give him permission to go out. He asked and obtained the permission sought. We went up near where she lay moored in the river to a buoy. Along the bank on the Portsmouth side were many men and children, some with row boats to carry those who wished to get a nearer view of the craft. A boy stepped up to us as soon as we came near and after asking us if we wished to see the Monitor, offered to carry us for a few cents. We gladly accepted the offer and were soon along side of the craft. She has but one turret like the original Monitor. You know how the inclines of the Monitor looked. They were nearly or quite perfect representations. The Weehawken is like the Monitor only more perfect. A little larger too, I believe. The Weehawken was a solid craft I / assure you. I stepped upon her deck which is about 18 inches above the water. Her plating is of wrought iron riveted together to make any thickness desired. When one stepped upon her it was like walking on a rock. There was an officer on board who had instructions not to allow visitors on all parts of the boat. He told us and we stepped off after I had looked through the [?] at her engine and in another opening at her screw and arrangement for managing her. The shape of the boat would indicate max. speeds and her engine and screw seem to warrant it. She is said to be a good seagoing craft, having steamed through a gale on her way from New York which the tug that started with her in tow dare not hazard. She stayed at the Navy yard a few days while the workmen on board of her perfected her a little by putting in some balls and rivets around her machinery. She is now at the Fortress I believe soon to be carried south by the Vanderbilt the boat that we have had after the Alabama for some time and which is ordered after her again as soon as she gets the Weehawken where she is to be sent. Her Captain's name is Rogers formerly Captain of the boat Galena which attacked fort Darling on the James. He then earned the name of Fighting Rogers. There has been a battle at Suffolk yesterday and day before. We drove the enemy back with a loss of 100 men so reported. We have not yet heard enough reliable news to relate it. There were dead and wounded brought down to Norfolk at any rate I have heard we took 700 prisoners I can not rely on it any more than I can on some other rumors. George W. Cator was over to the camp today. He says that the Colonel now at home writes to him that the 148^th will have to leave before long. Cator said that he heard the Lieut Colonel say this and that the 148^th can go to Baltimore to do Provost duty or to Suffolk. I shall look with interest to our fate. We may not go to either place. It may be only an offer. I believe that our Colonel is doing his best for us. With Brotherly love I am etc. Cha^s. A. Gillet

 

I made a sad mistake in commencing this letter on the last page and if I had another sheet of this size on hand I would rewrite it.

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