Morris Island S.C.

Thursday October 1^st /62.

 

Dear Parents,

                        Two years ago to morrow I became Uncle Sams man by being sworn into the service of the United States. Two years I have served as an enlisted man. Now I am entitled to my one hundred dollars ($100) from government. To be sure I have recieved a commission but that does me no good what ever only makes me trouble. I wrote a letter in a great hurry a few nights since but did not send it. I guess I will put it in now it would not have gone if I had sent it. / I guess it is just as well now.

 

I have been was detailed yesterday acting second Lieut. in Co. H. I have got to wait the course of events I suppose now. What will turn up next I do not know at all events, all communications for Lt. Savage may be sent to this Company for the present, or Co. F. don't make much difference as long as I get it. We rec. a mail to day from the north per Str. Fulton. I recieved letters from home of the 19^th and 22^nd and a bundle of papers with some tea all safe. Also a letter from Cornelia which she has been owing me for a long time. She had been at N. Granville four or five days and had not recieved a letter from home & thought that very hard. Don't know what she would do if she had to wait / two or three weeks as we do some times and when she did hear the letter be a week or two old. We see by the papers today that General Roscrans has had a hard fight in which he was somewhat worsted but we do not fear for him much. we believe he will come all right, which he will surely do if properly reinforced. It seems to me that now is the time for General's Foster & Meade to strike for Richmond make a sudden [?] & bold push, and the nut is cracked. Then in a few days when you read of our General with two stars, again sending his compliments to Gen. Beauregard with a little more Greek fire, that is what will make them open their eyes, if it is at the dead of night, and ring their bells and start their steam whistles and set the cars running as bad as when he sent a message over to them before. We have a chance to see the effect of / all our shot now. We have full view of the city of Charleston, from Battery Gregg the old Cummings point battery where the first shot was fired at our country's flag. The rebels trouble us considerable at this place quite a number have been wounded, and some killed there. I am glad to hear my Sunday Sch. boys remember me I wish I was there with them again. It is much more pleasant than this. You spoke in your letter of those seceshionist down at Cos Cob. Brushes, they are remembered with a vengence too. Oh if we home home a company wouldn't we like to see that tribe get their sashes on and mount their horses to escort us back as they did away. They have a long account to answer for, of lies told and injustice done to various members of the tenth Regt. The town of Greenwich might be a hot place /

 

[margins]

 

Finally, I am sorry to hear Charley R. is so unwell I can sympathize with him. I am not free from the diarrhea yet. do not know as I shall while we stay here unless the weather changes very much. Two regiments of our Brigade left here for Florida a few days ago. It is a deathly place I wish we could get away for a while. The regiment need it they are in a bad condition now. What to say about the clothing I hardly know but I suppose I shall want them, perhaps as soon as I could get them and perhaps not at all.

 

If you get the clothes you need not do anything about sending them until I write you.

 

What is to be done is more than I can tell. The Lieut. H.H. who is of the same Co. has resigned on account of his health. if his resignation is accepted I shall be mustered in there immediately. If his resignation is not accepted then I do not know what will be done. I will not write more tonight.

                                   

Yours  William

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