St Helena Island

Friday March 20^th 1863.

 

Dear Parents,

                        Nearly a week has passed since I have written anything home. I think now it is time for me to begin. I have been furnished with a tent and have been busy fixing it up the last three days. I pitched my tent tuesday. had to pitch it twice, could not fix up much inside because I could not get any implements to fix with. Wednesday I had a hatchet and saw to day made me a bed by cutting four notches and driving in the ground laying two poles across lengthwise, then laid barrel staves across, put moss and grass inside makes a very nice bed, then I made me a desk out of an old / cracker box. then I have a clothing box to keep my clothes and other things in. The tent covers a space about six feet square and is about six feet high in the centre from that sloping of to the ground on each side the ends are perpendicular. I can live in good style here if I only had any blankets which are in Newbern I should like it. But I suppose we are liable to leave here any time. Company I have been fixing up their street it is splendid one man offered five dollars for a good picture of it.

 

They have built a shed for the cook of branches of evergreen and a roof thatched with palmetto leaves. Around the woodpile [?] fire they have set a hedge about as high as my head; at the end of this they have formed an arch high enough to pass under then another hedge is set along the side of the street leaving a walk between it and the tent. this is about three feet high / at equal distances from each other are left openings for entrance to the tents over each entrance is formed an arch and the end of the side walk where it opens on the parade ground is another arch something larger than the others on the opposite of the street is set another hedge, at the end of the street next the parade ground there are set two palmetto trees, which sets the whole off splendidly. The hedges are all very neatly trimed. Around the Captains tent they have placed another hedge with a fine arch in front. I believe they had some changes in the Company this morning Corporal Salter was promoted to be Sergeant Joseph E Bixby was promoted to be Corporal I think he will make a good one. Sergeant W^m Long promoted to be Orderly vice Wright promoted, all this / at St Helena island this twentieth day of March 1863. Subject to the approval of his excellency Colonel John L. Otis. By command of S L White Capt. commanding tenth C.V. The boys are generally well. Silas E. is well he says tell them he is going to write when he gets a letter. Captain Hudson went home last sunday I think likely he may come to Greewich. If you should send a box bye and bye you may put in some paper of this size but a little better quality, i.e. if you have not sent any before. This is some that came from Hilton Head. Had to pay twenty four cents for twenty four sheets. High price for such paper as this. It is rather unpleasant out today wet and chilly I am writing with my overcoat on. Likely enough tomorrow it will be so warm that it will be uncomfortable without any coat on.

 

[margins]

 

Blackberries have been in blossom here two or three weeks. Yellow jassmine are abundant it was that I sent you last spring from New Bern

 

P.S. I am going to write Grandfather in a day or two probably by next steamer

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