Saturday afternoon April 11th

 

Dear Parents,

                        We had a splendid sunrise this morning and it is quite a pleasant day rather warm for comfort. The steamers have nearly all left the harbor. I believe they have gone to Hilton Head they say the rebels threatened an attack on Beaufort. Today there has been seen a number of steamers going down the coast destination unknown. Probaby Hilton Head. whether there was troops on them or not could not be ascertained. We are very anxious here for things about Charleston to come to a crisis in some way. If General Hunter / does not know any more about the place he is going to attack than he does about the expedition he sent to this, or rather, about this island, he will never take it. General Hunter is one in whom his troops do not put any confidence (as far as I have heard any opinion expressed) therefore there is not much use for him trying to do any thing. We are all heartily sick of this department, from our General down. It is decidedly the meanest place of all we were ever in.

 

A little excitement among the pickets this morning was occasioned by the wounding of one man, a sergeant of Co. B. of the twenty fourth Massachusetts regiment, the ball passed through his leg above the knee. It was reported his leg would have to be amputated, perhaps it is not so. The rebels were to / smart for them.

 

We have heard that there were orders at Hilton Head for us to go back to Newbern as soon as something was done at Charleston, either the place taken, or an [?] in the attempt. We would all hail that day with joy when we shall again embark for that place. It seems more like home to us than any other place outside of Connecticut.

 

We are anxiously waiting for news from Connecticut concerning the election there, wether Secesh gained the power over liberty and right. If we should hear of Seymour being elected I do not know but I should be like an old democrat and officer in some Connecticut regiment. He said if Seymour was elected, he / should never go into the state of Connecticut to live again. If I did not go there to live I should want to go there to fight rebels. Where is the boasted strength of our government, if such men as Vallandigham, Seymour and some others too numerous to mention be allowed to run at large and utter such sentiments as Vallandigham uttered in the halls of Congress and in a speech in New York. Traitors of the blackest dye acknowledged friends of Jeff Davis and the Southern Confederacy, and deserve to be treated just the same as Davis. I say again, if there is not strength enough to put down such men as those openly speaking treason in our northern cities what is the use fighting Jeff. Davis. It is not worth

 

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I was quite unwell for a week or so after we came here but am better now

                                                                                   

Your aff. Son

William

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