Department of the South

HeadQuarters in the field

1^st Brigade, 1^st Division 10^th Army Corps

July 12^th 1863—

 

Dear Parents,

                        I wrote a few lines to you last Monday night to let you know we were going to leave Seabrook. We left Seabrook island on the Steamer Ben Deford and proceeded to Hilton Head and reported for orders. From there we went across the harbor to St Helena Island and spent the night and part of the next day, until four o'clock when we again went on board the steamer and departed While we were on St Helena we got watermelon cucumbers, green corn, string beans, only we did not get many of them. But there was plenty of them there. I was not very well so I did not swim very strong. When we left St. Helena we went directly to Stone Inlet. got there some time in the night and when we got up in the / morning we found ourselves on the way back to Hilton Head for coal.

 

We reported at head quarters about ten A.M. Went up to a plantation landing called Seabrooks End took in coal for forty eight hours; and about four o'clock again started for Stone. We arrived at Stone about midnight. Found the troops had all left that end of Folly Island and that the transports with troops had all gone up stone river. We came to anchor and lay until morning in the morning we proceeded up the river to where the other transports were. several steamers lay there loaded with colored troops. two regiments had landed and one was just going on shore When we had anchored we heard that owing to the delay in our arrival another regiment had been brigaded in our place / and we had been left out. But we were not left out long for we soon had orders to go on shore. And a short time after we were all on shore. We lay around on the shore a short time when the regiment formed line and commenced its march up the island over the same route followed by Gen. Stevens a little over a year ago. We advanced a mile or two when we came to a halt. nothing of importance occurred through the day. we could hear heavy firing in the direction of Morris island and the General recieved dispatches stating that the batteries on the lower end of Morris island were taken. We lay here until five oclock the next afternoon when we advanced about a mile and our regiment was put on picket as we advanced the gunboat Pawnee open fire. She did splendidly some of the shells apparently bursting in the works at seceshenville. We can / see the batteries, the flag, the observatory and beyond. The Marine hospital by Moultries Point, Fort Sumter. we can see the smoke from the forts and and our gun boats although it is some five or six miles distant. We could see Charleston but for the woods. It is only a few miles walk from where we now are. We are now staying in a large field no tents no nothing our Division commander is General Terry. Our brigade Comd. Gen. Stevenson. Where we are going what we are going to do or when we are going to do it is more than I can tell nor do I know as you will get this until after Charleston is taken.

                                                                       

Your Son William

SOURCES