Morris Island S.C.

Thursday July 30^th 1863

 

Dear Parents,

                        We recieved a mail yesterday. it had one letter in for me mailed the eighteenth day of July. no papers came for me in it. But it is said there is more mail for us at the Head. Papers have been recieved here as late as the twenty third of July but I have not seen any of them yet. I have been quite unwell for the last few days yesterday I was quite sick, but I feel some better this morning but not very smart. The Regt / went out on Grand Guard last night. I suppose they will not return until to night. Silas E. is on guard here in camp. The regiment is pretty well used up. there is only about two hundred and thirty enlisted men reported for duty, and that includes non coms musicians and every thing except commissioned officers, and those it does report are scarcely fit for duty. The sixth Conn. left here, are going to leave here this morning, for Hilton Head or Beauf. or some other place, to lay off, again I do not see as there is to be any rest for us, as long as we are in the service. I suppose you heard about our Chaplain and Adj't. leaving us one fine / sunday afternoon, about three o'clock since which time they have not been seen. The last that we heard from them was the Chaplain was in Charleston very sick, and that he was recognized as the same Yankee Chaplain that was up to Kingston with the flag of truce, that he was found inside of there lines sketching, which they thought looked rather suspicious. The day they were taken there was an armistice to bury the dead between the lines. they probably went to far and were taken prisoners. I sent thirty ($30) dollars to you by express yesterday. It is sent the same as the other. We are now paid up to June thirtieth. I kept about fourteen dollars by me. I guess that will / be all I want to spend. It is all I want to keep around any way If I want more before we are paid I can send for it. W. Rutherford thought he would not send any this time. You wrote of having some fruit preserved to send. If it was here now, I should like it very much, but we are moving around so much there is great danger of loseing anything that a man can not carry. I should like some butter too. I told William about his money being put in the bank. Some of the boys did send to New York for some eatables some of which I shall probably get if they come.

 

But I must close this now if I would have it go.

                                                                       

Your son

William

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