Morris Island S.C.      

Sunday morning August 6^th(sic) 1863

 

Dear Parents,

                        Two days in succession have we recieved a mail, one yesterday and one day before. In the mail on friday I recieved a letter mailed the twenty ninth of Aug. and in the mail yesterday, no letters, but a bundle of papers mailed the thirty first. The mail yesterday was quite a small mail. I am feeling a little better this morning but some way I do not get quite right yet. some days I feel very well, and the next day, likely as not, I will feel so I could hardly stand. The medicine the Dr. has given me has not done me any good as I can see, now I am doctoring my self a little. I believe I can beat / them on doctoring for the diarrhea any way. It is very warm this morning, and the heat is very oppressive too. We do not get as much cool air where we are encamped now as where we were before.

 

Silas E. came in from picket again last night feeling quite unwell. he looked bad, real thin in the face. I guess he will have to keep still until he gets well, if he wants to get well. he does not get any thanks, for credit, for doing duty before he is able, or doing duty when he is sick. He was just now in here, says he shall go back to night or tomorrow. I told him he had better keep quiet for a day or two before he returned but he thought not. I suppose he will go his own way of course. He tells me Cornelia is going to N. Granville to school. Well I suppose she will go there to / school and get back home again before I get back. It is only a little over a year more we have got to stay and that will soon pass away but it can not go to quick to suit our tastes.

 

Our seige has been busy firing now since before light yesterday morning. Evening—toward night the firing slackened, with the heavy guns, but I believe the bombardment is to be kept up all night, and in the morning an assault is to be made on the fort, by General Stevenson's Brigade. God grant it may be successful.

 

Monday Morning, Sept. 7^th

                                    Pleasant but very warm. And it was a success. Wagner and Battery Gregg have both fallen into our hands. We are sole possessors of Morris Island. And before another twenty four hours, I believe / our forces will be inside of Sumter. Sumter is nothing, only in the name. I suppose it will tell more at the north, and in Europe than any other one thing. But we consider the reducing of the earth works, Wagner and Gregg, a greater success than the other. It was all done and the regiment back in camp by eight seven this morning. they went out about twelve. they are all in fine spirits this morning I believe they go out on picket again this afternoon. Lieut. Wright was out in a boat with Maj. Sandford of the seventh all night: they captured about eighty prisoners as they were leaving Gregg, in small boats. The were obliged to evacuate their works our fire on them was terrific. The rebel batteries Johnson and Simpkins are firing all the time, but I guess it does not amount to much. Moultrie and the Sullivan Island batteries cannot throw far enough over to do any harm much.

 

[margins]

 

The stench inside of Wagner and Gregg is said to be suffocating. Our saps were carried right up to the entrance of the fort. in some places they went through the place where the dead were buried after the other fight. now when it comes to be looked at by day light, see where it passed so as to divide bodies. It is said the scenes inside the rebel works were sickening—Torpedoes were placed all around where anyone would be likely to go. torpedoes were fastened to dead bodies so that the ones removing them would be blown up and all such dastardly ways were resorted to by them to kill our men but they were wonderfully preserved through it all, / only two men in our regiment being hurt at all, and they but very slightly. You will see the official reports, which tell you more than I know, I was not there

 

I feel midelling well this morning but not very furious by any means. I do not get over this difficulty yet. Seems to me I have been sick about long enough, it is about time for me to be doing something, but I can't tell I'm better. Yours, William

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