Ship Island Feb 23 1862

 

My Dear Charley J Bartlett

It is Sabbath day Morning and it is one of the most beautiful mornings that you ever beheld of A june day in Mass we have just returned to our tents after inspection which we have to go through evry Sunday morning we have preaching evry Sunday the Singers meet Evry Saturday night have A good time there is A Capt just in our tent for me to go and practise some tunes for the occasion as they think I am some pumkins about such matters I received your letter and papers which was A great treat I will assure you the papers afforded all of our tents crew A great deal of good reading and Evry chance you get I hope you will avail yourself of such an opportunity as we are glad to hear from home as often as we can/

 

this writing apparatus which you gave me is one of the most useful things that I have about the house I have received letters from my folks at the same time of yours I hope you will see my folks as often as you can and likewise your Family at home and my dear Fellow I am glad and thankful that you are situated as well as you are I have reason to feel Proud of such an nephew and I hope that God will guide and guard you through the changes and turns in life and keep your feet from falling and your soul from death. I have seen your uncle Royal he is quite near my tent he is looking and doing well looking better than I have seen him for years if you should see any of my folks (and I suppose you will) I wish you would get and send to me the History of Concord ask Henrietta and she will give it to you perhaps/

 

We may be at home next june or july it would not surprise me to know certain that we should the rebels seem to be getting disheartened there is at our landing place quite A number of rebel boats that our folks have taken we can see A number of the movements they are making but there cake is tough in my opinion there has been two or three small boats over here on purpose to make discoveries but thay come once to many times as they were not permitted to return they found the Yankees not quite so green as they took them to be not only lost themselves but lost three boats This Island is about seven miles long about one half mile wide the surface is of fine white sand rather hard to walk and drill on but we have got used to it now so that we dont mind much about it there is one great and good thing in our favor that is it is remarkable healthy/

 

I have gained in flesh 20 lbs sence I have ben on the Island there is three thousand men on the island now and more are expected I find A great many men here that I have known in days gone by finerly we are not so bad off as we might be give my regards to your mother and brothers tell her we think of those friends we have left behind us it is now about dinner time and I will draw to A period the next I write I will tell you more news and if possible I will send you some little trinckets that I can pick up on the Island

                                                Respectfully from your

                                                Uncle J.M. Billings

 

this may not go for some days but there is nothing like having the tools ready you know you may see that I have maid some bull in writing this as I have got two families mixed

up.

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