Matamoras Bay Decbr. 23^th 1863

Texas

 

My dear friend Alexander Roeser.

 

            Here we are on Texas Soil, the words our excellent Governor Morton adressing the 60^th, before leaving Indianapolis “You will go down to the Gulf.” at last got reallised indeed. Away we steamed from Algier (opposite New Orleans) on the 17^th of December & with full spread sails plowed through some parts of the Gulf of Mexico and finally landed in Matamoras Bay a distanse of about 600. miles from N. Orleans.

Every thing went on nicely & smuthly. the journey would have been a pleasant one had it not been for the deuced up & down motions of the vessel which most of our brave boys could not stand. More then one fifty cent dinner went out the same way as it got in and over board. It was too bad was it not?—

 

By these means however our insides got cleaned out pretty well without any extra charge & on the 20^th after sundown we all jumped full of glee & with an extremely good appetite on the sandy shore where the whole country with the exception of three or four houses surronded by a few ceder bushes & laurell trees besides a chain of sandhills trown up along the eastern coast by the ever restless waves loock as flat & even as a table./

 

The first night we slept bully, the next morning we moved in camp, put up our clothhouses & fixed our things as comfortable as possible, whatever could be usefull to us was readily picked up by the wayside but alas by the time we are about fixed up for really good housekeeping?—The cry of marching ordre sound through the camp & happy to say we allways get along without public sale, the furniture is left to those that come after us, kicked asunder in all four corners of the earth smashed into fragments, or cut into sclises. the town disappears. along moves the endless string of bluecoats to hunt up an other & if possible a better home in Dixie’s Land But now hold on. not so fast. before leaving I want you to be here with me on the sandy beech to assist me in picking up the beautifull shells scattered in countless numbers of every size, description & colours on the waters edge; and then see the waves glide & roll & tumble towards you to breack themselves one after annother in the levell coast with a noisy foam. thus it never ends. many a hundred years after we both are gone the waves still repeat the same play as they doo now I guess.—The water though not very warm, seems to bee warm enough for some of the boys, you ought to see them wading in up to the neck dragging along a long net for the purpose of ketching fish/

 

            If they wouldn’t take us away from here too soon we live in good hopes to celebrate Christmas & Newyearsday in the most glorious manner possible. Plenty of US cackes coffee enough, a large supply of sawbelly, more beans then we want, about as much tobacco as money, a whole jaile of full Lagerbeer barrels in sweet memory & whiskey I declare as old & mild & clear as the gulfstream.—Who would not be a Soldier!—25^th of Dcbr. I found it impossible to finish my letter before christmas. but never mind I’ll go at it right now with the expectation that when theese lines will meet your eyes you will have a merry & pleasant Newyearsday behind you a little to late is better then never so then a happy New Year to you.—

 

Our town increases rapidly in population both men & beests drilling, dressparade constant rattling of Drums, harmonious sounds?—of 2-3 Brassbands constitute the day, firewood is very scarce also good drinkwater. I should not wonder if our stomachs is as full of sand as the old Shanghay rousters digestive organs. The weather is very fine no sleighride yet we walk about in shirtsleeves. How are you getting along up North, that’s what I want to know as soon as possible.     Your old friend,

                                                                                    George Oboussier,

 

[overleaf written in German, in German script, Dec. 25^th 1863]

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