Portsmouth Aug. 14^th 1863

 

            Dear Wife

                                    I received your kind letter of the 9^th yesterday should have answered it then but was on duty. It is a little cooler to day on account of a heavy shower we had last night. For the past few days it has been the warmest here that it has been once 1836 the thermometer went as high as 150 degs. at at midnight it would be 80 & 90 degs. One does not feel much like doing any thing in such weather as that I stand the heat though very well Do not feel first rate to day I have been asleep all the forenoon. They are going to grant two fuloughs to a company/Therefore you may expect to see some of Co. G home this month Bill Coats & Michael Welch have applied. Capt Kenyon’s leave of absence expires tommorrow Last Sunday that Preston City Irish “man” & his brother was here. They came down from Baltimore with prisoners There was quite a number of the boys wives came out this morning If for no other reason I should not want Mamie here on account of the warm weather I think though if you were here you would be satisfied to lie once in your life with clothes off. It is still and quiet here we are anxiously awaiting news from Charleston I hope they will be successful there & then it does seem as if there must be an end to this war. Every move lookes toward peace now/

 

I had a little affair yesterday that relieved the monotony of my duties somewhat and resulted satisfactorily to me I was with a Lieut & 12 men on Guard at the Ferry between Norfolk & this place. The orders were & have been very strict No man or officer being allowed to pass without a written pass approved by some Gen. While the Lieut. was at dinner there were three Capts. came down to cross the ferry the sentinel let them pass at the & I asked them for their passes & they swore they would show me no pass & went on board the boat thinking I suppose they had done a smart thing I quietly went on board and asked them again for their passes they refused to show/them & I ordered the Boat not to leave the dock. The Capts finding themselves checkmated swore & tore around ordered the boat to leave & did scare one of the Darkies so that he unhitched one of the chains I told him to hitch it up again & if he let it lose again I would order the Guard to shoot him I ordered the engineer ashore and the noble & brave Capts had to wait I sent for an officer & they made out to produce passes. They will propably be placed under arrest when they go back to their Regts. I was just telling John where I wished we were this afternoon I told him at Watch Hill in the Surf with our wives Well sais he tell Mary if we are not all four together now we will be at some time. I for my part had about a soon be with Mamie alone with out under some cool shady tree on the green grass Well “when this cruel war is over”!!! For the present Good bye Love to mother

 

                                                                                                Court.

SOURCES