Naval Hospital May 8^th

 

My Dear Sister

                        I rec^d with the greatest pleasure your letter dated Apl 29^th You seem to think that we are very puctual the fact is I write if I can get a chance every time I think of home. I do not wish I was at home to stay, but I would like to see you all once in a while The general opinion is that Lincoln intends to invade Virginia as soon as possible He has troops stationed all along the Border of this State. But if he intends to attack the “Navy Yard” he will meet with a warm reception there are several companies at the mouth of / James River. Another Guard battery at Craney Island another at “fort Norfolk” the next at the Hospital (our humble selves) look at a Va Map and 12 kindred men at the Navy Yard and all at the Navy Yard are Georgians. do you think Old Abe will pass five batteries? If he does he will will leave behind every man at Naval Hospital besides a few of his own men. You directed your letter “Georgia Regiment” we do not belong to a regiment but to an independent battalion. We elected a Major Tom Hurdeman from Macon this evening it consists of 4 companies two Macon Co’s Macon Volunters & Floyd Rifles, City light Guard & Spalding Greys The flowers rejoiced our hearts exceedingly / and our joy would have been without a cloud if you had told us what the emblems were (dont tell the young ladies we did not know that) and more especially what the names of the young ladies were. Siser do tell me who they are. I can not rest content till I know. Give my love to Miss Shuttie & Miss Chloe & Miss Belle and My Best respects to Miss Alice Buskin & to all who think kindly of such a person as myself.

 

Frank Bloodworth returns His “Best respects” & also his thanks to you for remembering him Tell Miss Alice Gordon that the “Baldwin blues” are quartered at the Navy Yard and if I ever can get off I will most certainly inquire & seek Mr Orme out though there are 1,000 men quartered there but I think I can find him / Give her my “best respects” and tell them all to think kindly of us for we are in a land of strangers, and our minds run back to the friends in Griffin. Tell Chalmers to be a good boy and make up fives till I come back then I’ll help him. How is tilla’s baby coming on? I hope it is well by this time; Tell Andrew to rub Bill down every morning and keep him fat How is “Driver” coming on; is he fierse? Tell Miss Emily Carnes that her brother is on duty to day and I can not see him but as soon as I can I most willingly will tell him I found one old Friend in the City light Guard Aleck Cook Son of W. H. D. Cook who used to live down by us. his father is in Americus now though he / he lived in Columbus

 

Chalmers has not sent me my paper yet. I suppose the G. L. Guards have by this time left Macon for Pensacola I do wish they were coming here How it would rejoice my heart to see them. There was a sad accident happened in our company yesterday evening One of the members was shot in the leg. the ball passed clean through both legs but did not break a bone or sever an artery Cis. Nunaly was standing by him talking and had his pistol in his hand. They were speaking of the pistol I think and some one wished to see it. When he / tried to let the hammer down it slipped out of his hand and the pistol went off. The person shot was named Blount he is not dangerously wounded. does not seem to be in much pain & the doctors think he will be well in a few weeks. I guess we will have to go in tents in a week or so. Tell Mr Corbin the Georgians here make the Va troops stand around. We have the name of being the best company here for fighting, Standing Guard or any other duty they put us at. We have a good deal of fun some times making these big Officers mark time. I had the adjutant out side one night in the rain and would not let him in without the countersign and he had forgotten it. he tried 15 pass me any how / so I put him 15 marking time I kept him about a half an hour and let him in. I thought he would have been mad with me but he was not When I got off duty he came to me and said he liked me the better for it I have just got back from Craney Island Lieut Johnson made up a party and took us down there. It is a low sandy island with only one tree on it a cedar in the centre It is very hot in the day and very cold in the night. I visited the Old fort where the British met with such a warm reception in the War of 1812 We got a Spy-Glass and saw the Stars and Stripes floating at Fortress Monroe Also a large Steamer the Monticello / about seven miles off She also had the stars & stripes floating at the mast head She came up within half a mile of Craney Island the other day with a tremendous Union Flag unfurled and all the men at the Guns Sailed around in defiance The commanding Officer at the Island would not let them fire on her which left the men in a terrible rage and to increase their anger a Steam-boat came up along side of the Monticello and staid about twenty minutes. Then came right by Craney Island and the Major would not let them stop her but Fort Norfolk sent a shot across her bow that made her stop It was the W^m Seldon [?] boat that plies between Baltimore & and some point near Washington as she came by Hospital point she gave / three cheers for Georgia the [?] will not let her go back again. they think she had spies aboard. One of the City L. Guards was standing Guard this morning and a man came up to the wall on the outside and said “There seems to be a good deal of Military preparation here” the Sentinel said “yes” the Man then said he thought Georgians were a set of fools to allow Jeff Davis to send them here as Old Abe would kill every one of them. the Sentinel pointed his Gun at him and told him to consider himself a prisoner the Colonel then came and after questioning the fellow a while had him locked up. That is the way we serve such persons. are we not right? I had to stop then to read a / long letter from Miss Mary Lewis in answer to one I wrote her She seemed to fancy Prof Harvey about as little I did myself I have written letters all of the boys but have not rec^d a single one from any of them. We are all a akward sett of fellows I have spilt some tallow on my paper I guess though you will excuse that

 

Give my love to Mother also to Aunt Jannett ask her if she could not write me a letter. I would be very glad indeed to hear from her. I have set you an example in writing long letters and I want you to imitate it I believe I have written all I can think of now So I will bid you Good bye. Remember me to all the Young Ladies

 

                                                From your loving

                                                                        Brother

                                                            Cornelius M^cLaurin

SOURCES