Fort Marion

                                                                                                St. Agustine Florida

                                                                                                Sunday Sept. 18^th 1864

 

Dearest Mina:—

                                    Picture in your imagination a room as near like an immense oven twenty five feet long, fifteen feet wide & eighteen feet high. a door & three small windows (minus glass) in front to admit light & air. in the center a long pine table upon either side of which are benches of the same material & you have a pretty correct idea of what we term our dining room & the one where I am now seeking to pass away a little while in a chat with you. It is a dark rainy day & the gloomy aspect worn by this old castle even in the finest weather is not at all improved by such / a storm as the one now raging. I must tell you a little more of this old fort. It is a complete old spanish castle built in 1756 & contains all the dungeons always to be found in such places—cells gloomy & dark from the walls of which the dampness is continually droping. A short time ago some of the men from our Regt were examining one of these tombs for living men & found two skeletons of men who had been left there till starved to death the chains which held them still upon their hands & feet. The bones have been gathered up & buried lately after having probably lain there for years. I suppose some who are believers in such things would still see their spirits but such are the least of my troubles. How much would I enjoy being among my dear / friends to listen today to the words of some man of God as he explained the way of life. I have read over your last letter & the advice & encouragement therin have seemed to strengthen me Dear Mina from it would I gladly take my example. would that I could rely as wholly as you on strength from on high to resist temptations here so numerous—that of swearing seems greatest. I hardly think there are a dozen men in our Co. but what use profane language & I sometimes in an angry moment almost utter a profane word before I can check my anger. Dear Mina I need your prayers I need strength from above to enable me to resist these inclinations to sin gladly would I live a better life gladly forsake the ways of sin. pray for me my dear Mina that I may / have divine aid so to do I cannot tell the good your letters do me in helping me to resist temptation how often I read them over & always after so doing feel stronger—more determined to strive to live the life from which you derive such happiness. Then as I read the repeated assurances of love what feelings of love & joy arise in my heart—the strongest language I can use is unable to express my feelings. how did I obtain & why is this given this pure love the love of this precious heart dearer to the me than the very life blood of my own is a question I sometimes ask myself—but the knowledge that it is so satisfies me while I possess the prize I am thankful for it & only desire to be worthy of it my dear Mina your love is my joy through sunshine & storm night & day, my encouragement in affliction & adversity & my delight in prosperity, when cast down a ray of light to my sadness & a cap sheaf to my joy in times of happiness Now as this sabbath day is drawing to a close I would raise a prayer to Heaven for the safety of my darling that we may be spared till together we can share the pleasures & burdens of life. Ever yours         Henry

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