Matagorda Island Texas

Dec 8^th 1863

 

My Dear Abbie

                        I take my long neglected Pen at this time to address you a few lines to let you know that I am yet alive and have not forgotten my friend A— at home I think however that I owe you an apology for not writing oftener of late for it is now three or four weeks since I have used a pen for anything for the circumstances in which I have been placed have seemed to furnish an excuse for my silence during that time I have been in / a number of places and have experienced quite different feelings and sceanes. we started from New Orleans the 23^d of Oct on the Steamer Clinton and with an Expedition of 4 thousand men landed at Brazos Santiago Island the 1^st of No'v this Isl'd lies north of the mouth of the Rio Grand River so you see that we have got as far south as we can get with going into Mexico. during the voige from New Orleans I was sea sick and had three Chills and on the whole was pretty sick but got better soon after we landed but in about two weeks we left again and landed one hundred miles above on the lower end of Mustang Island, and on the night of / 14 we marched the whole length of the Island a distance of 18 miles and on the morning of the 18^th we with the 13^th Me Reg't and one gun boat surprised and took the forces there, consisting of 125 men with four pieces of Artilery we stoped here until the 22^d for this place which is 70 miles above. while we stoped at Mustang I was taken with the Diarrhoea and was unable to go with the Regt and stoped behind until the 5^th of Dec' when I went on board the boat and joined the Regt last night in time to take Tea with them. My health at preasant is very much better and I feel like my self again. during all this time I have been without / materials for writing my health has been poor and I have excused myself until I could tell you that I was well I have received two letters from you since I left New Orleans and have been glad to here from you and know that you are getting along so well

 

you seem to have got the wrong idear in regard to Clarks Promotion as he received a Com as 1^st Lt and Adjutant and is out of Co H all togather

 

Lt Nickales has received his Com' as Capt but has not got mustered yet and is therefore in my way. Co'l Dyer told me the other day that he had my Commission for me when Nickels got mustered it came the same time that his and Clarks did so I shall be 1^st Lt of Co H in all probability the reason that it was not published in the papers is because they had no Official notice of the vacancy

SOURCES