Hilton Head August Oct 19 1862 1862

 

Dear Brother

                        After not hearing from home for a long time I thought I would write home anyhow. We have not heard from home for almost six weeks I think you do not write as often as you might.

 

            We are well as usual the sickness of which I last wrote about has ceased in our Regt. I had a turn of it but I am now able for duty again. The weather is getting quite cool here now can bear over coats on at night very well and sometimes in day time. There is an expedition preparing to leave here now to make an attact on the Rebels some place on the main land We do not know whether they are going to attact Charleston & Savannah City or not Might be neither we are now under marching orders 

 

I must tell you something about our new town down hear there is now about ten stores and groceries here now have a Rail Road from end of the warf to the forage house which is 300 yds from the dock and several branches cars running on it the are hauled by horses so we are begining to think that we are at home here. We have a very nice camp cook houses built out of slabs there is 2 steam saw mills here. there is very nice yellow pine timber here just like white pine in Clearfield Co. We have plenty of sweet potatoes here now and oranges are up & figs they have have 2 or 3 crops first crop was in June last crop will be in November Oranges are not so sweet here as further south Apples are not plenty here they sell for 3 to 5 cts apiece.

 

We are now in Gen Terrys Brigade have not been in any brigade since last November till now he is a conecticut man is said to be a good General the 3^rd N. Hampshire 7 Ct. 97 P.V. & our Regt. is his Brigade. / Things move along much better here since Gen. Mitchel is than when Gen Hunter was here J.S.K. & J.B. will soon will soon be out of the guard house do not say anything about them being in Some body wrote home that Alex Gwin was in the guard house it is not so he was not in if Capt Wayne could find out who writes those lies home he would punish them for it

 

            Capt Strawbridge of Company B is appointed Colonel of our Regt. I think Capt Campbell of Co A will be Lut Colonel & Capt Siller of Co D Magor as that is the rank of their Comission Strawbridge will make a good Colonel he is a very small man bout like Jno Gwin has a brother who is a Seargent he is a bully fellow. We expect to be paid in a few days if we do not leave two soon last of this month we will have four months pay coming Seargant Moore has got his discharge will leave on the boat has been sick for 2 months Climate does not agree with him. 

 

I would like to spend the winter some place else than on this Island. When you write tell all the news and everything else we get good rations here now have beef stake for dinner to day & bean soup. We are getting a new uniform Regular Zouave Stile. if you have time and plenty of butter & apple butter and caned tomatoes I would not care if you would send me a small box. Such things as cakes or anything baked always spoils but anything caned will keep nice. do as you please about it. when we get paid I will send my pay to you.

 

tell me if A. Rees got the gum or not

 

nothing more yours truly                                A. Crawford Gwin

 

Now this writing is for [?]

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