Hd. Qrs. 1^st Divis ambalance Corps

13 Army Corps

Mobile May 27/65

 

Dear Brother

                        I thought as I had a few spare moments I would write you a few lines and let you know that I am well and hope this will find you and all the friends enjoying the same blessing. we are having very pleasent weather onely it is rather warm some times. Part of the regt left here last Monday and went to apalachacola Florida Co E. H. K was left behind on account of transportation and so was all the Detailed men / but they wer all relieved but us that was in the ambalance Corps and the Co left here Thursday morning but there was about 20 men left with the Q.Ms things with 36 mule teams and a lot of forage and 15 days rations for the regt that he could not get transportation for it was luckey for Co E. H. & K. that they left when they did for that after noon there one of the greatest explosions took place here that ever was hurd of. there was a large brick ware house used as an arsnel and some way or other it was exploded. there was about 3 tones of powder and lots of shells of all kinds I was in camp at the time about 2m or 2½ miles from it but saw the smoke and the shells the jarr was very heavy and the air seamed full of shells exploding the shells

 

and shells layed all over town it compleatley demolished that part of the town and there is no telling how meney lifes are lost besides the wounded it hapened that we had prety much cleaned out all the Hospitals afew days before but it filed them full and more too there was a good meney of our soldiers quartered in the cotton presses and eney quantities of darkeys and confeds that wer at work and you see theas presses are brick with slate roofs perhaps you dont understand how they are made so I will tell you a press ocupyes one squair or block a brick wall from 8 to 12 feet high all around the out side witch forms a shed 20 feet wide on three sides and then in the center of the yard there is an other building or shed with brick ends / open sides and slate roof used for storing cotton but some of them was ocupied as Barricks for our men and some for nigars and the explosion throwed thear brick walls flat to the ground and there was lots of our men burried in the ruions and agood meney that was nearest was burnt as the timbers was all afire and there was shells all through to I have hurd severel burst this morning but the fire is nearley all out. this took place about 2 oclock and we went right down with the ambalances and worked untill 11 at night and then yesterday we wer down and took of severel dead bodys that had bin dug out of the ruions Some wer so mangled you could not tell wether they wer white or black. I went all through where the explosion was I saw 4 / 6 mule teems all piled in a pile and one of the drivers was laying amongst the rubish four or five rods off and while we wer standing there there was a shell bursted about 4 rods off and then an 80 lbder bursted a little further off so we thought we would wait untill the fire was put out before we went around there. there was John Glover and H M Horton Co F badley bruised T Sawyer Co. D. leg bruised E. Dewit. Co C. Jamed badley besides one or two others slightley hurt Horton was thrown down stairs Glover left ankle sprained and a clip on the fore head but are all geting along fine yesterday afternoon Ike Lewis is in the Hospital but expect to have his discharge soon and go home where I guess we will all be fore long /

 

I dont know how it is agoing to be with us fellows in the ambalance Corps. the 1^st & 2^ed Brigades are going to New orleans to day and I think we will go as soon as things are streighened up and get transportaions and when we get to New Orleans I think we will be discharged or sent on to our regt if I get discharged I think I will go up west before I come home but show I cant what I will do yet I will send you a paper and Josiah one too so you will see all about this Great Blow up

 

                                                                                    Good By

                                                                        Yours &c &c Wilson Nevyus

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