Johnsons Island

April 6^th 1865

 

Dear Mother,

                        Time and oppertunity has again afforded me the gratification of taking my pen in a hand that loves above all other correspondents, to write to you, although many times in heart sickening surroundings, it I am cheered up again by remembrance of the happy times that has been spent with those loved ones at home, and with a pleasant hope of again joining them when each one will appreciate more clearly the presence of all the members of that little family. /

 

never since the time that I took the first leave of you, have I been so anxious for my time to expire, that I might return home as I do now, or since I have landed on this forsaken Island. every thing or almost every thing appears to go against the grain. this Regt is composed of men from most all states in the union, but mostly eastern men. I have often heard it said that eastern troops were far more selfish than western troops are, and now I have to my grief found it the fact, but I suppose they are more so because there is hardly 6 from any one Regt. and that squad that came with me was scatered through the whole Regiment, from six to a dozen in a company. /

 

The Island is situated in the Sandusky Bay three miles from the Sandusky city and one from the Peninsula on the opposite side and consists of about three hundred acres of rich soil. there is two Forts now being built which comands the whole Bay. The Prison yard contains about four acres, with a high fence surrounding it and a walk on the top for the guards so that they can see all that is going on inside. There is at present about eightteen hundred prisoners in it. they are well cared for good Barracks to shelter in and plenty to eat. they appear well satisfyed or most of them do. they have made two attempts to get out lately. once they / commenced in their building and dug a tunnel under the fence, but the guard detected them one night. they were almost ready to make their escape. another time when the Bay was frozen over, they made nine laders and rushed to the fence. four or five of them got out, but a signal gun was fired, and the farmers on the other side ran to the Bay and caught them as they came over. there is one other Regt beside ours doing duty here. they are Ohio boys and enlisted especialy for that purpose. there is a church here but this Regt. appears to take as little interest in Religious matters as any set of men that I was ever in. I have found but one Religious man in my company. This is not camp Dennison in that respect. I hated to leave there on that account.

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