Tuesday July 5^th 1864

 

Dear Hannah

                                                We are still lying here in "Stone" and the Regt is still where it was yesterday and they have been doing nothing as yet. There was considerable shelling from the gunboats last night after dark. There was a mortar schooner lying close by us that fired considerable and evry discharge made our steamer tremble from stem to stern. I could see the shells from the mortar until they burst and I should think they went about three miles before bursting. There was a very little musketry firing last night on the island but I guess that it did not amount to much. There has been no firing from the gunboats this forenoon—now / eleven o'clock—and it does not appear that there will be much done today. Well I must close for today so good bye and I am still yours—Joe.

 

Wednesday July 6^th James Island

            Dearest Hannah Once more I take my pen but this time on James island in camp with the Reg^t. I came off the boat this morning and came up to the regt as the "Canonicus" was going to Jacksonville after a battery and according to all appearances there is to be something done here soon. The Reb^s have been shelling us some today and one of the shells struck about fifty yards from where I am sitting but none of their shells done any hurt. The troops here are under the command a Dutch Gen^l by the name of Schemmelpfenneg / (we call him Shimmelifter however) Gen^l Birney has gone back to Jacksonville and left all the troops up here although we would all like to go with him for Jacksonville is preferrable to James Island. Good night—Joe.

 

Johns Island July 9^th 1864

            Dear Wife the troops moved from James Island over here last night to reenforce Gen^l Hatch who was fighting all day yesterday. The "Johnnies" made a charge on us this morning at daybreak but we held them back by the help of a couple of pieces of artillery. One of the pieces was loaded with three "stands of Cannister shot" and it was really horrible the way that it cut the Johnies down. We are lying in rifle pits now and get a volley about once / in five minutes that makes everything ring again. Well I will now close and if I get through today I'll finish this letter and if I dont what I have written will be sent to you. By the way you must not expect this to be written very well as it is written where bullets come uncomfortably near sometimes Good bye and a kiss yours ever Joe

 

Sunday July 10^th 1864 Johns Island

Dear Hannah

                                    I am still alive and kicking and glad to get through yesterdays work. We lost eight men wounded—the most of them slightly—and one killed—shot through the head. We came down to the place where we landed night before last and bivouaced in line here last night. The Johnnies / followed us up pretty close but the 35^th U.S.C. Troops stay behind and burned the bridge after the troops were all across so that they would have to rebuild the bridge (about three hundred yards long) or go ten or fifteen miles round. Our Regiment done splendidly yesterday for when the Rebels were charging our lines our Reg^t was ordered up to support the line and while we were forming and a perfect rain of bullets the 104^th Pennsylvania Volunteers broke and run through our lines like a flock of sheep—they broke our line in three places but the boys closed up like old veterans and instead of getting excited they appeared quite cool and reserved their fire until they were ordered to fire and then after pouring in two or three volleys the Rebs retreated and we held the rifle pits until ordered to retreat about eleven last night. Well the boat is coming up to take over to James Island again so I must bid you good bye again and I am the same Joe

 

Cole Island Monday July 11^th 1864

            Dearest—James Island is evacuated at last by our forces and we are now on Cole Island awaiting transportation to Folly Island. We came over to James Island yesterday and went into camp and just as we got our tents fairly up we got orders to pack up and march to Cole Island and we accordingly started and marched over fallen trees through swamps and over foot bridges that but one man could cross at a time and in that way we made four miles in eight hours and here we are bivouacked in line of battle again where we stay last night. We marched up to the wharf this P.M. and the three right Companies of the Regt / is going across the river to folly island in the steamer "Golden Gate" with the 35^th U.S.C.T. They are going on board now so I must stop till I get across so good bye again—Joe

 

Folly Island

Afternoon—Dear Hannah We came across the river and marched about three miles from "Stone" landing where we got off the boat. This island is nothing but a bed of sand washed up here by the waves and is entirely covered with earthworks of evry description from a rifle pit to a gabion fort. July 12^th We are still on Folly Island but have got orders to march down to the landing to go on board the steamer "Nath^l P. Banks" bound for Jacksonville once more and I am really glad that we are going there once more although I expect that we shall have to make a raid as soon as / we get into camp there but think even that preferrable to staying here. Well I will try and finish this after we get back to Jacksonville where I expect to find a letter from you so good bye with love and a kiss for my darling I remain as ever yours Joe

 

Jacksonville Florida

                                                                                                                        July 16^th 1864

            Dear Hannah

                                    Once more we are at Jacksonville and really it seems almost like home to be here once more. We all got here safely two days ago and this is the first chance I have had to write for the first night I was too tired and the second I was on Picket and have got to go again tomorrow. Please write soon and send me your pictures soon and with love and a kiss for my darling I am still yours forever Joseph H. Prime

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