13th Maine Infantry - Lost at Sea

Item LTR-8282

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.


Ship Island, Mississippi
July 4th 1862

Dear Sister,

I received your letter yesterday date June 8. I received one from Cousin Eliza the same date. I was sorry to hear that John’s health is so poor. I have enjoyed very good health this summer. I have had some sick turns but they did not last long. David is well and in good spirits. He is writing home today. I expect this will be the last time we shall write from Ship Island. Our regiment has been divided. Two companies are going to stay here on the Island. Two companies are going to Fort Wood and six companies to Fort Jackson. We are going with the six companies to Fort Jackson. Fort Jackson is on the Mississippi River about thirty miles from here. Elder Blake will go with us I expect. We have been on the Island over three months and never have had any long marches to make. And if we go to Fort Jackson, we shan’t have much marching or drilling to do. It is July the fourth today. It is interesting to see the flags and streamers floating from the ships in the harbor. A lot of the boys are going down to the fort to fire a salute. I want you to write what you had going on there. I suppose you are having strawberries plenty enough now. I should like a dish of berries and milk pretty well. We get some very nice watermelons here. The doctor says it is good for us to eat some fruit if we are careful and not eat but little at a time. You tell Aunt Charity if she had sent that piece of cake to me, I would have sent her some flowers. But as she did not, I shan’t send her any this time. As soon as your little girl is old enough, I want you to have her picture taken and send it to me. I want you to have yours taken and send them to me. You can have them taken on pasteboard and it will not cost much. Did Warren get the pictures of our Captain I sent them? We can get paper enough at the cutters. I have got about sixty sheets on hand now. I intend to write every week and I want you to do the same. If you don’t receive any from me, don’t wait for that but write every week. We have been having some fresh beef to eat lately. Some of our men went over to the mainland the other day and took twenty-one head of cattle. They went in a small steamer and when they were coming down Wolf River. A party of rebels numbering twelve or thirteen, armed with double barrel guns fired upon them. Our men quickly returned the fire. The rebels fired about thirty shorts then fled. One of our boys got a ball put through his cap. Some of the men were very much frightened. They hid behind beef barrels and any other place where they could get out of our sight. George Ditson, the one that used to work for Colonel Harper, was there. He got under the table and stayed till the danger was over. A U.S.6 Frigate laying at anchor in the harbor here has just been firing a salute. She carries fifty-two guns. It was fun to see her fire. Tell Rhoda that I will write to her in a few days. I intended to write to her today but I cannot very well. Don’t fail to write as soon as you receive this. I have no news to write this time but will try and write more next time.

From your brother,

P. M. Farmer