oct 13 th 1863..
camp 18 th Regt. on James Island
Dear Fother & mother Brothers
and sisters We Write you a few lines
which leaves neither of us well we
are both troubled With Dierrhoea but
we are still doing Duty I Expect we
are permanently stationed in full
view of the yankees on Morris Island
the fleet & mast polls looks like a forest
& the Island is Doted over with white
tents we will have to Do picket Duty
Every other Night thoug it is at the
Battery they could shell us at any
time we are about 20 miles to the Right
of fort Johnson they keep a shell
ing once in a while first from one side
and then on the other We are the best
fortified you Ever saw though they
may shell us to pieces but they will
have something to Do We hope these few
lines may find you all Well the Boys
have not bin put under arrest any more
since we left Mt. Pleasant Jos Carter
& Gramling Runaway from the Regulars
last sunday Night they sent a lieut
[page 2]
after them col Wallace had them put
under arrest But I think we will Keep
them Eliab Dr Pope has Returned
from home and sais he wants you to make
him as Neat a parir of shoes as you can
about a half number larger than Maj
Bromlets he wants them sewed he ses he
will pay you 25 dollars for them send them
By the first chanse you have Do some
of your Nice Work for two or more Reason
one to show the Regt the sort of work you
Can do have them as slick as posible
if you get to stay at home you will have
several Jobs from this Regt & I do
hope you may get to stay at
your pease full home I want you to
Be sure to make my Boots as I wrote
the other Day for I can sell the shoes
that Neal sent me I want you to write
what my sole leather cost per lb so I may
no what to charge for halfsoling Neal
I want you to come And see us though
we are stationed 9 miles from charleston
though we have wagons comeing from
pontoon Bridge Every Day so you
could get some chance of comeing any
Day take the Rood at the Bridge
[page 3]
for secessionville insted of fort
Johnson then Enquire for the 18th
Regt or the East End of the Island
I wish you had a come with Ellison
we hear little or nothing from
Braggs army there is no signs of
any Early Demonstrations being
made here I wrote to you about
the salt I & spence was a sending
home & Ellison & Murphey are in
two sacks Both Marked one bottle
to H J spence all the little tricks to you
that is not marked otherwise Eliab if
you Need the salt you can take
what I am a sending home or G. R.
ses he will give you half of the salt
& you may take the other you pay
the freight at Williamston & write
what the cost of freight is on the
salt E. H. Do try & get a detail
from the secety of war so you
you may go in to some confederate
shop if you leave home
[page 4]
Mother Lucinda Vashti & Hannah
I want you to be as cheerfull about us as
you can for we Enjoy our selves very
well mother I would write for you
to come & see us but you could not
come past columbia so if I get sick
& go to the Hospital there I want you to
come & take me home though I hope I may
have my health I feel some better this
Eavening george ses he wants to no
What has become of vehoon if he is gone
to his command or not Hannah I want
apair of gloves for I lost mine on big
Black Miss I have my cap now
Boys Do pleas pay the Mrs Spences that money
they may need it I will Draw a blan
ket before long & all the good clothes I
Can & what I dont need I will send home
I Expect to sell or swop my watch for
there is severald that need it in Co D Boyce
got 17 & Farrow .7. votes write the Return
Dear friends I Want to see you all Bad
God Defend the Right & save
us threw the blood of Christ
write all the                G R & M V Barkly
news                         J M Watson is on guard