James Island So Ca
June the 8th 1862

Dear Martha
I seat myself this morn-
ing to write to you once more to
inform you that I am well and
doing as well as one could expect
to have as much to do as we have
to do now no doubt you have
heard before this we have been in
line of battle I wrote yow a few
lines with a pencil three days
ago but did not have time to
give you the particulars I will
try now to do so as near as
possible. on last monday night
a bout dark the Regt was
ordered to march to James
Island as the yankees had
landed and commenced fighting
we went five miles that night
and stoped till next morning
we then took upon a line of march
for the yankees we marched
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a bout three miles and stoped
a while the guns were fireing on
every side Major Duncan was
in command at that time
we then left that place and
marched nearer the enemy
and formed for a fight should
they land a bout this time Col
Hagood came to us when he
came to us it was like meeting
an old friend who had been
gone some time. he carried us
nearer to the place it was thought
they would land and told us
the 1st Regt had the advantage
to be ready to charge we staid
in that position untell nearly
night the shells flying over
our heads and it a raining
as hard as it could the fireing going
on with the cannons from both sides
about sundown the yankees landed
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and commenced advancing on us
the flying Artillery then opened
fire on them and drove them back
to their Boats again. they never
come near enough to us for us
to fire on them with Muskets
but I can tell you that we
were near enough for them
shells and balls to fall all round
us there was several bum shells
fell within fifty yards of our line
and one fell in fifteen steps of me
and exploded but done no damage
at all. we staid there all night it
raining all the time and the wind
blowing verry hard wednes[day] morning
we were marched near the place
where they landed the evening
before our Regt was put in
ambush to wait and see if they
would come out gain we staid
there untill twelve oclock no
yankees showing them s[e]lves and
we not haveing eat anything
for thirty six hours the Col
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said we must have something to eat
we had to go three mile to get dinner
after dinner we went within five
miles of Charleston to some old
houses to stay all night we had
been there more than two hours
before General Guist sent for
two companies to go our on picket
captains Thompson and Guinns
were detailed to go it was near-
ly night and we had been two
days and nights without sleep
but it made no difference we
had to go stay out all night and
till thursday ten oclock which
made three days and nights with-
out rest since then untill to day
our company has had nothing to
do to day it is on picket again
I am detailed to stand camp
guard to morrow which
enables me to write this letter
the men that is to stand guard
to morrow has nothing to do to
day in all the scrummages
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that has been there has not been
no Confederate men killed
out of five Regt and but four
or five wounded them that
got wounded belong to the 24th
South Carolina volunteers comman
ded by Col Stephens I saw the
poor men that got hurt none
of them are dangerous
There has been some fifty yankees
taken prisoners at different times
and several killed and wounded
but no one knows the preciss number
it is said there is yankees on land
within five miles of our camps now
but we hear so many things in
camps that is fals untill no
one knows when they hear
the truth, Martha no one
knows hour they will feell
placed in a line of battle
and the shells falling all round
them untill they try it
it will make the most wicked
man in the world [have but?]
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to say unless it was to his
God I think the whole Regt
done that from there appearance
I can say for my self from
the time I left home up to
the present time I have pray-
ed to the Lord to protect me
and to shield me from the enemy
and to permit me to return to
you and the children and I do
hope and trust it may be the
will of the Lord that our
lives may be spared and our
health preserved so we all may
meat on earth a gain to
enjoy the society of each other
if it is his will for us to meet
I can tell you more in one
day than I could write in
a week I must close by saying
I hope this may find you all
well together with the neighbor
hood
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you must write to me soon
and let me know all the news
on old Joices Branch and David
Lane is geting with the mumps
and how his family are
when you write direct
your letter to Charleston so ca
so no more but remain your
loving husband untill Death
Joseph A. Drummond