Charleston S C
Camp Heyward
March the 30th 1862
Dear sister it is with grate pleasure
that I avail my self of the presant opportunity
of droping you a few lines this morning which
will inform you that we are all well at
this time hopeing these lines may find you
injoying the same blessing of life,
[????????] the pickets has a skir- [1]
[????????] hear on edistow iland
[???????] in which our men killed
two yankees and taken 21 prisoners, on
our side there was one man wonded
only. edisstow is some 12 or 15 miles below
hear. the 21 prisoners that was taken has
just passed hear and the last I heard
of them thay wer crossing the long
bridge over the ashley river and I
guess thay are at this time in the
charleston jail and will be
caried to Richmon soon. I guess,
[page 2]
there is I hear 8,000 yankees on [edis?]tow
and I under stand that old Eavens is a
fixing to give them a brushing or run them
all off or take them prisners, I hope he may
kill the last one of them I hear there was a
battle in Arkanses the other day in which
our men gained a victory. we have
at presant 144 privates in our company
besides 5 commishened officers making in
all 157 men. I tell you it [????????]
a company and our capt [????????]ing
in more men yet. I think [???????]ll
have the best or as good a company as is
in the Southern confedercy.
Frances to day is Sundey and I
wish I was on mush creek to
Spend the day with my friends &
relation but it is not the case now
but I hope the time is not far off
when I shall spend a few more days
on that little Stream caled Mush creek
[page 3]
[????] evening 3 Oclock we was caled
out [?????] morning at 11 oclock for inspection
we was marched out to out perrade ground
and formed a line (recollect there is onely two company
of our battalion at this place) and the recruits was
stationed close by to their selves. & the guard was
formed at the guard house. then I had to go
up to the house after the old Maj and his aids.then I
come back and took my place as left guide for
the first company but when the line was formed
the battalion was laid off in 4 companeys make-
ing two out of one. then the Maj and staff rode around
the battalion and then tuck his place
at the collors. then the battalion was marched around
in review (common time) then they was march-
ed around in revew (quick time) then we was
halted and the commishened officers ordered to
6 paces in front of their companeys & the non commish-
ened officers 4 paces in front of their comaneys
then [?????] (acting) had to examin his company
guns [?????]ir coterments (the old maj and his
s[??????] capt). after the inspection was over
f[??????] a member of company .D. was
or[????]unt of the Battalion to face to face with
the [???????]en his sentence was read out to
him [???] till the Maj mad him pull off his hat
he w[as? cou?]rt marshalled som time a go for being
absent without leave and then comeing back to camp
drunk. his sentence was one month of his wages
taken from him and 15 days extry duty.
he is a vary dark complected man and I think he
is a negro or an indean but his hair is vary curley
there is 8 or 10 men in that companey that is a
gooddeel blacker than Wilse Coleman is.
Frances I have put on one of my shirts & I like
it vary well I have not put on my pants yet I
put dont know how that will fit, but stop I must
put them on and see how thay fit,
well I have tried them on and thay fit vary
well. I have not had on a nice pare of pants in
so long a time that when I put these on
it made me think I was a going to see some
of the Ladies but I guess I was not agoing
this evening.
[page 4]
Frances I found two little peac[??????]
raped up with soing thread. I though[???]
the looks of the peaces of cloth that [?????]
for pockets to put in my Shirt but there
was pockets in my shirt. but maby you
Sent them for John to put in his shirt. I had
never thought of that before, but he has put
a pocket in one of his shirts but I recon he
will want to put one in the other.
I received a letter from Martha Robertson
day before yesterday and wrote back to her
to day I have wrote one to Cousin Polly Cox
to day and this is the third one to day
I never have got aney letter from unkle
T P Pool yet, Frances I s[??????]tter
to you day before yesterday [?????????]
Started home last Friday nig[?????????]
furlow. I cant tell when [??????] come
home but I think at this time [???] I
will come home in two or three weeks
but I cant tell yet till the time comes
I guess you will see
me when I come. a long time a go I thought I wood
of went home befor now, but as the time comes that
I though I wood start I keep putting it off and
tharefore I have not tried to get off yet,
I must bring my letter to a close by asking you all
to come down and get oyesters when you want them
write to me soon no more at this time but remains
yours as ever. I and Andy will got to the city to morrow
I will take him to the amusium. I forgot to tell you that
a nother English vessel come into our fort yesterday she had
on bord a variety of things. Miss F. A. Neves, W.P.Z.F. Neves