Sullivan Island S C
Sept the 16 1861

Dear father I take my pen
in han to drop you A few
lines to let you no how I
am geting A long by this tim
I am weel at present & it is to be
hopt that thes few lines may
fin you all weel at this tim
I bleave that I am very weel
setisfied at present though
wee have no good water at this
place our water is sistern water
farther I hav saw A many
A site since I left hom yester
I went out to fourt moltre
& went all over it it mounts
60 guns wee are living now
in the moultri hotell wee are
nerly as weel fixt as wee wer
at hom wee hav baurowrs
tables cheers chis & boxes
[page 2]
this house is large enought
fore the regtment thogh the
regtment is not all in it they
is about eighth hundred of
us in it wee are expecting A
fight hear every Day their is
sexteen shipes here their is but
two in site of this plaice
our steamer weent out last
knight & this mourning one
of Lincornes shipes tuck
after it & drove it back this
shpe of Lincorne has on bord
sixty guns father all tell
you to stay at homore as
long as you live ill tell you
good water is the maine stake
of life if I was at hom now
to get A good drink of water
down at our ould plaice I
would be satisfied
[page 3]
I have now comemest this
after noon to finish my leter
late this eaving theay was
fireing heard of at distent
Colonel orr has comand of
the Isleand he said this eavnig
for us to be preparred that
their was A going to be A
fight now in A few days
as wee came down
the roode their was as fine
crops as I ever saw I saw
feels of corne that their was
five hundred acreas in them
I want you to write to me
as soon as you get this
leter and write to me what
sort of A Crop you have
got & write to me A bout
times in our country
turn oover
[page 4]
father I am about three
hundred Miles from home
Away her withe inlisted
soulders father I wouldent
be A anlisted soulder for
nothing in this wourd
father I hav saw A nough
to writ About two weeks
but I must bring my short
leter to a close
nothing mor only remains
your obedient sun
Direct your letter in this
forme; Wm T. Martin
Care of capt Hawthorne
Orrs Regt Rifles
Sullivans Island
So Ca
Wm T Martin
Oliver Martin