Sullivans Dect 25th 1861
Island . S. C. No 14

Dear Father
I Seat My Self to knight to Drop you
A few Lines I am wel to knight this is
Chrismast knight But they havent bin
any Chrismast hear we all got to Rest
to Day & our Capt treeted us this morning
to A good drinck of whiskey & gave us
A good egnog So the Day has past of
very Quietly I have No important News to
write you I was on gard Last knight & Colonel
Orr cam out and stayed A half and
hour with Me he asked me how I like
Soulders Life I told him that I did Not
Like it much he wonderd why for I had
Not Seen any hard times yet though
after Chrismast I would See hard times
for I wouldent get any more Bacon Nor
No More Cofee he Said the Govner
had bin trying to By & could not get
Dect 27th 1861
Father I Seat My Self Again to Drope
you A few More Lines I am well to day
I have No important News to write you
to Day on yestarday they was an ofel
fireing Some wheres on the Coast we
Suposed it to be A Batle though we havent
[page 2]
heard yet whether it was or Not
I have Some Litle good News to write you
or it is good to Me I expect to be home
if I Live in A bout two Months to Stay
ten or twelve Days I want you to Cill A
Chicken & Make A pie when I get their
I havent eat chicken pie Since I Left hom
we had A beef pie for Diner to day it pot me in the
Notion of A chicken pie
Father I want you to take your wagon and
hall My Lumber hom and packet up
what is at Parkers Mill packet up good
& in Some dry place when I get hom
I expect to Need it
Dect 28th 1861
I seat my self to write to you Again
I am wel to Day & enjoying good health
& hoping throu the Blesing of God when
those Lines Reach you they may find
you all enjoying the Same blesing
I have No News of interest to write you
the Rest of the Boys is all well at present
though they are all Like my Self they
want to go home
Father I Sent A Leter by Mr. Lowery to you
& Sent two Maps also that I paid
75 cts for if you have not got them you
wil pleas go to Mr. Lowerys & get them
[page 3]
if you havent got the leter I Sent by Mr.
Lowery I wil Say to you that I paid him for
my chooling I Said chooling but it was
for My Bording I paid him $15.00 Dollars
Father if you havent got I want you to get
five Bushels of Ry & Soo it; it is A going
to be the chance for cofee cofee is worthe
75 cts per pound in Charleston & you
cant hardy get at No price Oliver Martin
Mary E. Martin Wm. T. Martin
Dear Sister I wil write you A Line or two
I went over to the city Last Monday & I had
My ambrotype taken I will Send it hom
the first chance I get for you to See how
I Loock the boys Says it is the best one
they ever Saw I paid three Dollars for it
Mary I think if Nothing hapens I wil get to
come home Some time in Febuary to Stay
ten or twelve Days Jackson Dalton is A
going to try to go with me if he can
you dont No how bad I want to go hom
to See you all & to See my friends it will
coast Me ten or twelve Dollars to go their
& back but that is A trifle if it was to
cost Me twenty five & I could get the chance
it would be No diferance I wil close
give My best Respects to al inquiring
friend especialy to the girls M. E. Martin Wm. T. Martin
[page 4]
E.J. Martin Dear Sister I write you A few
Lines Elisibeth thank God that we can
write to one an other while we are So
far A part to hear the News from each
other Elisa Chrismast is over & we had
the Neaest No Chrismas hear you ever Saw
when you write to me write what Sort of A
Chrismas you had up their
I wil close for hte time E. J. Martin
Wm. T. Martin
A. J. Martin Ana I will write you A Line
Thomas James & Sam dendy is plaing the
fidle Now ill tell you it Makes Me think
of home & of the time we have Sung
at Retern And I wil Send you then
present Some of thes times or I will
Bring it When I come home
Jhon Freeman Martin
Litle Docter God Bless you Litle fellow
you cant write but you can get
Some of the Rest to write for you
Docter I Sent you Some Sea Shels
by Patrick Miller Divied them out
A Monghts the children
the conch keep that your self W. T. Martin
I wil Bring My Short Leter to A
Close. I Remains your Soon
untill Deathe
Wm. T. Martin Oliver Martin