South Carolina Port Royal Febuary. th 1. 1863
Dear sister I received you last letter
January the twenty sixt stating that ruben
Wagner was Dead and also Henry Wolfinger Son and
Daughter I feel sory to here all this bad luck besides
Father loosing his Charley horse I beleve thare is
More A dying at home then thare is in the Army
you stated in your letter that you dident received A
letter from me since New year Dear sister thare is two Let=
=ters on the rood some ware but the Mail had
been stoped on the Account of this Expedition
We Left Canp Newbern North Carolina Januay
the th 25 at ten O clock at night and Marched to
Newbern Arived thare at twelve O clock at night
Took the cars 36 Miles to Morehead city arived
thare January the 26 at fore O clock in the morning
laid on the platform til nine O clock then
jumpt Aboard the steam boat Named burnside
burnside and laid thare til the 29 ninth Day
of January then the hole Expedition started for
Port Royal we saled on til the 30 Day of January
at twelve O clock we past Charleston harber
saled on til the first Day of Febuary at eight
O clock we arived at Port Royal or rather
caled hilton head Cast anker and here on
the boat I wrote this letter and so you
must Excuse bad riting for some
[page 2]
Of the boys are singing and some reading and
Howling and Making all kinds of noise
plese tel my sister Lavina that if she could spare
them few Dollars that I left her have at
Philadelphia she might send them not that I
am out of money but I would rather keep
A little bit on hand for hard tims
plese tel Clayton Smith to write to me for
I have wrote four letters to him and have
not yet received an anser or tel me whare
he is and I will write
I must also tel you that I received A letter
from Luis Worman Stating that he sold
my box of A boat for the Sum of $60.00
Dollars and that Dick Tettemer wanted to
by my Mules back Again tel him to sel
them them if he can and if he dont get
more then two hundred Dollars for them
Here is A ring that I maid out of boone
plese give it to my sister Lavina and
tel her to keep it in remberance of me
and I also maid one for you it is in that
letter that is on the rood for you
I am well and hope that these few lines
May find you and all the rest of my
brothers and sisters the same
Direct you Letter
To Washington
D.C.
Yours Truly
Elias W Gilmer