Camp Near Beaufort Mar th 31. 1863
Miss Saluma Gilmer
Dear Sister I take this
oppertunity to inform you that I am well and
hope that these few lines may find you all Enjoying
the same blessing it now becomes a painful duty
to inform you that a wery Sad accident happened
in our company last Satterday Evening an accident
that I hope I may never witness again Last satterday
after afternoon about four O clock or after our
Company with Company. A. were ordered out on
picket duty on the oyster shell turn pike road
about four Miles from our Camp to stay until
Sunday Morning Daylight and we all got reddy a
Little after five O clock we took up the line of
March under the command of captain T. W. Harris
in good spirits and arived on the ground betwen
Six and Seven O clock in the evening after placing
the men at the first post we marched near a
Mile to the second post where I myself with Isaac
Miller. Jacop. W. Crouse. James and Jeromiah =
Templeton. Frank Trauger. Ephram Shick. Jacop=
Moyer. Solemon C Mill. Jacop Shible. Henry=
Sigafoos. Jacop F Grey. [1] and Captain Harris. this
being the reserve post and after being placed
Captain Harris took up a gun to show us how
and in what maner to challenge passers by he
held up the gun in a position to be heald by a
Challenger and their being several standing round
a looking on when Jacop. F. Grey. our orderly
[page 2]
Sergeant Steped up also and Just come up
to the place when the gun whent off the load hitting
him near the center of the breast and tuched the
heart whent through the lungs and came out
under the left Shoulder blade on the back he
turned around and fell to the ground with but
one groan the whole was an accident the gun
being cocked to show and it sometime would not
Stand when cocked but know one new it until
it was tow late Captain Harris having got the
gun of an other one of those pressent of Course
he knew nothing a bout it so it was not an
intentional act but the captain takes it very
heard the gun was in his hand when it went
of Jacop F Grey is now a corpse in our camp he
was burried to day in the grave yard in
one of the churches in the town of Beaufort with
the honor of war fourteen privetes were detailed
out of the company who carried reversed arms
and fired three rounds of blank cartridges over
the grave after he was let down and eight sergeants
acting as poll bearers. the band of the 176 Regiment
near us assisted in the march from camp to the
grave yard and back again playing solomn
Music it was a sorrowful sight to see the
Funeral pass along of one who only a
few days before was with us well and harty
and makeing his sport along with the rest
of us boys. but be now rests in his grave
along Side of one of his comreds in arms
[page 3]
Mrr Charles R. Gable [3] who dyed the 29 day of
March with the tyfoyd Feever thay was both
burried to day side by side where they will rest
until the next transport boat leaves for Newyork
when thay will be sent home to there Frends
and Family I dont Expect it will happen under
ten or twelve days
I Must state to you that all the rest of the boys
in our company ar well and harty Excepting
Luis Hilpot [2] but he is getting better fast I
Expect that he will get up and about in a few days
their is some talk that we will be paid of[f] in
a few days weather it is so or not I due not
know but we are looking for the money evry
day. I must state to you that Henry Golden
and Jacop Trauch [4] had thare discharge and I
Expect that they will be home in a week or
two. Whe Expect an actacked at Charlestown and
Savanna every day there is a camp rumer that
our gun boats run past fort Sumpter
with out a shot being fired on them wea=
=ther this is true or not I due not know
but I expect it is only a camp rumer for there
is so much talked that we cant bleve evry
thing I expect you know more about the war
then we due. I think by the time I get your
next letter I will know more about the
draft I must also state that I red the
Doylestown dimocrat of the 17 of march
and it appers that thay ar a going to fetch them
[page 4]
Fetch the singel boys right out I think
they would better all get married then they
would miss the first draft tel John to get
him self a wife is quick as he can tel
him I said so
I must state to you that I am well and
harty and thank god for it and I hope
I ma remain so plese tel Mother that she
Must not trubel her self about me for I
was cutting by [5] road through without anny
trubel and that I was Just the boy for
a good soldier plese take good care of
by dog Joseph and dont let my [6] gun
rust and all these little things and
with these few lines I must close my
letter I send my best respects to the
Famly and all requiring frends
From your Affectionatete brother
Elias. W. Gilmer
Co” F 174 Regt” Pa” Militia
Camp Beaufort South Carolina
Col John Nice commanding
by the way of New york
write soon and aften
show this Luis Worman if you plese
and Lavina and Elizabeth Worman