Battery nice near Beaufort South Carolina April 24th 1863
Dear Sister
I Received you letter of April 12th last Evening
and I am Verry glad to hear from home and you all I have
been Sick for a Short time in the Regamental Hospital but now I
am Out again all Right again and I hope that this will find
you all Enjoying the Same blessing I wrote a letter to you Stating
all the facts about that accident that befel Jacob F Gray
and I no Dought that you have Received it before this
So that it is needless for me to write it again I have only
to Say that it was not my Gun that Capt Harris had but
it was Jacob F Grays was shot with but James Templetons
that he had Showing the men with. you can tell Lavina
That I wrote three or four letters to her Since I have been
Out in the Service as you mentioned in your letter that
She had Received But bare one the others must have went
astray I have not Received the five Dollars you mention
that John Sent but I suppose that it will Come by the
next mail you need not Send me any more money none
of you for I have more money than I Know What to do
with the government at last week paid off for four and
one half months we have a Report in Circulation here that
Miss Vanluvance is to have a man and I wish when you
write again to inform me if it is so and also of Several Other
girls around there for by the Reports we are all on the wonder
We are Still here at battery [ngies?] and have a verry nice times pf
it Except the weather is Scorching hot but we have plenty of
Shade to Gointo and under the Only drawbacks to our comfort
is the Droves of Small gnats and flies But we Smoke them
away I Send you Some Cotton Seed from Sea Island Cotton
to plant I must now Close write Soon and let me know how
you all are
Your Effectionate Brother
Elias W Gilmer
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I Did not write this myself for Just as I was Going to write a friend
of Mine Came in the Tent and I got him to write it for me as
Does not the Easiest [Noth?] me but it is all the Same Only So you
Know that there is nothing the matter with me I Know
Nothing More to write now
From your Effectionate brother
Elias W Gilmer