Fort Pickein Flordia Florida July the 3^rd 1865
Dear Sister
I take my pen in
hand this morning for the purpos of droping
you a few lines to inform you that I am
well and harty at this time hopeing that
these few lines may find you injoying the
same earthles blessing it is very warm here
this Island is another sand bank like <????????>
Island we are on Santa Rosa Island we could find
lots of fine sea shells here if it wasent for
the sharks they are so thick alond the l edge of
the gulf that a person cant wade along the the
edge to get shells there was one of them our
boys come pritinere geting takeing in to day by
a shark I have got a few nice shells but I
will have to quit hunting for them on acount
of the sharks they are aful thisk on the side
of the Island and on the side toward the shore
there is no nice shells we have tolerabel heavy
gard duty to do there there is a bout 150
prisiners here in confinement here there
are men from all parts of army that
is gilty of some hy crime another there is
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a caupel of men from our Company in
confinement here for for knocking down
and robing sitisins at New Orleans
they are sentensed for 2 years in
confinement here and some is in for
murder some for robery and some for
one thing and some for another and there
was 2 got away the other night but they
was caught and night before last there
was 6 got away but they have not
caught them yet there was 6 of
our boys deserted just before we left
the city of Mobile I never will desert
it is easy enuf done now for they
aint looked for but there names is
marked of and they loose there sitisenship
forever this is a good fort it has room
for about 240 heavy guns well I believe
I havent any thing more of importance to
at this time so I will bring my scribling
to a close by asking you to rite soon and
often respectfully youre Brother as ever

E L Pollitt to Laura Pollitt