[The CSS Columbia struck a sunken wreck on January 12 and was badly damaged.
It was captured by Union forces when Charleston fell in February 1865]

C.S. Str Columbia near Charleston
January 14th 1865
My dear wife
I take the pleasure to write you a few lines
to let you know that I am as fat & harty as I ever
was in my life I beleave and I hope in god
that these few lines may find you all
enjoying the same blessings of god I recea
ved your letter of the 14th of december to
day and was glad to heare from you all
again if I cant see you but I keep hope
ing the time will soon come when I can
come to see you all again I am on a steam
er at this time near the drydock whare
the columbia run a ground and I cant tel
how long we shal stay heare but they say thy
are a going to try to pump her out and carry
her back in the dry dock again and repair
her again and if they doe we shal be heare
some time you can direct your letters to mr
HH Bowen C S Str Columbia near charles
ton S C in care of lutenant berry
I knw you would be glad to know when I could
get a furlow but I cant tel you but as soon
as I can but the times is very uncertain now
for I heare they have taken fort fisher and
they may take wilmington and they may have
a fight at this town but they beleave they will
gave up when ever they come heare but I
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Cant tel time will prove it god ondley knows
but the soalgers is grateley dishartened at this
time and if the times dont alter before the spring
I think the ware will end I am sorry to learn
that W H has lost his beas and to heare they have
broke out all of the winders at my place on long
ridge but I cant help it I want you to tel Wm
to get some body to live at the place or he can
get old brother gurganeous ot Henry to attend to
it if they will and if knowt he must and if I
cant get home you can let John Bowen tend
all of it that he wants and you can tend
what the old place you can but I will write to you more
a bout what to doe I hope the lord will be
with you and protect you and advise you so
that you may get a long first rate untel I get
home a gain the most of this boats crew was
sent off to richmond yesturday 125 was sent
the mariens and fireman is all that is left heare
I receaved a leter from you last week that was
rote decr 10th I have rote agrate maney since
that time but you may not have got them but
I hope you will get them for I send some postage
stamps in evry letter I send you so you can
write back to me if the yankeys dont stop the way
so we cant pass leters but I hope knot but I
cant tel it may be the best for boath of us to knot
make one for all of you if make one I have [??] other things [added between lines?]
get a furlow but I should risk it if I could
you tel cornelia I will make her as soons as I can but I [??] to
[page 3]
get one but I want my folks to write to
me for I have knot receaved ondley two
letters from any of my folks except you I receavd
two from W J & one from sister rhoda and answerd
them and I have rote to all of my folks but I
have quit as they wont rite to me you must
tel them to rite to me and I will answer
them and I want you to rite to me whether
you get any knews from Langley or knot for
I have knot had a letter from him and
I have not rote to him for I did knot know
wheare to rite to him for I heard that hokes
division was a bout wilmungton a bout
christmas and they may be down thare yet
but I dont know you rote the last knews
you had from him he was sick and he may
be at the horsepittle yet but I hope he has got
well Since I comenced my leter I receaved 2
more letters from you one decr the 26 and one the
9 &10 of January and was very glad to heare from you
all and was sorry to heare that cornelia ann was so bad
off but trust in the lord that he will restore her to hea
lth again for she it able to help you a heap when well
for I cant tel you when I can come home to see you all
but you may be sure I will come as soon as I can I receavd
one from sister rhoda also yesturday and was very glad
to get one from any of my folks and I receaved some thread
in sisters leter and in one of yours also and was glad to
get it but I had baught some before it got heare you
knead not send any more soon I have anough at pres
you all want postage stamps and I will send you all more
at present but I sent for some to day and if I get them
I will send some and you can devide then among
your frends untel I can get some more they have bin
verry scarse for some time but I heard thare is some
know and I will get you all some as soon as I can
and I will send anybody some that will rite to me
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I want you to give my best respects to all of my
friends and neighbours and I want you to reserve
a large portion for your self and familey expresly
I know you want to see me but know worse than I
want to see you all but I have knot bin able to get
a furlow as yet thare has not one man got a furlow
as yet that come heare with us and that was noah
[????] and his wife was dead or wouldant of
and I receaved that money in one of them I can get [?]
got one they dont gave no furlowes hardley but I hope
they will get to giveing some before long but if I dont
get home you can tend the house cut and the upper cut
they beter brake it up in rowes as soon as you can and
run a furrow on top of the beds to plant the corn in and I
recon the manure wont much more then go over the
house cut but if it does you can put it on the bed
the cut below the house if you think they can tend it
of but if knot you can have it put on the uper cut and
the house cut at the old place if they could tend the bed
of it I should be glad and if you can get any body to tend
the loer end of the old place do so if william wants to tend
aney of it he can do so and if you want any advise he
can advise you as well as any body and I shal expect
him to do so for me as he is at home and iI am not I hope
the yankeys wount bother you if it is gods will for you have
troubles a nough all ready I think you can doe with that
brandy as you think best and evry thing else for you
know how the times is thare for when you rite to me and it
gets heare and I answer it the times may alter I am well
this eavening and it is very cold you must give my
respects to all of the darkeys and tel them to stay at home
and do the best they could rase something to eat and they
will be the best off and if they are ever freed I will do as
much for them that stays home as the yankeys will
for them that leaves home if I live to get back home again
and I want you to try to use Solomon and Jane so as to keep
them home if you can they deserve it I think I should be
very sorry to heare they had left for as long as they stay
they can rase something to eat and as long as I know you
have a plenty to eat we get aplenty to eat but I have not
eat a mouthful of cornbredd since I left home and the
crackers and coffee is just as good know as at first so I must
come to a close by hoping theas few lines may find you all well again
and my prayers to god is that we may all meet again at
home on earth before long it is the general appinion that it wont
last much longer god grant it I say for my hart is home if my
body is at charleston for my treasure is thare you know so
I want you to rite as often as possible and I will doe the same
so good by my dear for this tie you must excuse bad riting
for I hav a bad chance to rite and a cold time H.H.Bowen