Camp Esau near Ft McRea, Florida
} Amzi Harris
Oct 17th 1861 }in Warrington
}care of Florida
}Capt Wm Delay Co. C. 9th
Dear friend R.C.C.} Regt Miss Vol
I do Take the present
Oppertunity to write you a few
lines one more in my time that the
God of Heavens have given me
here on earth to ser[v]e Him in
the rite way. but I am affraid
that I am not doing it as I aught
I am well at the present time
and hope those few lines may find
you injoying the sam gods blessing
We had a fine little battle [1] the
8th of this month you have herd of
it before this time though I will
Tell you something about but not all
of the particulars of it. they was
64 of our men Kiled wounded and
Taken prisoners 315 of the yankees
Kiled wounded and taken prisoners [2]
they was only 16 of them taken prisoners
the remainder kiled and wounded
[page 2]
We distroyed an amence sight
of property for them we burnt evry
thing that was worth spending any time
with such as tents the Commssary
sutlers &c save nothing spiken 9 canon
burnt the carages of them &c.
We are expecting an atta from
them every day. The reason
that we don what we did do: Brown [3]
said that we was cwards and was
afraid to make any attempt to do
any thing to them: you heard of them
coming over to our side of the Bay
and burning the Dry Dock and a
small sail boat [4] and we did not
do any thing much to them (onley
kiled four of them and wounded 14) this is
one reason that we don what we
did do to show them that we was not
afrai of no such scoundrels as
they are and more than that
we dar them to make any futher attempt to
[page 3]
do any thing to our side like they
have don. the reason theat we
do not have a canonadeing
her is President Davis do not want
the property distroyed as long as it
Can be helpe for the navys mashean
ery is worth a great amount of money
besides the other property it has been
toled me by responsible men that
they calculation of the property that
would be dis troyed on this side would
be over $300.000.000 Three Undred
Milions of Dollars. that is enough to
hold back for I think. what do you think
Robbert I have thaught here
of late of going to N.C. when my
time is out to try to make up a Com-
pany for myself: if you think they
would be any chance for Me I wish
you would let me know soon I am
prepy [5] well driled both from squad
Company Battalion Scrumageing and
[page 4]
Briggade Drills also in the Manuel
of Arms they are none in our
Company that can beat me I am
pretty surtain of that and can stand
as good an examination as any of our
Lieutenants this is what make me want
to be Capt of a Company. myself
Magg this property that was willed
to me by my Mother and Father I can
tell you that it my wishes that you
will get it fror [6] Step Mother and take
it to your own house and take care
of it for me unto further orders if
you cannot take all to your own
home I think probily I can take the
bead to Miss tell stepmother to let
you take them as it is my will
and disiers that you should keep them
unto I call for them or unto you
die if I do not call for them before
death. A few words from hand to
Eye to Stepmother: Mother I wis you
would let sister Magg have the
property that My Mother and Father
Willed me at their death I told Sis-
ter Magg before I left N.C. that if
father was to die and will me anything
before I went back for her to
take what was willed me and take care of it
[written upside down at top of page 4]
unto I called for it I received a
letter from her sometime ago and
[written upside down at top of page 3]
she told me that she had not got
them yet. please let her have them.
[written upside down at top of page 2]
write soon and let me know
Mother write to me Soon your
friend to death Amzi Harris to R.C.C. & M. I. C.