Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-01-24
Letter from Ship Island.

a correspondent in Sterling sends us the
following extracts from a letter of Lieut. Bon
ney Of the twenty sixth Massachusetts regi.
ment, dated at Ship Island, December 18th.
81 can scarcely realize that we are so far
south, though the sun is excessively hot at in
tervals Two days ago, straw hats and white
pants were in requisition, yesterday they were
exchanged for overcoats and gloves, to dav it
is moderate again. There are great varieties
of Yankee ingenuity" to be seen in and
around our camp. For instance, in the rear
and attached to our tent, is building made of
old boards, collected from the ruins of houses
which were destroyed by rebels when they
evacuated the Island; in this building we
have constructed an old-fashioned fire place
around which Capt. Warren, Lieut. Lawson
and myself, spend the cool evenings, and talk
of friends at home, and invariably it is the
topic OF conversation-things, circumstances
and people Of our acquaintance in Massachu.
sets
Already we have a blacksmiths' forge in
full operation. Ovens have been built by the
nasons, and cooking establishments by the
CuIptHAGiss lht llOt AdI uSGu 49, ueGOuDOSEQ
rushes, and it binds the sticks and bricks to-
gether very compactly. No stones of any de.
scripuon are here found, though the greatest
variety OF shells can be picked up on the
beach, some very beautiful and delicate ones
There is but one gunb boat here of much im
portance, as the water is so shallow they can
not fellow the rebel steamers, which hover
about us all the time, but one little boat does
well for It's size, as many prizes have been TAX
en- by it. On the 10Th, it brought in four
small schoOneIs, having previously taken two
steamers, and everything which is run down
by her is appropriated TO the benefit of the
government.
Eight or ten crafts are now anchored near
here which have been taken by the New Lon.
don. All prisoners have been released and
planted on rebel soil, with the exception of one
''contraband," a stewardess, who is now EN-.
ployed in the hospital. She was formerly
owned in Mobile. The medium classes are
suffering extremely over on the Mississippi
river Tor actual comforts, and yet are willing
TO sutier more 10 gain-what? "Freedom from
the Yankee government !! AT this instant a gun
Is fired from the New London, which
is in chase OF another gunboat, belonging to
the enemy. They can insult us not much
longer with rebel banners. | must take
glass and watch the scene. We are very anx-
ious, oil course, to hear from the main army.
am afraid they nave taken winter quarters,
and are not moving. 1t may be the wisest
move not 10 "noUe" at aH Gen Phelps pro.
clamation has probably been perused exten.
svey in New Eng land by this time. 1t will
suit those of abolition procliyites, but, by the
majority OF officers here, regular and voluu-
teer, it is not considered the thing for the ex.
treme soutd, and much feeling exists IN re
gard to it, This is grand place for disci-
plining troops as the sand is so fine that
person nearly buries his ankle IN the sand at
every step and it tends to develop The neces.
sary muscles in walking 1t is such soil as
the French government select for this pur-
pose.
have formed a very pleasant acquaintance
in the artillery corps with young Italian, who
has served under, aud is a personal acqusint-
anee and correspondent of, Garibaldi. He is
intelligent aud interesting, aud, if lie did not
speak such "Jad English" should enjoy his
society very much There is also Prussian
Ia the same corps, both lieuenants, and good
runners, and very valuable in the army,
both volunteers We hear vague rumors that
Virginia has laid down her arms, aud before