Year: 1862




Dec. IL, 1861


DEAR SIR After three days voyage we
are here in a large cotton feld-the cotton has
not been gathered yet We were busy on
Sunday morning preparing for inspection whrn
to cur surprise We received orders TO march.
All was confusion and conjecture as 10 where
We we're to CO. After all things were packed
and loaded on the wagons, we we're called into
ranks, aud after going througha few tnanoeyers
the Colonel told us that we were ordered TO
South Carolina. All was quiet as death as
he spoke. He called on the Regiment to give
three cheers fof the Union, which were follows
ed by three more for General Wool The
silence once broken all seemed resigned TO
their fate. Since We are here and have found
out all that we have we are all very we'll pleas
ed With our situation. A happier set of men
you never saw than our boys are this moEuiag.
They are engaged in gathering oysters, sweet
potatoes, turnips, fish and 10 fact almost any
thing they wish to eat, and are cooking them.
There is tho greatest outlet for a set of men
here that you could possibly fnd. The trees
are as green as 10 midsummer. The Orange,
/ the Lemon and The Palmetto are the most beau
tiful ever saw. It does appear as though We
had got to o young Paradise. We are on au
Is and that is l6 miles long and miles wide.
1t is our business to guard cur Island and an,
other that lies on the other side Of the Savannah
River. 1t has two valuable farms on it and
great deal of cotton that now belongs to our
government that they are trying to burn to
keep it out Of our hands. We are but FIVE
miles from the Fort where our feet whipped
the Rebels FIVE weeks ago. The dead and
wounded lay scattered all through The woods,
so the darkies tell US. Ii is right above where
we are laying that the rebels retreated after
their defeat at the Fort. Some of them had
their hands and some Of them part of their
feet shot away aud still had to make their
way on foot, aud a great many had to swim
the River ard were drowned.


There were two brothers engaged in the
fight, one on the side of our government aud
one on the rebel side. Both fought as though
they were 10 kin. Tt Is thought that there
will be some hard fighting in this State and If
the rebels show fight there win be some Blood
spilled. There are great many of the Old
Keystone boys 10 this State now and more
coming on every day. And all say that if we
get into tight we will give a good account of
Pennsylvania. There are the finest Regiments
here from our State that have ever been sent
into a field of battle. We have right to be
proud of eur old Commonwealth. If had no
family | would not take FIVE hundred dollars
and be at home. 1t will be great advantage
TO The young men of our country, (all that live
TO get home) as they will see more than they
could have seen. Aud as to their moral char
acter il carnot help but be improved, as there
is nc immoral conduct allowed 10 camp, no
drinking, no swearing, no stealing, nothing
that is low aud degrading. Our boya are all
down on sailing on the ocean, as they wore ell
sick, and / can assure you it Is next to
death to be right sea-sick. Capt Mullin says
il the rebels had attacked US ct tbe time be
was at the worst, be never would have goe up
to look at them, as death itself would have
been relief to him. But sick as be was be
never lost sight of the condition Of bis msu.--
de kept telling our Lieutenant to do all for
them ho could, which he did, for he is a kind
hearted man. We stopped at Cape Hattsras
or as some would call il Hatteras iuIet. Ii IS
hard looking place to be SO much talked
about.


We saw the place where that Indiana reg
in,ent was broken up By the tide breaking in
and destroying oil that they had and sent
them naked away. We also saw several ves-
seis that we're wrecked 10 that big feet.


Tell David Over that cur Captain and Lieu
tenant have been looking FOR papers ever since
We have been in the service. Give my love
to all. Writo soon to your friend,


HENRY BRIDENTHAL.