April 17, 1862
Ship Island
April 17th, 1862 Thursday afternoon
Today I write you on Ship Island, the celebrated place which you have heard so much about. We arrived on Ship Island the 12th of April, Saturday afternoon, and the Col. went on shore and reported us to General Butler. On Sunday, this reqiment went on shore and pitched tents. I did not go on shore until Monday - and I pitched my tent. W & I have not yet been on shore as we cannot get our goods on shore. There have been no qoods landed for the Regiment yet, but the prospect is qood.
I write you by mail yesterday. We are not allowed to write anything about affairs here by order of General Butler. I could not give the description I wanted to. Today, I have a chance to write you and send it by a discharged soldier who will leave for New Haven tomorrow. I do not know his name. He said he would mail this in N.H.
It was a funny letter. I would get almost to the point of describing something and then have to stop. They have once opened the letters that have been sent. W & C are onboard of the Ship. I went onboard yesterday and they are both quite well of which I am very glad. I have been staying with the Lieutenant of Company "G", a First Lieut. Finley from Marlborough, a cousin of Mary Blish, my cousin. I am now writing on the Company's Roll Book which makes a very good desk. The Lieut. is asleep, others are writing to their sweethearts, the same kind I use to have which has changed now to something better (a wife).
The day is very warm, as warm as we have in Conn., but the breeze makes it fine. There is a strong breeze from the Southwest today. The nights are comfortable, as can be expected although they are very damp. You can take an Army blanket and lay it down on the ground at 9 o'clock in the evening, and in the morning you can wring water out of it. Ship Island I will again describe to you as near as possible.
This morning, Capt. Prindle and myself surveyed the Army lines as far as there are any troops this morning - they do not extend the whole length of the Island about 3/4 of them way up the Island. The Island is 9 miles long and 3/4, to one mile wide in the widest place. The Fort which I mentioned in my letter is on the Center of or Upper end of the Island (we call it) was a mistake. I was there today and found it to be a Battery from Massachusetts. There is but one Fort and that is on the West end of the Island. The Island runs East & West, the Light House is about 1/4 the way from the west end and one house which belongs to the Light House, the only building left on the Island. The Light House was burnt out by the Rebels when they left it, it being made of brick stood the fire. The soil is very white sand all of one kind. You can't see anything but one solid mass of white sand until you get up to the upper end of the Island where (you will find a few pine trees and a few palms & rushes. I will bring you one of the palms when they get grown larger enough for a fan.
On the Eastern West end is a Fort which commands the Bay into Miss- Assisi Sound and close by is General Butler's Headquarters On the North-west end is the Dock which small vessels and Steamers can land and all the Government Store Houses and Guns are kept. Next to these are the tents of he Regiments which extend up the Island about 4 or 5 miles The Conn. 13th is stationed about one mile from the Dock between the "G" Reg't. C.V. & 12th Conn. V. have very good quarters. The ground is perfectly clean everywhere as well in our quarters as I mentioned in my letter yesterday. The water is good and a plenty of it Dig down 3 feet anywhere and you have got a good mile of water. It is good, better than we had in New Haven. The Bakery for baking bread is on the middle of the Island (I hear a Night Hawk, the first of the Season).
More things about the Island. The nearest land is Cat Island directly West about 6 miles - a small Island with nothing but trees and sand on it. It is of no account at all. Nothing lives on the Island. The next is the main land of Mississippi, the nearest point being Beloxie, a small city of about 2,000 inhabitants. (City they call it). The place where the "G" Reqiment had their fight and whipped them out and burnt the Rebel's tents about 10 miles from the Island.
We are 60 miles from New Orleans Bar and bout 20 or 25 from Lake Pontchatrain. Kept cur force on this Island and the Commanders of the same (read this to your Father. (15,0(30) Fifteen Thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry and one thousand artillery, making 18 thousand in all on the Island beside the many which I cannot give exact. There are now about 40 vessels now in the Harbor, most of them large ships which brought troops and stores. There is but one Man-of-War and one Gun Boat here now. The Gun Boats go and come every day. Last night and this morning, there were 6 vessels and 3 gun boats left the Island with 8,000 troops and one battery, our support for New Orleans. As they went their way, General Butler & Lieut. Philip went with them. Gen'l. Butler went on the "Metanga", a Steamer with the 12th Conn. Reg't. The Reg't. that went were the "G" Reg't. CV., 12th Req't. C.V., and 26th Mass. The rest were Westin & Maine Regiments. I do not know the whole of their numbers as we have not been here long enough to learn the whole of the number and names of the Regi ments. The "Great Republic" took on 3 regiments. She was towed by the Gun Boat "Brooklyn", I think the name was, also the Gun Boat "New London. To the head, the "New London" has 4 large guns and 2 small ones. It is supposed that the troops which left today are to join Porter's fleet at New Orleans as they have been gone from here over a week. Porter's fleet is a fleet of 50 vessels with mortar and Rifled guns and was sent to the Mississippi River to clear it for the New England Division which I think will be done in less than 20 days if they are successful in bombarding Fort Jackson.
We shall leave Ship Island in less than 2 weeks, by the time you receive this possibly. I hope so for I want to get through with this war. It costs too much to carry it on in the way it is carried on Ship Is-land. You may see our troop landing in NO.. (I hope so) or say or (to that when you read it). H is getting big ideas Ann’s he. If Porter's fleet is not successful, we shall have to stay on here all summer for what I know. They talk here of going back to Washington if they do not succeed. I hear nothing about it from General Butler. There was an engagement at Mobile the day after we roped their 4 Rebel Gun Boats coming down the Miss. and engaged our 12 blockading vessels which our boats drove the Rebels back out of sight, but did not go up the river after them It was reported, as I write you, that there was 4 iron clad gun boats building at Mobile. They have turned out to be one and we will have those the first time she comes out if the "New London" is here. The "New London" is the terror of the Rebels. She has taken over Six Hundred Thousand Dollars worth of prizes since she came here. Yesterday, the firing we heard, which I mentioned in my last letter, was the taking of a prize by the "New London". I understand the vessel had a little cotton. Prizes have been taken until they are an old story 2 since we came here 4 days. We are getting use to powder here as they practice firing by Regiments & Brigades. General Butler is not generally liked by the Officers. A good many have resigned and more are to follow. I have seen him several times and heard him give orders to his Officers. He is very rational in everything he does and the rest are Starts to him. General Philip, our Brigadier General, is a very fine and funny man. He will talk to a Private sooner than an Officer. He says they are the ones to talk to and not the Officers. He says the Officers ought to know enough is to know their peers and teach the Privates for that is what Officers are for. The other day, he was riding along and he saw a man duped. Very fancy he rode up to him and said (in a squealing tone as his voice is fine), "Who are you?". The man replied, "A Lowave from Mass". "Oh, I thought you were a circus rider". General Philip is a very plain looking man and wears very ordinary clothes with an old black soft hat looped up on one side. You would think to see him that he was an old farmer and did not see you, but you would get mistaken. He can look two ways for one thing at a time if necessary.
The news just arrived that the Fleet has taken Fort Jackson and we lost 7 mortar boats sunk by the fort. Orders just came in for the 13th Reg't. C.V. to be ready to move at 5 hours notice. That don't hasten things. An hour is about 1 1/2 days here. I will write before I close this if there is anything new between now and the time of mailing this (the news of the capture of Fort Jackson is not yet Credited yet here by Officers). My life on Ship Island, which acc't I hope will suit you, is yet a pleasant one. I find more & more friends every day. I stay here. I have been well since I have been here and have a tip-top appetite This morning I eat 2 breakfasts, the first at our tent, the next I went down to get Capt. Prindle to go up the Island with me and he had not been to breakfast. He had some fresh fish. I told him no. He said I had got to an so I went in and he sent for Capt. Schlester of Co. "J" and we set down and had a nice time. Then we went up the Island to see things. There is nothing but tents & soldiers. We then went down to the dock and saw the Bailey embark and there we got a paper of the 26th of March, the very latest from the States. 21 days ago we did not see much news as it was only 2 days later than when we left. Goods on the Island are still continuing to rise. Today I offered Capt. Sedter of our ship when he came on shore $10 Ten Dollars for a box of lemons. He did not say whether I could have them or not. I was offered 20. Dollars for them. He is a going to let me know in the morning when he comes ashore.
I have not yet got any clean clothes from the ship and am getting rather dirty. Never mind, we are all alike here. I sent you a sample of soil from SCI. in my letter which I wish you to preserve until I come home. I have got something from every place so far for you and will continue to so to do until I return home. I believe I have given you a full description of our new home in the South. I am a long way from home I know and think of it often. When the ship came in yesterday, I thought I would get a letter. They say the ship was the mail ship, but no. I told Capt. Gilbert I would give 10 Dollars for a letter. I would too if necessary I am looking every day and shall continue so to do until I receive a letter. Yes, 6 letters from my wife.
I see you every day. Oh, how natural that face looks how that I could see it now, it would do me so much good. The boy has called for this letter and will be back in a few minutes. We get nothing new from the Fleet.
It is now 6 o'clock, Thursday, April 17th, 1662. Supper is ready. We have rice & sugar, tea, fried apple pies and good fried potatoes, fresh bread. I only wish you were here to see me take supper. You would laugh. Your book I read in the tent every night. We read the day of the month and see who will remember it. I did last night and tonight. It is (You are complete in him). The first night I stayed here we read in our books by moonlight. We are sitting in the sand and reading our books. We get nothing new this eve. All seems well. It is quite cool for this climate. You will please remember me to all and be sure and remember the whole of myself to yourself. Give my love to our folks when you write them and tell them how I am, all about the things etc. on Ship Island. Hoping that you will find this letter in the P.O. in 9 days from the date of the same as that is the latest date we or you can expect as we are all out of the war almost I think. Hoping soon to see you, I remain as ever with all the love a husband to an affectionate wife.
H.S. Lord
I had forgotten this side of the sheet of paper. I must fill it with something for you to read. I could think of more if I was not so much in a hurry. Business amongst the works keeps good as they have to drill a good deal to prepare for War. I wish I was to home tonight, just about this time. I can imagine you setting at the right on the head of the table eating your supper with Ellen at your left and your Mother at the head of the table. Your father at the fish place a-fishing and Oscar & Heber gone to their businesses. Write all about everybody and how they are getting along etc. Give my respects to Samuel Lord & E.D. Brockway when you see them. Tell the Col. I will write him and give him a full description when I get a chance to run the Blockade. You tell him how it is and the fire we are in, etc. The waiter has called for this letter and says it must be there in five minutes or it won't go. That makes me hurry a little.
My love to all, Father, M, Brothers & Sisters & everybody and the whole to you remembering me to be your husband.
On Ship Island, all well.
H.S. Lord
February 16, 2001
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