May 9, 1862
On Shipboard
Mouth of Mississippi RiverMay 9th, 1862
I have written you one letter this morning and mailed it onboard the Steamer Rhode Island", but now the Steamer is now agoinq to wait about 2 hours and they give us one hour to write home in. I am aqoing to improve the opportunity of writing to you as I wrote you this morning I am well. I have been sick for the last 3 days under the Doctor's care. I have had the Nerrialuga in the head, a severe attack, but today I am around and well. The Doct. gave me some medicine that has cured me. I think a great deal of my Doct. It is Doct. Fisher of Norwich. He is so kind and he came twice for 3 times a day to see me when I was sick. He told me to let him know when I wanted anything and I should have it. Good for him.
I wrote a long letter and left it on Ship Island. It will come on the same vessel with the regular mail steamer the "Rhode Island". You will get them all at once. I closed that on Sunday, the day we were to leave Ship Island. Our goods all went onboard the ship and part of the troops went onboard Sunday. 4 Companies were left on the beach to stay until Monday morning on acct of the wind being so high that the tug could not (Jet back to the dock to take us onboard. We all slept on the beach. I was one of the unfortunate ones left onshore and I slept on the wet sand and that's where I got my Nerrialuga. I slept on a rubber blanket with one thin wool blanket over me and a knapsack for a pillow. I slept with Capt. Comstock. We awoke about 6 o'clock in the morning and the tug came about 9 o'clock and we went onboard the ship. We got underway for New Orleans and made one of Bell's Mistakes and had to anchor again and did not leave until Tuesday morning for N. Orleans.
Today is Friday and we are in the Southwest tip about one and a half miles above the Bar, anchored right close to a little village in the mea-dows called Pilots Town. There is also a hospital, U.S., on the same land. The grass is large enough to mow and everything looks green and like mid-summer down here. I suppose it begins to look like spring in Conn. now. You will excuse this writing for I have nothing but a poor old quill pen that I borrowed. Now I have borrowed a gold one, but it is not much bet-ter. Every pen and everything else is in use now. Everybody is writing to their dear's (funny things). Tell Bell that her brother is flying around for the letters. He now is like a sheet of lighting-double quick.
The 9th & 12th Regiments, C.V., are stationed 19 miles above the city of New Orleans and are in a fort. I suppose we shall go up the river above New Orleans as there are now many troops wanted in the city. The Gun Boats will likely come off the city. It will take but about 30 minutes to make a large bonfire in that city and the authorities know that fact. About half of Farraguts Mortar Fleet have returned to Ship Island and will re-pair a little and then start for Mobile, the nearest place will be Mobile bearing Laken and that will finish up our Coast. I think the 13th C.V. will never see nothing more than a Street Tow and a small one at that.
I think the next letter will be sent by overland mail to you as they report here that the River is clear. If so, all is well in the Great West.
(Waite is about the same. He has not been able to do no hours work since he left and will be home by the first opportunity). Willy Slate is onboard with us and is agoing to join his Regiment. He is well. I shall be under the necessity of asking you to write to Mother again and let her know how I am as I have not written anybody a letter since I left home, but I have written for others, not myself, and I do not know as I shall write anymore until I get home.
The boat is coming from the Steamer for the letters. I wish I had time to think of something.
My love to all.
All my love to you
H.S. Lord
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February 16, 2001
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