CAMP SAXTON, BEAUFORT, S. C.
December 27, 1862.
. . . There is a
little more of solid reality in this work of camp-life than I have found in any
previous experience. You remember my delight in the life of ship surgeon, when
I had three hundred and fifty of the lowest Irish to care for. Multiply that
delight by ten and you will approximate to what I get among these children of
the tropics. A more childlike, jovial, devotional, musical, shrewd, amusing set
of beings never lived. Be true to them and they will be devoted to you. I leave
all my things in tent unguarded and at loose ends, as I could never think of
doing in a white regiment, and if I ever lose anything you shall be informed.
Their religious devotion is more natural than any I ever witnessed. At this
moment the air is full of melody from the tents, of prayer and hymns, mingled
with the hearty yah, yah, of the playful outsiders.
Last night I had too
many business letters to get off in today's mail to allow me time for writing
half of what I wished, and since then I have lived so long that much has been
lost in the ages. I want, once for all, to say that Col. H. is splendid —
pardon the McClellan word, — beyond even my anticipation, which, you
know, has for years been quite exalted. I stood by General [Rufus] Saxton, who
is a West Pointer, the other night, witnessing the dress parade, and was
delighted to hear him say that he knew of no other man who could have magically
brought these blacks under the military discipline that makes our camp one of
the most enviable. Should we by possibility ever increase to a brigade I can
already foresee that our good Colonel is destined to be the Brigadier General.
I am about selecting
my orderly from among the privates, and just now a Lieutenant brought little “
Charlie" before me: a boy of fourteen or fifteen, who saw his master shot
at Hilton Head without weeping over it; who had some of his own teeth knocked
out at the same time. He has always taken care of his master and knows so many
things that I shall probably avail myself of his bright eyes and willing bands.
We have had an old uncle “Tiff,” whom I should take if I had the time and
strength to wait upon him when he should get too tired to wait upon me. He is a
dear old man who prays day and night.
I have forgotten
whether I have written that the mocking-bird sings by day and the cricket by
night. To me it is South America over again. The live oak grows to enormous
size. Today I made thirty of my longest paces across the diameter of the
branches of one of these handsome trees. The beautiful gray moss pendent
everywhere from its branches gave the most decided impression of fatherliness
and age.
Col. H. kindly
invited James and me to mess with him and the adjutant. Thus we have a pleasant
little table under the supervision of “William and Hattie,” in an old home just
outside the camp. I am yet sharing the young captain's tent, but in a day or
two shall have my own pitched. . . . We are not more than fifty rods from the
shore. Our landing is remarkable for its old fort, built of shells and cement
in 16— by Jean Paul de la Ribaudière. Its preservation is almost equal to
monuments perpetuated by Roman cement.
The chance for wild
game here is excellent, and in anticipation I enjoy it much, while in reality I
doubt whether I shall ever find time for such recreation, and actual profit to
our stomachs. It is not very easy for us to get fresh meat here, but we shall
not suffer, because oysters are plentiful and fresh.
Our Chaplain is a
great worker, and has a good influence over the soldiers — I presume Mr. Wasson
knows him, — Mr. [James H.] Fowler, who was not long ago at Cambridge.
My first assistant
surgeon is Dr. [J. M.] Hawks of Manchester, N. H. He is a radical anti-slavery
man, somewhat older than I, and has had a large medical experience and in
addition has been hospital surgeon at Beaufort during several months. He has
been rigidly examined by three regimental surgeons from New England, and they
have given him a very flattering certificate of qualification. I consider
myself fortunate in having a man so well fitted for the place. The men and
officers like him, and I fancy will take to him quite as much as to me. The
second assistant is not yet decided upon, but will probably be a young man who
has already been several months in the army. The hospital steward has also had
experience . . .
SOURCE: Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical
Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June,1910: February 1910. p. 338-9
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