Such is the
management here that my notes no longer date from satisfactory advance posts.
Four weeks ago tonight I was saying a last goodbye to our camp ground, and at a
late hour went on board the steamer that was forever to take us from South
Carolina. The deserted camp by moonlight saddened me, but this inglorious
return impresses me more than I can express. It seemed appropriate that we
should steam up Beaufort River the night of April 1.1
It was not too late
for me to visit dear old Mr. Saxton. He told me how terribly disappointed the
General was at the sudden and unexpected conclusion of General Hunter to order
the evacuation of Jacksonville. One night it was agreed that General Saxton
should visit us in person, but early in the morning all was reversed and empty
steamers were sent for us. General Hunter could not be persuaded to countermand
the order.2
Today the long
slumbering fleet at Hilton Head has begun to move towards Charleston. A very
small force is being left to protect these Islands and you will be glad to know
that we are to do picket duty in the absence of other troops. An attack upon us
is not the most improbable thing to anticipate. I think our boys would enjoy a
fight with almost any number of the enemy and some of our officers are slightly
belligerent.
One of our soldiers
who was expatiating on the pluck of the chaplain exclaimed, "My God, what
for you made him preacher? He is de fightenmost Yankee I eber did see."
Last night about a
hundred of the boys bivouacked on the hurricane deck and early this morning
they were full of cheerful congratulations. I heard one say, "Well, Jim,
how are you?" Bully, tank God." I am constantly amused by their
pointed, laconic remarks.
1 See report
of Colonel John D. Rust, in 1 Records of the Rebellion, XIV.
2 He was always the most impulsive of men. -
T. W. H.
3 The subsequent battle of Olustee proved that
Hunter was right. — T. W. H.
SOURCE: Proceedings
of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June,
1910: February 1910. p. 384-5