Thursday, March 27, 1862 Beaufort, S.C.

Dear mother

         I received your letter last Friday and I have now seated myself to answer it.  I am at present enjoying good health and I hope these few lines will find you all enjoying the same blessings.  We left the Ferry last monday and came back to town.  I was sorry to hear the children had the hooping cough but I hope they are well before this time.  I was very much surprised to hear you had not heard from me for a month for I have made it a rule to write at least once a week and so far I have lived up to it, we have very good times here now we have drill twice a day and my turn comes on guard about once a week.  You said in your letter you would like to know what we had to eat and what kind of beds we have well I will tell you.  For breakfast we have 3 crackers, a chunk of fat meat and a tin of coffee, supper the same, and for dinner we have bread, meat and soup and for a bed we have our blanket spread on the soft side of a board.  We do not have to cook any unless it is something we buy but I am not troubled for I have nothing to buy with and I have not received any pay since I came here.  The men were paid off when we first came here but I did not get any for there was none coming to men.  I have now nearly three months pay coming to me and I expect that we will get paid off in about a week and we will get two months pay.  They always keep one month back.  The boys here do not have to do their washing for they hire the niggars to do it, I got Mary E. Adams letter and I will answer it when I get time.  We did  not go to Savannah as I expected we would before this.  I have plenty of writing material and so you need not send any.   I received the papers you sent and also two letters, one form Haman and one from Mary Jane.  It is getting warm here, skeeters are very bad I do not see how we are to stand it here  in July and August but I hope we will get away from here before that.  You say you get the dispach every day,  I wish you would send it to me when there is anything particular in it.  Oh by the way I heard yesterday there was an digarrian here and as soon as I get some money I will get my likeness taken and send it to you, we had fine times down at the ferry and I will be very glad when our turn comes to there again.  There is 4 regiments here and they go there time about and when we are there we can see secesh across the river.  We hear the armies are gaining great victories and the boys think the war will be over in three or four months at furthest, and now I must close and I hope the day is not to far distant when I will see you all again.  Though I am not tired soldering yet.  From your affectionate son.  Alexander Adams.


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