May 18, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
     New Orleans, May 18, 1862.
     Dear:
     The steamer which was to carry the mail met with an accident and will be delayed a day or two, so I will write again. Sunday in New Orleans and Sunday in Lowell, what a difference! The bar rooms,eating houses, cigar shops, all are open. I attended church this morning, in company with three other officers. The church was of the Episcopal denomination. It seemed like home, it being the first time I have had an opportunity to attend public worship since I left Lowell. Our regiment has received a new uniform throughout and I am busy just now issuing these to the companies. I have adorned myself with a white shirt to-day and I feel very comfortable. In my last letter I mentioned that the prisoners who were taken at the Forts were released on parole. Yesterday five or six were re-arrested, as they had been detected in organizing a company which was to join the Confederate Army. General Butler has ordered them to be shot. Good! say I. Confederate money is to be abolished on the 27th of this month, as well as "shin plasters." The last mentioned consist of paper money issued by private firms which are doing business in the city, and is considered good according to the state of the man who sends it out. I enclose one for twenty cents. General Phelps' command is in camp at Carrollton, seven miles up the river.
     I suppose my sisters would like to know how the young ladies of New Orleans dress, so I will try to describe some. The bonnets are flaring; colors, pink, white and blue, they are adorned with large roses; muslin dresses, lace and silk mantillas made in different shapes and sizes, some wear hoops, some do not. Flowers grow in profusion here. I should like to send you a bouquet of magnolias, negroes sell them in the street, one bit each (ten cents). We are quartered in Lafayette Square, opposite Camp Street. Fran., I think I shall take a Creole home with me when I come back. No more just now. I hope you are all well.

I am your son and brother,
WARREN.

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:

      May 18-Sunday

     Very warm and pleasant day nothing doing all day in the way of business.

     Whitcomb and myself strolled around town and looked around the city. things are changing very rapidly in the city. it commences to look a little cheerful. but still we find a good many black looking face and scowls from the ladies. One of the ladies left a pew in a Church in which she was sitting, because the Sexton had the impudence to show a Federal Officer, into the same pew. This is the feeling of a large portion of the (women) here you certainly cannot call them Ladies.

     Went up to the Office to night and Whit got an order to arrest one, Adams a recorder of the 4th district a noted man and said to be very desperate. As Whit was coming up by the office, his man passed on his way down he immediately put his hand on his shoulder and says you are my prisoner he made no resistance but went down & was locked up in the Custom House.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
      Sunday 18
     We had a thunder shower last night
     The first we have had since we come here
     Had an inspection this morn it was
     Very hot.  had orders parade & battalion
     Drill this PM.  it was hot work
     Uncle Sam has given us another
     Suit of clothes.  Blouse Pants Shirt
     Trausers Shoes & socks.  good on his head.

March 20, 1862

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:

     20-Thursday

     The long looked for Mississippi has at last arrived. and has on board Major Gen’l Butler and a portion of his staff 
     Harry Wigel came on shore and run us while we were on drill this morning was very glad to see him. now we shall soon know who are to be the Officers of the Mass 30th Capt & I have some notion of going home at any rate luck do not know fully as yet. Col Dudley was on shore and looked the Regiment over a little at dress parade but was not introduced to us. will be tomorrow

     Col French tells us that he will appear as our immediate Commander no more. he thanked the present officers very kindly for their attention to his orders while he has been in command and seemed to feel very bad to think some one was to fill his and some of our places.

     The Mississippi has [---] Captain and mate in [---]. for [---] her on shore it seems they run her on shore 3 times on her trip. then the vessel was put into the hands of a sailing mas-ter who brought her into port.

     The Western Bay State Regiment is on board and a fourth of the N.H. 8th cannot land them to day on account of the rough state of weather.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:

Diary:

     Thursday, March 20, 1862.
     We had a hard blow last night
     And a cold morning.  i had to go on
     Board the Lewis and go on fatigue
     Duty unloading the Ship and ??????
     1 Coming up to ??? had to stay all
     Night.  the steamer Missisippi
     Come in this morn with Butler
     And Staff on board and some
     Other troops for the army.

February 22, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
     Camp Thompson, Ship Island, February 22,1862.
     Dear:
     I have an opportunity to write. I am now in excellent health and live like a king. My mess comes handy, we have a boy to cook. The New London brought in ten sloops which were all oystermen, all loaded, they looked queerly enough, tugging them along. I went out and bought a barrel of them and had a stew, gratis, for dinner. Chaplain Cleaveland has arrived. We are building a large building, fifteen
feet by twenty, for the Quartermaster's stores. We heard of a great victory gained by Burnside, — three thousand prisoners — also of another in Kentucky. A gunboat has captured a steamer loaded with cotton, named the Magnolia. The engineer tried to blow her up and was scalded to death.

Yours until the next,
WARREN.

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     February 22-Saturday
     Weather in morning very warm and pleasant. Afternoon showery and quite cool.
     This is the anniversary of Washingtons birth day. we celebrate by having salute and all 4 Regiments drawn up in Regimintal line music playing Hail Columbia & Star Spangled Banner. Troops marching to their company Quarters while the music is playing Yankee Doodle.
     Dr. Cleavland from Lowell, our Chaplain arrived on the Saxon yesterday. I met him today and he is looking hearty.
     I went down to the Fort & saw Gen. Skerry and passed an hour very pleasantly. thought I must celebrate so I went into Reeds and bought a little of Champagne Cider.
     No drills to day since morning one hour from 8 to 9 company drill. formed in line while firing a salute of 34 Guns from the Fort.
     Those steamers prizes were loaded with Oysters. Today we got 2 bags of the oysters and they were indeed a treat. Though it was hard work opening them, with an old knife.
     Bill got 2 hachets, an axe, 150 foot of rope and some few other things


Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Saturday 22
     Washingtons birth day and a fine
     Morning good news from our
     Army in the west only one drill
     Today with a regimental parade
     And 33 guns in honor of the day
     A large Bark in sight this AM.
     Our men all being washing and
     Ironing.  our captain and a guard
     Of men went and got a lot of
[Mem]
     Oysters from one of the prizes
     And we had quite a good time
     With them they tasted better
     Than the oysters we have at home.

February 18, 1862

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     February 18-Tuesday
     In fatigue & Police duty with the whole Company to day. our first duty was leveling up the encampment and filling holes. 2nd getting a requisition of lumber 6400 feet of boards. and 1400 “ of old lumber to build Quartermaster store house. bringing these boards from wharf to camp on our mens shoulders. 3rd pitching tents for Colonel & Major lugging stores for commissary.
     The Conant boys out with knap-sacks fully equipped for Shirks drill for not turning out at roll call.
     Gun boat arrived to night with Paymaster Watson and his company of money deliverers on board. they report the Pensacola run aground on Florida reefs where she lay some 7 or days, stove a hole in her bottom. and they were com-pelled to throw over her guns and everything of any weight in order to get her off.
     By order of Col French the Officers of E.B.S. Reg’t. (of nobodys any without any authority or legal right or in other words the unorganized mob from Massachusetts) attend School for the instruction of said Officers. Lesson to night on the manual of arms as far as Aim. had quite a variety of ways for the manual, not laid down in Hardee
 
Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Tuesday, February 18, 1862
     Still rainy.  just come off
     Guard duty.  next 24 hours
     Nothing but police duty and dress
     Parade went up to the sutlers
     And when i came back was checked
     By sargeant.  Knapsack drill for
     The first time tomorrow.

February 14, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
     February 14, 1862. Friday. I worked hard all night unloading, as also did Parker, and the boat has just left for the wharf. The wind blows and she has drifted ashore above the wharf. We brought out four hundred and fifty thousand muskets, cartridges and a large amount of shells. We expect ships with stores every day. The sutlers have sold out nearly everything. Robert Read and William Wight came aboard; they are looking fine, and have a nice store. Read is making money fast in his sutler's shop. A bakery has been set up and the men buy soft bread every other day and night. Four or five of our boys have died of fever since arriving; they caught cold at the camp at Fortress Monroe. I saw a rifle ranger boy last night who was dying; it seemed sad, probably he has a kind mother at home who is unaware of this. I was just told that the 26th Massachusetts Regiment were to take possession of the island fifteen miles to the west of this, towards Mobile.
     Our wood comes from the upper end of the island and a chopping party goes out every day to cut it, then it is rafted down. There used to be a large brick house on the island, which was destroyed when the rebels evacuated. Our boys are digging bricks out and making cooking ranges. No alligators or coons yet. Two rebel boats came along the main shore yesterday on their way from New Orleans to Mobile; our gunboats headed them off and they returned; they come down once in a while and show a little fight. A schooner with nine men, belonging to us, took an English steamer which was loading at Matanzas with cotton, she had five hundred bales aboard; is built of iron and is valued at five hundred thousand dollars, all told. She would have tried to run the blockade.
     Seventeen of the mechanics are going home, Colonel Butler says so many are not needed. I am feeling tip-top and shall not be homesick; not that I do not think of home and friends, for I think of you all every day, but I feel like this, that I can take care of myself, and only hope you won't give yourselves any anxiety about me. If other troops come along I don't think we shall stay here long. I haven't been inside the Fort yet. It is poorly built. The main land is from twelve to fifteen miles away. 
 

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     February 14-Friday
     Weather cold windy and stormy very fortunate we arrived here as we did or our passage would have been a hard one and probably dangerous.
     Wrote a letter to Pond, Charley Kimball and done up a parcel and gave to Mr. Kimball to give Jane for me when he gets home. Some 18 of the Mechanics are going to return home in the Constitution.
     One of the men who came out with us for the Battery has died and was buried to day. the 26 Reg’t. Band played for the funeral. the coffin drawn by two horses and covered with our countrys flag. followed by the members of the Battery passed here about 4 O Clock P.M.
     We have had another accident here to day while getting our baggage on shore by the Lewis she ran aground and in their endeavors to get her up to the wharf the Hauser slipped and one man was quite ser-iously injured. he now lays insensible his name was Hopkins and he was Boss Waggoner of the Maine 12th.
     We wrote to Westford Selectmen about Gilsons State Aid. also to S.W. Stickney about allotment rolls of the same.

Corlp. B. B. Smith:
Diary:

     Friday 14

     We? very pleasent turned out at

     Sunrise took breakfast had no

     Drill today but dress parade at

     At 2[?] Ock.  there was 2 of the Maine

     Soldiers died and was buried yesterday

     They died of the measels.  One 4th

     Mass Batt died and was buried

     This PM.  he came with us is

     The ship with us and belonged to

     Andover.  he had a lung fever.

February 13, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
     February 13,1862. Thursday. There are a number of prize vessels around the island; some are valuable, others worthless. All the horses which were sent out, have been lost; I say all, for very few were saved.

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     February 13-Thursday
     Wrote home to Wife this morning to send by Kimball who is to return in the Constitution. some 16 to 18 mechanics are going home.
     Found the heat rather severe for the head went down and got a [strun - ?] at the expense of 25 cents find it an improvement.
     Lieut Lovrien is on gaurd duty to day. we are building ovens and having a general fix up to day and trying to have an en-campment in some decent shape but do not know how we shall succeed.
     Capt Browns men struck a rich streak to day, digging for bricks they brought to light a lot of china, plates, saucer and other kitchen utensils. Quite a relic of Southern Chivalry.
     2 Rebel Steamers in sight to day cruising around to find out what we are doing I suppose. Our Gunboats went in pursuit but their search was useless.
     Got our orders from Brig. Gen. Phelps. programs of drills and duties. Our camp is named Camp Thompson in honor of Col N.A. Thompson of Boston.
     Col Farr, Geo Davis, Capts. Warren, Dickersman & Lieut Lamson, Chaplain Babbidge, had quite a tea party.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:

     Thursday 13

     A fine morn the men all in fine

     Spirits turned out to roll call at

     Sunrise had breakfast and then i

     Took a walk over to the fort there

     Is about 200 belongs to the Battery

     I see a Blacksmith here that i

     Used to know in[?] ??? years[?].  we have had

     No duty today but fix up our

     Camp. Dug a well by going 8 ft.

[Mem]

     This is a find place for water

     Each company having a well

     Of their own.  There is a Bake

     House here belonging to government[?]

     We have Soft Bread every other

     Day.  Had a dress Parade this

     PM.  the men looked very

     Well considering our voyage