Sept. 17th. My time was so broken up yesterday that I could not finish this and guard duty last night and this morning then the guard guns to clean, and this afternoon all is excitement. They are now paying off the men that are to leave in the morning. Things are assuming a different shape.
Rumor has it that all the men on the Island, except those that came down from Vermont with us, and those that have come since, about 40 men, and a few Massachusetts are to have undisputed possession of Long Island, Boston Harbor. So you see that I shall have a chance to see some of my friends from Vermont yet.
Oh if I could only see you and the children, then my heart would bound. We are to go into the 5th Regiment report says, that we are to remain here until 200 men more come from Vermont. There are but few to come, unless there is another draft there, enough to partially fill up the 2, 3, 4 Regts. And a few left for the 5th. I have written twice to you, but have not received anything yet. I expected to get a letter tonight, but the boat brought no mail. The report here was that the men were to leave next Monday. On Sunday night four men of desperate character undertook to leave. They took two small boats, one sunk and their bodies were found on the beach in plain view of the encampment, the other two landed at east Boston early in the morning and were taken and brought to Fort Independence, where they are to be tried by court martial. I hope after the crowd leaves I
shall have a better show to write. I must close.
Yours in love and affection,
Charles
Great writer/reporter
Lines like this are just fabulous:
“four men of desperate character undertook to leave.”
If I had ever mentioned “men of desperate character” in Selectboard coverage, I’d be strung up. : )