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Acton Memorial Library |
The Civil War Letters of Aaron Jones Fletcher
Letter dated May 4, 1862, from Aaron Jones Fletcher, Fort St. Phillip, Miss. River, to sister Eliza Sprague
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Fort St Phillip Miss river May 4th 1862
Dear Sister I received your letter the
first day of May but no papers I am well as
ever and have ben ever since i enlisted
I rote a letter to you in January I got a letter
from you the 28th of Jan I like here first rate better
than i did at Ship Island but i dont think
it will be so healthy but it is better than
it is at fort Jackson it is low swampy
a good deal of dead water a nice place for
Alagators I went over to fort Jackson to
day it is damaged a good deal the iside [inside]
is all burnt out and whare the Shells
struck the ground is all torn up and the wall
is nocked down the inside of the fort is
full of water i gess if our men had ben in
the to forts and the rebels had had the
fleet they would never past the forts
with as many guns pointing the water
as they had some of the prisinors ar to work
here now to [two] of their offercers are here
[p.2]
learning us to work the guns they dont
say much about sesech [secession] they had plenty
of provisions and that it was good
we had a plenty of stuff i gess for
a few days after we came here the 22 April
we took 226 prisoners one nite that
ran away from fort Jackson there
is plenty of orange groves here
they trees hang full of green oranges
they will be ripe in August i hope
we shall be here then we had a ruf
tim when we landed had 10 miles
to row in small boats about 1
mile we had to get out and
draw the boats a long the water
run so fast we could not row we landed
on Sunday the 27 April to a place called
quarantine station we stayed their
2 days and then went to fort Phillip
fort St Phillip is not damaged but a
very little we have to work hard now
and go on gard once in three days
[p.3]
they rats are so thick you can kill
them with a stick and the misquetoes
ar as thick as flies at home in sumer
if it want for some misquetoe nets
i dont now what we should do some
of the rebels left Col Jones has Comand
of the post and that sets him up
a little hier this fort is a good deal
like state prison I mentioned in my
other letter a bout my money I loted
home 10 dolars a month to be drawn
at the Railroad Bank Lowell I signed
so you can draw it I would like
to have you get it and put it
in some savings bank it will not
draw any thing whare it is now
you can get it any time when
you are in Lowell you need not
go a purpose to get it for it is safe
their I received your papers since
I have ben writing I think this
[p.4]
war will be brought to a close
Be fore long it will not be long
be fore the Mississippi will be open
the hole length they are very peaceable
in new Orleans now I dont think
of any more this time Silas [Blodgett?] is well
and sends his love to you
write and let me now if you
get this letter I should like to
pay the postage on this
letter but I have no stamps
and no place to get them
give my respects to Mr Sprage
yours with love
A.J. Fletcher