The following letter was written by Eli Clemens Williams (1841-1921), the son of Aaron Williams (1800-1883) and Alcia L. Lane of Hiram, Oxford county, Maine. Muster roll records indicate that Eli enlisted in the 9th Maine Infantry as early as 17 July 1863 but this letter suggests that he did not get assigned to his company until he arrived in South Carolina several months later. He remained in the regiment until 13 July 1865 when he was mustered out of the service.

Eli’s letter provides us with a good description of the scenes and activity in Charleston Harbor in March 1864, including the rebels’ use of a 300-pounder gun called “The Bull of the Woods.”

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Morris Island [South Carolina]
March 20, 1864

Dear Cousin,

I will take my pen in hand to remind you that I have not forgotten you and to let you [know] how I like soldiering. If I could have my heath, I should like it quite well now I am here but I do not admire the job of moving much. When we left Portland, we stopped four days on Long Island and there we almost froze and when we left we had a bad storm. we sailed 3 days and the captain told us that if he was back to Long Island again, he could get to Fortress Monroe as quick as from where he was. One day we blew 100 miles and only gained one mile ahead. Our little boat rocked very bad. The bunks all broke down and the water came in the gangway. Sometimes it would take a man off the stairs and duck him good. We was all seasick and our cabin was as neat as father’s pig pen. We got here in 9 days, 115 of us, and only lost one man. He was crazy and jumped overboard by night.

We called to Fort Monroe. That is a pretty place. It was a good sight to see the guns mounted on the fort but after one night’s stop, we had to leave Old Virginia’s shore. We joined the 9th Maine Regiment and I got into the company that E. Wedgwood enlisted. I found a good many that I knew. I suppose you have seen some of the veterans of this regiment. We are in sight of Charleston now and I can see the rebel flag on the ruins of Sumter. That fort is made of brick 60 feet high, covers 5 acres, but it is not more than half so high now. It looks like a mass of sand, but the rebs have bomb proofs inside so it is as strong as ever.

We are two miles from the rebs campground on James and Sullivan’s Island and can see them plain. Since I have been writing this letter, I have heard 8 guns and by looking, can see the smoke and hear the shells burst over Fort Wagner half mile from me on this island. The rebs fired them from James Island from a 300 pounder called the “Bull of the Woods” but our folks send as many as they do and have kindled a good [many] fires in the city since I have been here but they put them out. There is a good many blockade vessels and gunboats in sight. There is one gunboat here called the Ironside. She is the heaviest boat Uncle Sam owns. We was on Black Island two months but now we are on Morris Island. This is nothing but sand. The wind drifts it like snow but I cannot tell you anymore about our situation now.

I have been in the hospital six weeks. I had the chronic rheumatism and catched a fall that lamed me quite bad, but that is well now. I am in hopes to be well enough for duty in a few days. I suppose you have good times skating and to speces [?] this winter but I enjoy myself well. There is enough to see to amuse anyone in this place. The big guns, shells, and mortars and the solid shot stacked. But I must now close. Write soon as you can and write all the news and direct to Eli C. Williams, Co. E, 9th Maine Vols., Morris Island, S. C.