The following letter was written by John L. Hosmer (1837-1895) from North Edisto Island, South Carolina, in May 1862 while serving in the 97th Pennsylvania Infantry. He entered the war on 10 October 1861 at West Chester, Pennsylvania, as a private in Co. H but was later made a musician in the regimental band. He was discharged from the regiment on 31 August 1862, having served only 10.5 months, when the War Department ordered the discharge of all Regimental Bands.

 In May 1862, Union forces on the island came from 13 units: First Massachusetts Cavalry, Third Rhode Island Infantry, Captain Hamilton’s Battery of Artillery, Third New Hampshire Infantry, 45th Pennsylvania Infantry, 55th Pennsylvania Infantry, 76th Pennsylvania Infantry, 97th Pennsylvania Infantry, 6th Connecticut Infantry, 7th Connecticut Infantry, 46th New York Infantry, 47th New York Infantry, and Colonel Small’s Engineers. The 55th Pennsylvania was the only regiment to remain when the troops disembarked on June 2 on Hunter’s campaign to attack Charleston which failed when the Confederate won a victory in the Battle of Secessionville on nearby James Island on June 16.

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

97th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers
Camp North Edisto, [South Carolina]
May 4, 1862

Dear Susie,

Your most welcome letter was received last night and I hasten to answer it. I am glad to hear that you are well, and I hope you may enjoy the same blessing for a long time to come. I am very well at present and I stand the hardships of a soldier’s life better than I expected to. We live first rate since we have been here on this island. There are plenty of blackberries, clams, oysters, and sweet potatoes. I have blackberry sauce every meal. You ought to see us, each one with his tin cup a stewing his own cup of berries and we make very good sauce too, if we only had a little more sugar to put in it.

It is very warm down here in the middle of the days, but it is right pleasant in the morning and evening. I do not know how we will stand it through the summer for it will get very hot about July and August, but we will have to worry through somehow or other.

There is one of the prettiest places here that I ever saw. I wish you were here to wander with me through the splendid garden and handsome grove of the Seabrook mansion. The garden is filled with the most beautiful flowers of all kinds. Enclosed you will find one of the small roses which I pulled from a bush in the garden. Susie, wish I could send you a bouquet from this beautiful garden. The man that owns it is in the Rebel army. What a pity it is to have to leave such a place. That is the fruits of being a rebel.

Susie, you spoke of me leaving your likeness in the deep blue sea. If it had been the original that fell in, I would have went to the bottom with you.

We have not had any fighting to do yet, but I do not [know] how soon we may have some to do. Pickets were fired on last night but no one was hurt. Hillary is well at present and sends his love to you.

Well I must cut this short as it is time to play Tattoo. Give my best respects to all. Susie, I received a letter [from] Hannum Baldwin about two weeks ago, and one from Morris about four weeks ago. Now Susie, please write to me again soon and oblige yours ever, — J. L. Hosmer