Return to: Estes Family | Photographs & Civil War Letters | Hunter Library | WCU


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September th 29th 1861.
At Michels sound on the see
Dear Cosen Wm Eastis
I now take the liberty of Drop
ing you these few lins in order to let you no that
I am well at this time hoping at the same time that
these few lins may find you & family in the same state
of helth. I and all of the Redgment is in campt near
the see cost not more than 2 hundred yards from
the Beach you can stay in the encampment and
See all the Steam Boats and steam Ships Running
all the time it is a grand seen to see all the Steamers
Running up and Down to and fro. you may stand on the
Beach and look as far and as your Eys can see and
it is nothing But one world of water. We have the
See Breeses which is as helthy as the are up whare yo
live. The water that we have is the very worst of
water. Such as you never Drank in your Life the
wigeltails is as thick as Bees in gum when tha one Bus
hel of Bees in the gum. that is all the falt that I Can
find. We all have Drawd our uniforms and tha ar
as fine as hart [?] Can ______ . tha ar a gray sack Coats
with a Row of the finist Brass Buttons up the Breast [?]
the Pants is prety much the same onley [?] tha is
a Black Stripe up the ledgs. tha ar nice and
Caps all so. our guns is heare Ready for Desterbution

The Fleete is seen Every Day tha Come in sight and
last night tha Came in sight of us. We ar looking
for an a tact in very short time. I think that tha
is from six to ten thousand yankees in the fleete
though we Do not no whether this thing is true or not But
the yankes ar seen Counstant ly. our Boy s went over on a
littel istand o this morning and seen them in
a small Distance. I think that we will Be in a fight
Before any one Elce. and I hope So We Drawd
our guns to Day and tha ar the Missisppi Rifels
We ar Ready for them now and any other time
I Could wright Ten thousand thing But I have
Rote Six or seven letters to Day. and you must Excuse
me. Wright to me as soon as you Recive this letter
Direct your letter to Wilmington 25th Rdg NC
in Care of Col T L Clingman in Care of
Captain T.D. Bryson Co B.
So nothing more
But Remains yours until Death
R.P. Crawford


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