Franklin County: Samuel Christy to Mary Jane Demus, June 19,
1863
Summary:
Christy describes seizing food and farm animals before burning down a town near St. Simon's
Island, Georgia.
Mary Jane Demus
June the 19 1863
My dear sister
i have took My pen in hand to inform you that i am well at present and i hope that you are enjoying the same state of health give my love to all the rest of the friends you Can tell them that i am on saint simons Island georgia we was on the sea seven days before we got to Camp and after we was there one day we went out to put up our tents and soon we was hurried with the roll of the drums to retreat into our quarters to get our guns and equipment not knowing what was the matter but fallen in the ranks taken sun water in our Canteen one day rations in our haversack one spoon full of coffee and sugar and sixty [unclear: runds] of [unclear: Cat] [unclear: ergs] and then we was March to the river and got on the ship and went about fifteen miles there was three gunboats which went before us and at last we Came to a little town and before we got to it we sent two or three shells into it and all the people run and left it and we came and got off the ship and went into it and took every thing that was good we got some sheep and some cattle and hogs and chickens and many others things and then we set the town on fire and burnt it down and then we came about two miles toward Camp and then stop and stayed on the ship all night and the next morning we came back to Camp and now i must tell you about another excitement we had one night we was all asleep and the picket begun to fire and we ran out of our tents and formed a line thinking that the rebels was Coming but it was nothing but a calf that was Coming along but they stop him with a ball there are many other things which i have seen that i Cannot tell you of now for i must Come to a Close please to write to me and let me now whether you got the letter that i sent to you with the money in it and whether you got my likeness or not
Direct your letter to
Saint Simons
Island georgia
By
the way of Port Royal
South Carolina
please to write as soon as you get this letter and let me know how the times is at home all the rest of the boys are well at present
Samuel A. Christey
to Mary J Demes
