Franklin County: John J. Miller to George Miller, September 3,
1862
Summary:
Letter written by John J. Miller to his brother George Miller describes the conditions at
Port Royal, South Carolina. He also includes discussion of how the men pass time in camp
fishing.
George Miller
Sep 3rd 1862
Hilton Head Port Royal S. Carolina
Dear Brother
I received yours this morning of the 12th Augst
and am happy to find that all are in enjoyment of good health as i am the same there are a
great many sick of our reg't just now there is one Lieutenant and a private laying dead in the
hospital at the presant time we have very few officers belonging to
the Reg't just now we we have no Colonel no Lieutenant Col or Major last friday we were ordered
to hold ourselves in readiness to march at four oclock next morning
with seven days rations we were out at the appointed time waiting for orders but they were
countermanded and we are still here on duty every day either on guard or fatigue I am glad to
hear that they are so ready to enlist in Penna so they need
not draft but they will get tired enough before their nine months are out our Reg't was one
year in service on the 20th Aug and i would not care if it would have
been three it is very tiresome laying at one place so long although i dont
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care
about going farther north before spring being as were kept down here in the heat of summer we
are now pretty well used to this climate and it would go very hard for us to stand the winter
of virginia it will soon get cooler here the nights are cool and very heavy dew falls during
the night we had a great [unclear: seine] fishing last week we were just preparing to
haul in with the [unclear: seine] when the sailors saw us they said we should let them
fish for us as we did'nt understand it we alowed them they hauled in but could not drag the [unclear: seine] out we had
to assist them we caught about five barrels of fish the first haul in about two hours we had as
many as the whole Reg't wanted the fish resembles a large herron and
some Cat fish we mostly catch the cat fish with hook and line i cannot content myself fishing
down here i would like to get alongside the [unclear: Codornis] once again. Stevens is
well at presant Give my respect to Sisters father and all enquiring friends
Your affectionate brother
John J. Miller
PS/ Is John Siegly and John Hendrix about York yet leave me know about Wm Decker
