I suppose you have heard from me
[--?] Gilman Johnson & doubtless you
feel provoked because I did not
come home too, but I did not care
much about it tho I would like
to have been at home to vote
perhaps I should have gone had
Raymond been a close town.
About 100 from this regt. have gone
home to vote. Besides the vetrans
volunteers. I sincerly hope Gilman
will be elected, but I dont appear
of the way voters were obtained.

from this regt here. I think is very
unjust & dishonorable to allow only
Republicans to go home to vote.
There are Democrats in this regt. who
have seen as hard service & are just
as willing to go [---?] as much more
as any republican & they have just
as good right to vote. Their are not
many democrats in this regt. only two
officers are Dem.

Capt. Bullin left for home last Monday
on a 20 day leave. Lieut Dame has
returned to the regt but has been as
signed to the commaned of Co. "F" so I
am in command of Co. "K" & all alone
in the [---?] with the exception of
Ajax. There are 400 rebel officers
here now & we have extra guard duty
5 of them under took to escape the other
night by wading in the bay past
the pickets. [-?] of them were retaken
one of them waded over a mile up

to his arms in the water & the night
was cold too. Gen Marston gives them
[---?] much [---?]. The rebel soldiers
are enlisting quite for nearly 700
have enlisted for the regt that is to
be formed of them here. beside what
go into the Navy. 8 of our substitutes
undertook to escape in the officers
boat last week one was shot dead
another mortally wounded when the
rest came ashore.

We have got a negro regt here now. They
are mostly from N.C. & Va. & were formally
slaves. it makes teh rebs feel terrible
cause to have niggers guard them.
They are excellent soldiers for guard
duty. I sent you a pan[?] by Johnson
made by the reb. prisoners. They employ[?]
their time making pans, rings, watch
chains etc. Clark of Greenland went
home last week with the voters
his sister sent to us (Capt. & I) some

time ago for us to send some articles
of rebel manufacturing for the benefit
of their soliders aid societys fair. We
sent some pans rings etc last week
she and her sisters sen us a box
of nice cake & 4 bottles of wine with
a letter of thanks etc etc

Capt & I have got up a memorial of Co. "K"
I want you to look at Eleaga[?] W Smith's
name. We have also had a drawing
of our camp made & sent to Boston to
be photographed. We are expecting them
back soon. When they come I will send
you teh engraving & the memorial.
I dont think we shall stay here longer
than till spring tho. I dont know any-
thing about it. I think there will be
some fighting to do in Bullins department
probably involves or negros will be
sent here to guard the prisoners. I dont
care whether we stay or not
Write soon. Give my love to all
G. S. Gove