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New Orleans Sept 12th 1863
Dear Mother
I have at last got to this miserable hole. I have been mad at myself
every since I started for coming at all. The first two days out of N
York I was sick all the time and came near throwing up my boots a number
of times, but I finally _____ the boots by getting a nigger to hang on
to them for me. The rest of the passage has been verry pleasant and I
have had a verry good time with the exception of being mad all the time.
But I suppose I shall get over that in time. There was only fourteen
cabin passengers in all. Three army surgeons two aides de camp two naval
officers and two _____ and the rest were Captains and Lieutenants. The
whole were as jolly a lot of fellows I ever met, with the exception of
Pellet and he has done nothing but eat and sleep the whole way. We left
N York Sept 1st at 1 Oclock and got here last night at 1 Oclock making
about two days and a half. I had to pay two dollars per day for board.
They charge just what they please and a person has got to stand it,
wheather he wants to or not. I caught two fish on the passage one
dolphin weighing thirty five pounds and the other twenty. I think that
is a little heavier fish than I would like to catch for a steady
business for that is too hard work to pull them out and cord cut my
hands all to pieces. When we got to the mouth of the river yesterday we
heard of an expedition that had started for Galvaston but had met with
bad luck and had to come back loosing two gunboats. After we got up the
river a ways we saw the fleet and passed close to the vessel that had
the 114th on board. Pellet saw some person he knew but I did not
recognize anyone. They landed at Algiers last night and are going back
to their old camp at Brashaer City. Pellet has gone to find them and get
transportation for us up there. If it was not for going to Texas I dont
think I would stay here long. I have not been so near home sick in a
long time as I am now, but I may feel different when I get with the
regiment. I think I shall. N Orleans is a beautiful place although I
called it a miserable hole when I began to write. We had fun shooting at
the aligators when we came up the river yesterday. I stayed at the St
Charles Hotel last night and got a pretty good rest. I had not slept
much on board the ships she rolled about so much. The St Charles is a
very large building. I think larger than any of the N York hotels. To
day is my birday and I am 25. Getting to be quite an old sharp shooter
but I cant write any more now. I will write as soon as I get stopped in
one place. Give my love to all and write as often as once a week.
Your Affectionate Son
C.J.Hardaway
Historical Notes
Tel Gust I will write to him soon and tell Sommers to write to me.
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