Roanoke Island Feb 27th 1862My Dear parentsI now take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you not from Annapolis but from Roanoke way down in dixy where we landed after 12 days on the water. We left Annapolis on the 13th of Feb and landed the night of the 26th. I will try to give you a few particulars of the voyage. We left Annapolis amid the cheers of the citizens that lined the wharf and a few guns from the two gunboats that lay there at the time and arrived at fortress monroe on the 14th where we lay three days for a storm to pass when we put to sea about 90 miles and found it so rough that we could not enter the inlet and put back to fortress monroe where we stayed another day when we put to sea again and were driven back by a gale about the time that we entered the harbor it began to be foggy and the captain of the boat thought that it was again to clear up so that we could leave in the morning under that impression he thought that as he had got to have more coal he would get it that night and forthwith started for the coal boat when the latter rope caught and we were run ashore under the bowsprit of a schooner which carried away our pilot house? somewhere we did not get any coal that night and had to stay the next two days to repair damages when we put to sea again and it being foggy run past the inlet and the sea being rough we had to put back to of Cape McHenry?? where we lay in quiet until about when a squall struck us and came near sinking us they got up the anchor as soon as possible but not until the seas had swept our hurrycane deck which is about 20 feet from the water at length she was got around before the wind before which she drifted at a fearful rate we the distance of about miles in the space of about six hours we anchored that night in sight of cape Hatteras light then next morning we weighed anchor and made the in a little past noon we went over the swash and anchored for the night in the morning we started for where we were landed on the 26th And here I am in the sand way down in dixyland. We had a very severe storm here last night it rained all night and waked the night and my feet in a puddle of water which vexed me not a little we are ex close to Burnsides head quarters close back of the fort. I should have answered your letters bur I did not get them until last night. I shall have to close this letter you may expect a letter one next time. yours as ever, C. D. Garlick

Roanoke Island, March 16th, 1862My Dear parentsI once more seat my self to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am on the Island yet and am well as I hope these few lines will find you. The expedition has left here for some place which we think is Newburn on the river. I was left here in the Hospital with a hard cold which I caught when I first came on the island the first night it rained like and the water run in to the tent and I waked up and found both my feet nearly covered with water this made me a little out of patience for I had to sit up and sleep the rest of the night I got over my cold before the expedition left here but the troops had gone an board and I had no chance to send word to Capt to send a boat for me and therefore I had to be left. But I shall be sent to the regiment with the rest of the boys that were left. We shall go as soon as they make a landing and get settled which I hope will be soon for it is dull music to stay in the hospital although it is very pleasant here on the island it is like the month of May at home plumb??? trees are in blossom the frogs are peeping the leaves on the trees begin to out. The weather is very warm the birds are singing which makes music to us there is almost every variety of birds here we had a thunder shower here yesterday afternoon it cleared off so that the sun set clear this morning I got up off my secesh bed and went out and it was the most beautiful morning I have seen in a long time. I eat my breakfast of cold rice but johny cakes and butter with a good relish (O by the way we have a woman cook which suits us pretty well) After breakfast one of the boys and my self thought we would take our canteen and walk out and see what we could find we went about a mile and found a (I suppose they call it a house) where we stooped and got our canteen filled with milk at 13 cts per quart The man at the so called house said that he was agoing to plant potatoes next week he said that they generally planted in February but the troops had destroyed the fences so that they were behind. There is one thing that that we have that I guess that you do not yet and that is S H A D at ten cts per price. There is an old slave just here with a basket of eggs to sell.

Island Apr 10th 1862My Dear parents and BrotherOnce more I take my pen in hand to write to you once more I received you letter of the 2nd and last night and was glad to hear from you but was sorry to hear that George was sick with the measles but he is not in the army to have them. I am with the Regt once more we are on Bogues Island. We moved across the sound a few days since to be nearer to our work. I left a few days after I wrote you last I found the encamped about 20 miles from in a small place across the sound from Beaufort We had a very pleasant camp there but we left that for the Island where there is scarce any vegetation except and a few scrubby cedars the Island is very narrow and sandy. I have got to stop for now they have just called me to go on picket guard. I have returned from picket this morning the 7th and now I will try to finish my letter. We had a pleasant time for days after we came across we had quite a time with the rebbles. They send 5 companys from our regiment to drive the rebbels pickets and hold a position near the fork which we did through saturday until sunday morning amidst the explosion of bomb shell from the fort which passed just over our heads and burst within a short distance of us some of the pieces coming pretty near us one piece passed under one mans leg as he was sitting on the ground and struck his gunbarrel with such force as to break it. We were relieved on Sunday morning by another squad which were relieved the next morning and so on while they were building the battery which is nearly completed. It is the 5 11 inch mortars 3 8 inch and 3 long 32 pound rifled siege guns their range is 5 miles and the battery is within a mile of the fort they shoot steel pointed wrought iron balls which we imagine will do some executing if they are well aimed which I think they will be. Probably we shall have some more work in a few days but it will be mostly with the artillery I think about those shirts I shall not them I drew some new ones which were due me day before yesterday. I will let you know if I need them we were payed off a few days ago and last night the Express agent came in camp with envelopes. Lieut. Roberts got some of him and I sent Father in a package to Albin Ferris with and Hilliard change is very scarce her so I did not pay the express you can go to and get it and use it if you want it or do what you think best with it. I want you to use some of it for me When George gets well I want the Daguerreotype of Father and you and George in one case you and Father in one side and George in the other and send it to me by mail or express as you think best the express does not come any farther than Newburn. I think it would come as safe by mail so anyway and I think of going down to the this afternoon and take a bath in the salt water it is but a few steps from camp if I had any way to send them I would send you some of the shells that lay strewn along the beach I have some in my napsack which I shall bring home with me if I come the oysters are plenty here also clams all they cost is the time of digging them. We have another article I have not mentioned and that is Salmon trout at five cents apiece I shall have to close for the drum has beat for dinner. So good by for this time.From you affectionate sonCharles D. GarlickP.S. Direct to Charles D. GarlickCo I 8th Regt. C. V.Third BrigadeBurnsides divisionNewbirn N. C.Give my respects to allP. S. Tell Grandpa that we had a foot race with the rebbles the other day I thought when I was at home I could run some but these southern sand pipers beat all the running I ever saw the other day when we were chasing them over the sand hills when we got a sight at them they were bobbing over the sand knoles like so many toads they were far in advance and gaining all the time and hollowing come on you damed yankees I guess they found us coming (I do) You spoke about some secesh I have got a secesh Testament which I will send if I have a chance. Charles Irwin was sent home recruiting perhaps you will have a chance to see him.Charles D. Garlick

Sharpsburg, MarylandTuesday Sept 28th 1862Dear FatherI write you this by the hand of my friend Bardsey Gilbert who is taking care of me to let you know where I am and how I am getting along. I was unlucky enough the day of the battle to get a bullet in my body. It went in to my back near my left shoulder and is in my body now but the Surgeon says that it is doing well. The Surgeon says that the bullet will not trouble me much. He thinks it was a terrible battle we had just half of our company in killed and wounded. The killed are David Lake and Robert Ferriss and a man by the name of George Burch. Robert Ferriss was shot through the breast. He fell dead. Lake was shot in the hip and the ball glanced upwards into his bowels. He lived until the next day. The wounded are Robert Stuart, Barth Latin (?), Wm Terrell, Timothy T. Terrell, John Geeley, Orville Sprague, Oscar Squire, John McKay(?), Charles N. Erwin, and myself but there is none of them that is dangerously wounded. We had a color guard the day of the battle of two sergeants and seven corporals and they were all killed or wounded except the loss in our regiment is about 200 killed and wounded. Our Lieut. Col, was wounded very severely in the leg but I believe that he has not had it amputated although they thought it would be necessary. I received a letter from mother the day before we left Washington and should have answered it before this but I have had no opportunity. I hope to be well enough before a great while to write to you myself and then I will give you the full particulars of our march and doings since leaving Washington. Give my respects to all enquiring friends and now farewell for this time. I remain your dutiful sonCharles GarlickP.S.When you write to me the directions will beCharles GarlickCo I 8th Regt, C. V.General HospitalNear SharpsburgWashington Co.??Care Dr. Warner MdSurgeon in ChargeChas. Garlick

General Hospital near SharpsburgSunday Sept 28th 1862My Dear Parents.I thought that I would have a few more lines written to you to day to let you know how I was getting along. I am feeling some better to day and hope to be about before long, I received a letter from home this morning and was glad to hear from you once more. When I am well enough to stand it the Surgeon will give me a furlough to come home but I will have to pay my own expenses therefore please to send me about twenty dollars in a letter. Send it as soon as you receive this. The reason that I send for this money is that I can not get my descriptive to draw my pay. This pay day the reason I cannot get it is because the company book are all left in Washington. The wounded are all going home on furloughs as fast as they get able. A great many have gone. Please tell Robert Erwin that I received a letter from him to day and was very much pleased to hear from him and should answer it if I was able as soon as I get well I will try to answer all letters that I receive during my indisposition. I close in hopes of soon being where I can tell you how I feel without the use of pencil and paper. Give my respects to all enquiring friends.I remain your affectionate SonCharles D. GarlickP. S. The directions areCharles D. GarlickCo I 8th Regt. C. V.General Hospitalnear SharpsburgWashington Co.Md.(Care Dr. Warner)(Surgeon in charge)

U. S. Army General Hospital,New Haven, Conn., July 28th 1863Dear parentsI now take my pen in hand to write to you once more. I have written to you twice and have not received an answer yet. I am feeling quite well now and hope that you are the same. We have not been paid yet but expect to get some rocks pretty soon. I am in the office now as the adjutant's orderly. It is a pretty good place. We have a good deal to do here now in making out details for escorting conscripts to camp. There was a number tryed to run away the other night two was shot dead one was pretty badly wounded he was brought up to the hospital his left arm was amputated on Sunday morning. I guess he will not try to get away again. They were substitutes.There was several of my regiment came here on the boat the other night but none from my Company but they said the boys were all well and are at Portsmouth V.A. now they have a first rate camp and the duty is light. Give my respects to all that enquire and please write soon. As ever your affectionate son,Charles D. Garlick

Knight U. S. A. General HospitalNew Haven August 13th 1863My Dear parents and BrotherI now take my pen in hand to write you a few lines. I am in good spirits now and hope these few lines will find you the (in the crossed out) same. By the time that this reaches you I shall be on my way to the front. We leave here at the time o'clock Boat tomorrow morning for New York. I could not come home before I went but do not worry about me. I shall be home soon to stay some time if nothing happens and I do not think there will.I will send my valise by express to you among the lot is a pair of boots for George. Tell him to wear them for me (and a coat also). Also a dress coat for Father. It is too large for George. I will write to you soon as I get to a stoping place. Yours as ever in haste.Your affectionate sonCharles D. GarlickCo I 8th Regt.Conn. Vols.

U. S. ARMY GENERAL HOSPITAL,New Haven, Conn., 186Portsmouth, Va.Aug 30th 1863My Dear parents and BrotherI now take this opportunity to write you a few lines. I am very well though somewhat tired after my journey but it is not finished yet. The Regt is about 50 miles from here way down in the middle of the dismal swamp and we are stooping here until we can get transportation down there. When I wrote you last we were at Bedlowes Island and now we are way down in old Virginia. We had a very pleasant journey coming down here. We left Fort Hood Bedlowes Island the 19th took the boat there from South Amboy there took the cars for Philadelphia which were so crowed that we with several other took the platform on the outside and I lay down and slept all of the way Philadelphia arrived there about daylight took a good breakfast at the Cooper shop refreshment saloon went from there over to the Baltimore depot took the cars there about 8 o'clock arrived at Baltimore at 3 o'clock pm stayed there until 6 o'clock took supper and stayed until next day about 10 o'clock took the cars for camp distribution stayed there till I got tired of that place (We left there the 27th came to Washington stayed over night marched over to Georgetown took the boat about 9 o'clock for Fortress Monroe arrived there at 1 am the next day stayed there about an hour and then took the boat across to Portsmouth where we are now. I must close for we have come to fall in and go up to the Gen. Harland head quarters. Give my respects to all that enquire and write soon and tell me all of the news. We have pretty good news here this morning from Charles so good bye for this time.As ever your affectionate sonCharles D. GarlickPS. Direct to Charles D. GarlickCo I 8th Regiment Portsmouth VirginiaVia, Washington D. C.

I did not have a chance to express the sashel?? myself but left it with a chum of mine Henry Warnock he said he should express it and take a receipt. I should not pay the express for I did not have money enough and shall not get any for this time for I did not get here in time for muster so I shall have to wait two months more. In the sachel was one black dress coat and brown sack coat and pair of blue pants two or three white shirts one pair of boots I have forgotten what else I shall write to Henry Warnock tomorrow if I have time and will find out about the sachel. When you write to Alice tell her that I hope she will excuse me for not writing to her for I hardly get time to write home but tell her I am innocent of the charge she against me of having someone of more consequence to write to but if she is bound to court martial me I shall have to stand it but I shall not plead guilty. It seams to me that they might have had some of those weddings that have come off and are to come off before I left New Haven so I might have got a chance to see if not taste some of the cake I must close for this time as it is roll call and I am pretty sleepy. Give my respects to all that enquire and tell Uncle Seymore that I am glad he has got home I would like to see him and the rest of the folks Please excuse the bad writing ? In haste yourAffectionate son (pls write soon)Charles D. GarlickCo I 8th Regt C. V.Portsmough, VaVia Fortress MonroeCharles D. GarlickCo I 8 Regt.

Chesapeake Genl HospitalFortress Monroe VaJune 15th 1864My Dear parentsI received you kind letter of the 13th just today and was very glad to hear from you and glad to learn you are all well. I am feeling better now than I have in some time before. I think the salt water breeze had a pretty good effect on me. It is a very pleasant place here this summer quite cool to what it is a little inland. There is a large government farm here that furnishes us with all the fresh vegetables that is needed in the hospt. We have had given peas about three weeks which don't go against the constitution very bad. I guess not. I have given up all thoughts of getting north this summer. I am detailed here now in the dining room to wait on the table I have to work about 5 or 6 (?) hours each day and get pretty good grub which is the main thing with a soldier you know and am pretty well contented to pass three months here when my time will be out. I saw Ashbels name in the paper yesterday as being wounded also, two others from my Co. I heard there was but 15 men left of the Regt but I do not believe any such thing. I mailed a picture yesterday for you of Hampton Hospital and a few days since I have mailed a book and I will mail another with this. I have got the letter which you send me to New Haven. It came just in time for I was broke and out of tobacco and stamps and had to do my own washing. I will close this for I have got to write a letter to Billy Stilson (?) yet tonight. Give my respects to all that enquire and write soon.From your affectionate sonCharles D. Garlick

Chesapeake Genl HospitalNear Fortress Monroe Va.July 23rd 1864Dear parentsI now take my pen in hand to acknowledge the receipt of your kind and welcome letter of the 19th (which came to hand to day) it found me well as usual and I hope this will find you on the mend. I am doing pretty well here now. I am detailed in the Officers Mess room where I do not have to work very hard and get my good which you know is of the most consequence to a soldier as long as he can get his he is right. I commence at 5 in the morning and work till about 9 in again 1/2 past 7 in the evening.Thank kind fortune I am on the last two months of three years service and in a fair way for a discharge an honorable one too I hope. The weather here is awful hot one day and cold the next. We have had a little rain for the last week before that it was awful dry. I don't want you to send me any money for I can get along better without it you can for two months and as for those shts if George wants them fix them for him and let him wear them and save what money he can for I want to take him to New Haven with me when I come home I want him to see a little of city life the folks. As for your doing better by going to the bridge I do not know about that I think with the right management you can do better there you are sure of enough to live on any way if and will not have to buy it. I know wages and groceries of dry goods are high but produce is a high in proportion so as far as I can see it is all long as it is broad and I think you have got the best end of the bargain after all. I wrote a letter to Alice the other day and have got an answer and I must answer that to night so I hope you will excuse this from yourAffectionate sonCharles D. GarlickP. S. The folks Alice wrote are all well and send their love to you they want me to come out there this fall. I will see about that by and by.C. D. GarlickFortress Monroe Va.P.S. Please write soon as it was two weeks since I wrote to you before I got an answer and I begun to feel anxious about you at home.Yours trulyCharlesP. S. Again I want to know if Father has ever seen anything of Bill Stilson in New Milford lately I have written to him but get no answer if you see him tell him I will give him if he don't write to me.

Chesapeake Genl. HospitalNear Fortress Monroe VaAug 6th 1864My Dear ParentsI now take my pen in hand to answer your kind letter of the 31st ? which came to hand to day and found me as well as usual and I hope this will find all well and getting along good. I am glad to hear that father is on the gain tell him he should look out for the old cow next time and not let her out flank him. It is awful hot and dry here now. We had a little shower tonight but it did not amount to much. It only made the mosquitoes thicker than ever and most blood thirsty. I tell you they will almost carry a fellow off four of them will get a stretcher and come to our tents and try to get us on for to have a ride but we can't see it they want to get us on and then fly off with us and are just as likely to drop us in Richmond as any other place. Well I guess this will do for once. Lieut. Chas. Irwin came down here last Thursday. He is sick with a fever. He says the boys are all in fine spirits. Capt. Roberts is in the Corps Hospital sick. He has not been well this summer but has kept with the Regt. till a few days since when he was sent to this hospital. Well what do you think about the war. Things are progressing favorably and they Genl Grant has a given them a little bit of a kick and in my opinion we can look for more one of these days that will set Mr. Johnny secesh a flying. I am detailed as night watch now. I am on duty from 9 o'clock at night until one then have the remaining part of the hours to myself. Please excuse this for the paper is worse then poor and the pen is worse yet. From your affec sonChas D. Garlick

Knight General HospitalNew Haven, Conn., August 7th 1864Dear parents and BrotherI now take my pen in hand to write you a few lines. I am well for me and hope these lines will find you the same. I am getting along first rate here in the office but have considerable to do. I had to work till after dark tonight and it is now after ten o'clock that I take my pen in hand to write you these lines. Perhaps it will be the last that I shall write you from here. I am going to the regiment in a few days (We are not paid yet but expect it soon and then we leave for the front. I shall try to home before I go away if I do not you must not worry about me for I think that I have not been two years in the service for nothing. I shall try to keep my self for one short year. I think I can do it and then the army may whistle before they get me again. (I would not wonder)I will send enclose in this a picture of Bill Sergeant with no arms. Give my respects to all that enquire and please write soon.From your affectionate son.Chas. D. GarlickP.S. Direct to Knight U.S.A. General HospitalNew HavenConn