De Crows Point, Texas Camped on the Beach of the Gulf of Mexico near the mouth of Chatagarda Bay. Dec 23, /63 Dear Friends:
This pleasant afternoon finds your Old Friend away down in Texas. I beleave that I wrote a few lines to you when I was at Algiers, La. Since then we have had quite a pleasure ride on the big waters. We got on board the Steamship Geo. Peabody the morning of the 18th and started down the river about noon the same day. the morning of the 19th about eight oclock we sailed out the mouth of the Mississippi on to the waters of the foaming Gulf. in a few moments we were out of sight of land nothing but the dark blue waters and sky to be seen. we sailed two days and one night before we came in sight of land again. we then sailed along the coast most all one day and finely came to the place where we were to land.. we went on shore the evening of the 21st.. we had a very pleasent trip. the Sailors Said it was as nice a trip as they ever made. it did not storm untill the evening we landed it raned a very little. it is a very barren Country water and wood is very scarce (although almost surrounded with water) but it is salt water. we have to dig holes in the ground and the water runs in through the sand. it tastes rather bad but we have to drink her. there is no timber that grows within less than sixty miles of us. we have to get what little wood we have along the beach. we burn grass logs and cow dung at a great extent. the Soil is all sand & the ground is all Sait. they say it rains sand sometimes but it has not since I have been here. they say that there is a pretty large force of Rebs within about twenty miles of us.. but they don’t seem to like to fight very well. before we came down here the Rebs held Matagorda Island and had a pretty large Fort on it. Seven large Guns.. but our fleet landed on the Island below the Fort and the rebs run and left the hole concern. We are driving them in the direction of Galveston and I expect we will have a little fight there if they dont conclude to run.. after Bankes landed in Brownsville, Texas, he got 12 hundred recruits in one week to fight for the Union. When I was at Algiers I sent to you by Express a record of Co. G. of the 96th Regt.. and told the Express Ageant to keep it until called for and you will find it by going to the Express Office at Delaware.. it cost me two Dollars.. I got me a pair of Boots when at Algiers and other things that I needed so you need not send me any thing unless it is a pr or two of socks. but I am so far away you can not send them. The Boys are all well.. I saw Mel Flagg last night. he is well. give my best respects to all the Folks write often. Yours truly. Lu.Carhart.
(Another sheet of paper)
Dec 23
We stopped last night at place called Gastines Landing. it is on an old Secesh plantation. the Boys got of the Boat and went to the house found the man dresses in Soldiers clothes and they serched the house found four guns and two pistols all loaded and them took him Prisoner, he then owned that he was a Secesh Soldier home on a furlough. I went to the house and help hunt for arms and his woman looked so she was searched most to death but seemed to think it all right, there were 3 or 4 other houses the Boys went to and the men run into the woods and some of the Boys set fire to the houses and burned them up. there was a store house close to where we stoped that had about 1000 bushels of corn in it and they took on to Boats what they wanted they then burned the rest. in the morning when the pickets came in they brought in five other men.
Dec 26. We are now within about 30 miles of Vicksburg. on the Boat one Brigade started yester and scout in the direction of Vicksburg one Company went with them about 10 miles and then was detailed to come back to the Boat with 10 Rebel Prisoners 196 head of cattle 5 mules 10 horses which our Caveley men captured, it was quite a time for Christmas. Diferent I suppose from the times you had in Berlin. our Brigade has not got back yet and don’t know when they will be back, the Brigade thats landed hear with us are out Scouting most all the time and bring in lots of prisoners and stock, I can not write any more now I have a chance to send a letter now for the ð 7 3 first time since I left Memphis and probably will not have another for some time if you do not hear from me you need not feel worried for I am all right. L. C.