Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family

Roanoke Island Croatan sound Steamer Sentinal Sunday Eveg march 9, 1862 I write again today hoping I may be able to send in the morning to the Peabody which we understand is to carry a mail North soon. I have no news to relate, on board ship is the dullest place I ever saw, we sit round on stools & boxes until we are lame and then walk the desk a while but the deck is always crowded with our baggage and the men so that there is very little satisfaction in that. If the day is cold at all (fortunately we have seen no really cold weather) I pass a large part there of in the engine room & am entertained by the dilightful conversations between the engin eers & fireman. The engine room is the only place we have to go to if we are cold as we have no fire in the officers quarters (I cannot call it a cabin) and we get our light almost entirely from an open port hole we are now boarding as a mess as before when on board this vessel & we live quite comfortably although not as well as when on shore, there we had sweet potatoes & fresh shad much of the time. Last evening at supper we have baked beans & I could almost imagine I was at the old table at home eating my pork & beans with you all. Oh if it could only have been so. I wish I could go home each Saturday night & return Sunday morning what a difference that would make in my soldiering. while I am upon the bean question I will say a word more, Our cook makes them very good; we have them almost every day, they are not as sweetened & the boys laugh at me sometimes for putting so much sugar on them but you remember my tooth. Yesterday morning several steamers with troops went up the sound on some expedition, they are back to night but we dont know what they have been about, we hear they went to Columbia but dont know. some of our officers have just returned from the main land. they say they went into the first house they saw & the young lady who came to the door said the old man started off fishing right early "got off shading right smart in the morning & he was right jam by now I reckon" They are telling about the dinner they had. Ducks, Lobster, Ham & Eggs, sweet potatoes, cabbage, turnips &C pretty well for Carolina. I would like to have been with them for I have not seen such a display lately. They say they saw a "right smart" pretty girl, but she was sadly in want of snuff. I wonder how pretty girls look I have entirely forgotten. I think if I met one I should uncover my head & stand at one side of the road while she passed. There is great excitement in the fleet to night. A passing boat informs us that Burnside has been made a major Genl & that Nashville & 8000 prisoners have been taken, so we cheer away as loud as the loudest. I hope it may prove true but how the news came I dont understand. while writing Dr Storrs has returned from the Island & confirms the good news, hurrah, he also says that the expedition to Columbia was very cordially received all union men there. I have no faith in these carolinia rascals very little in the union sentiment any where South. we have had no service to day. Mr. Woolley being ashore to bring a private who died in the Hospital ashore was detained there until evening. I think we have had but two regular Sunday services since we quitted Annapolis, once aboard a ship and once on Roanoke Island. I may be wrong but I only recall these two times. I almost but think Mr. woolley is too much engaged by his headaches other ailments. He has so little to do that I dont wonder he has headaches I am sure he has. I should be sick in the same way. March 10 AM I find I am in error in respect to services of Mr. Woolley. I am very well Boat with mail is off. Good bye. no signs of moving yet. Chas (scrap) I send no power of atty, a resignation of Guardianship for I understand by your last letter that they do not wish to buy. I have been very forgetful) & had forgotton all about this business until just now when I must close to reach mail. Is the five year lease of Gordon & Cook out yet, the Rent book will show. I hope Ransom & Kain will stay. I can not advise of him for I know nothing about business prospects at home, you cannot think how lost I am about such matters. I have a great deal of confidence in old Eggleston, disagreeable as he may be & truly believe he will manage the affairs much better that I could if I was there. I fear in these times your rents will decrease very much. I hope to send you some money shortly, we expect our two months pay before long, it is due now. My sickness will cost me about ten dollars for board &C for Eastman & myself Charlie has been very attentive & does first rate. Our horses have not come up from Hatteras yet & I dont know what that bill will amount to but I shall have money enough.