1861 May 16 Fort Palmetto

My Dear Wife

I was in receipt of
your welcome letter last evening and
should have answered it last night
but the “Skeeters did bite”

The news reached us to-night
that our regiment was to be disb-
anded. If this be true (and I believe
there is no doubt of the matter) I
will be home sooner that I expected
say two weeks. I expect there will
be another call for volunteers for
the war. I cannot say what I will
do until I come home. A number
of the boys are very anxious that I
should take charge of a company
to go to Virginia or any other point

You need not however think anything of it
until I come home. By the way Macfie
has just come in and tells me that
we are not to be disbanded, but are
to be sent home to await orders,
our pay still going on as if we were
in service. Yet we have recently heard so
many rumors concerning our removal
that we don’t know what is true.

There is still much disaffection existing
in camp. I mean in our company.
I expected that things would go on
better, but not much change
has taken place in the conduct of
our officers

Speaking of our Linda
you must certainly get her clothing
if she needs it. I will try and
sell her when I come up.

There is noth
ing very special to communicate.

The Niagara
is supposed to have gone to New-
Orleans. As it is quite late I
must close. Give much love to
all. Write soon. I will write
again tomorrow.

I am your affectionate
Husband

The mosquitoes are about to
eat me up. Tell Nett I
will get the music.
I send you the Parole and
Countersign

James Monroe Phinney to his wife Mary Naylor Chandler Phinney. Phinney was a Confederate officer from Winnsboro, S. C., in the Boyce Guards Militia and the 6th Infantry Regiment. Killed in action at Fair Oaks, Virginia, in 1862.

The U.S.S. Niagara, already noted for laying of the first trans-Atlantic cable and returning Africans liberated from the slave ship Echo to Liberia, was one of the Union vessels blockading the Charleston harbor. Four days prior to Phinney's letter she captured the blockade runner General Parkhill. Her departure, noted by Phinney, was not for New Orleans, but Mobile Bay where she remained for the summer.

MSS 12661