1862 January 17 C. S. Steamer "Ellis"

My Dear Mother [Olivia Alexander Page]

I wrote to you about a week ago
but as yet have received no answer, although I am not
at all astonished at it, as this is the most dreary, desolate
and out of the way place in the world, and such a
thing as receiving or sending a letter is merely by chance
alltogether as there is no post office, and no silver or
postage stamps to mail letters even if we had one here.
You may imagine what kind of life we lead here
when we are lying out in the sound, with hardly
any communication with the shore, as dreary as the
water is, constantly expecting an overwhelming attack
from the "Yanks" below us, employed night, day, and
Sundays also in sinking schooners, and having the
sound piled. Beautiful, charming life--Indeed it is--
Well just so--somebody has to do, and I recken we
will do as well as anybody else. I expect to spend
February at the "Fort Warren Hotel", so you need
not be surprised to hear from me there, or from
"Davy Jones Locker", but I hope better times are coming.
I am perfectly well, and I am going to be married
just as soon as the War is over, to the nicest little
Damoiselle you ever saw, "beautiful creature"--"Seven
twenee feet longee". The Yankes at Hatteras are said
to have 30 Gin Boats, and 30,000 men awaiting for
reinforcements to attack this place or Newbern, which
one we dont know, but Newbern being so well defended
I think they will attack us here, we have 8 Gun Boats
and 4 land Batteries, with about 2,500 men to meet
so you see I expect all hands will winter in "Fort

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Warren Hotel," but one thing certain, we will give them
the warmest reception they have ever had, and if they
willwait two weeks longer, we will have cannon to
right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon all a-
round them, and as "on dit" we will drive all of them
in to the jaws of h-l, "Excusez moi" for the expression--
When did you hear from Mr. Page? when you write tell
me all about him, and all the others, of my many rela-
tions on the banks of the Potomac. What are you and the
'children doing with yourselves? I hope Cousin Tom is
still staying with you yet. Give my best love to them
and Aunt Mary's family &c and Kiss dear little Monie
Will, and Mary Mann for me. Ma I wish you would
have yours and the childrens daguerreotypes taken
together , and send them to me together with one of Mr
Page in his uniform, please do it now Ma, and don't
forget, for I may have to stay at "Mr Warrens fine Winter
resort for Southern Army and Naval Officers" this winter
for the benefit of my health, which about this time is
in quite a precarious predicament. But don't [be] at
all uneasy my Dear Mother, as I will be sure to turn
up all right after a while. I shall always from here
or wherever I am, as often as I can get an opportunity
of so doing, and if you do not hear from me, as often
as I would like to write, do not be all at uneasy. Write
dear Mother as often as you can, you have no idea
how a letter from home cheers up this old desolate sound.
We went down yesterday to shell out some Yankes who had
landed on the main, but they "wasn't thar" when the "Stars
and Bars" arrived. Give my love to all and Kiss the children
for me, and now dear Mother--Goodby--Write and direct to Roanoke
Island. Midn R. A. Camm, Care of Capt. Cook C. S. S. Ellis--

R. A. Camm

Mr Page, his stepfather Edwin R. Page. Monie[Edmonia], Will and Mary Mann are his half siblings

MSS 8937