Saint Augustine Fla., Oct 10th '62

Dear Wife & Children

There is a Mail to leave tomorrow I will write you a word My health is improving & but one drawback. I was out on fatigue in the hot Sun two days & it affects my Head skin hot & Feverish & beside that I have a severe pain in my right Lung I think it is Pleurisy I have not drawn a long breath for 24 hours. I was put on Duty the first pop. Capt Cotton being alone Lieut Mason is Act. Ajutant, as Henderson is sick with Fever, Cotton is Officer of the Day consequently I am in commd of Co. & very busy. I think this a very healthy place & presume I shall be well in a few days, the sun makes me dizzy sometimes I can hardly see but as you are aware I never have the headache I feel very thankfull. There is not a thing in the uniform line that I can buy here but by borrowing & buying some I have managed to appear quite respectable I got a very good Coat of Order by Brown of Co. G. he expected to get a commission but there being no chance at present he concluded to sell I bot a Belt for a dollar a very good one & had two Setts of Shoulder Straps given me Old Ones also borrowed a sword of Lieut Bryant of Co. I. who is sick; for Pants I have to wear my old Soldier Pants. bot a pair of Glove Kid Congress Boots for $4.50 Cheap hey, the only shoes I could wear in Town. Paper Collars 50 cts per doz I cant buy a Shirt for love or money I dont dare to tell you what I pay for board but I must out with it $5.00 per week at the Florida House with the Col. I tried my best to get into a Mess but could not & Capt Cotton was dead sett against my eating with the Co. I do not intend to board there long am trying to start a Mess that will not cost more than 2.50 or 3.00 I think it will be a benifit to me to live well for a week or two. We get Beef Mutton Clams Fish very cheap can buy Fish of 2 lbs for 5 cts the cheapest eating I have seen in the South there are plenty of Oysters for the getting & shelling I have had none as yet, for I dont know enough to open them,

Eve I have been busy all the afternoon Drilling writing passes &e. I had some Oysters for dinner they were very good but small, I took the Co on Dress Parade tonight Co A is on the extreme right of the Regt where folks look at a fellow I think I got through it about as well as they average. I will give it up Fla beats the world on Mosquitos you have no concept how many there also Midges & Fleas. we had an alarm Tuesday night the Regt got under arms the firing of the Pickets caused it we stood under arms about two hours then broke Ranks the Pickets thought it was Rebel Cavalry for two dead Horses were found in the morning. It so happened that Co. A. was on Picket the next night, three men volunteered to go out on the advance Post I asked Capt Cotton to let me go with them, he gave me permission; I was determined to find out if possible if there was Rebels about, about 10 oclock I steped out into the road & heard something coming for just one minute I thought it was Cavalry for I thought I heard a Sabre rattle but in a minute I knew there was Horses coming but no men on them, before we found out what it was I whispered to one of the men to come to me, none of them had heard them till they got in the road, about 5 minutes down came about a dozen Horses out of the Bushes to an open space & fed there two or three houts & the Picket swore the night before that they could see the men on the Horses & the Buttons on their coats so much for being frightened,

Morning 11th Oct it is very plesant but will be a very hot day I am better of the pain in my lung but not so as to breathe freely yet. I never had any thing like it before I meant to have written more but have been so busy ie so much Duty I have not had time in my next I will give you a description of the place &e will close with the best love to my dear ones

C. Shedd Lieut., Co. A. 7th Regt, N.H. Vol