Jan 4th 1862

At daylight this morning a Steamer was reported about 10 she came in & dropped Anchor she proved to be the Neptune with a large mail in which I was very happy yours of the 7th & 14th of Dec & I assure you that I was very glad to hear that you were all well & had recd the money sent; if I have made no mistake I have sent $130 up to this time I am sorry that you should wait for sending that box for fear that we should move; never wait for anything of that kind as you are as liable to miss one train as another, I dont care about a blue vest much, if we stay in the South; as white & buff are worn the year round here. I hope you will think to send that tobacco I sent for a long time ago as it is worth $2 per lb here the Clar Leaf remember, but I presume it is too late for the Box, if not I am afraid the Box will be too late for me this winter write me what the Express bill is on the Box also what it was on the other & the cost of each article that you have to buy in case I have to sell you write me that you will be prudent as possible, do so as it is very uncertain as to when we shall be pd again in regard to buying sheets I have not seen one for a year. I should not buy if you have got clothes enough to keep you warm. There is one lesson the North has got to learn "ie" reform in matters of Luxury and Dress also in living Families will have to Dine on one dish that have had three dishes before. We get Adamantive Candles of the ... for 22 per lb this is the first cost I think if you can get them for 25 per lb "6 in the lb" it will be cheaper than "Kerocene" it strikes me that oil or candles "Tallow or Sperm or Adne" will be cheaper than Kerocene anyway Miss Nannie Dont take anything I have written as fault finding on my part for I presume you have lived close enough & a little more so than is conducive to comfort. I have learned one thing in the Army that I never should have learned at home, that is a Person or Family can live very cheap if they are not too proud ie they must have nothing for show, unless they can afford it whatever their Neighbors have to the contrary not withstanding!

The Mooon is at the Full it is a glorious night just comfortable to sit out in the Piazza which I did after supper tonight & smoked a cigar looked at the Moon while I thought of you My Wife & Darling Children I wish you could be here to night it is so different from the Tremendous cold of N.H, here the Poeple plant their Gardens in Nov. providing they are not too lazy & can have green Peas all winter Turnips Cabbages letuce & in fact anything of that kind that is not killed by a light Frost, here they have a little Pepper Tree that one can go in the garden at any time of year & get green ripe Peppers at his own option, they are small but very sharp & make excelent "Pepper Sauce" the Orange, Lemon, Fig, Persimon, Guava, Peach, Grapes, Corn, Cotton & Sugar Cane grow here & in fact almost anything anyone could wish if only the people would take pains to raise them. it is a great shame they are so shiftless, as almost every house has an ample garden attached, where a family might grow half their living, but all they care to get is a little corn to make Hominy & a little Pork the rest they make up in fish which are the cheapest of anything in this region Oysters are 80 per Gal those they call Matanzas Oysters are 100, they are very nice, large and fat at this season, I have just recd four Papers from Lt Williams they are all Nov papers consequently old, but I thank him just the same as if they had arrived sooner, as there will be many things new to me I hope that Box will arrive the next Boat as I need a pair of shoes the most of anything just now

Yours ever

                                      C Shedd