1             Bucks County Intelligencer,  From the 104th Regiment.  August 16, 1864  Page 3  Col. 3             1

 

From the 104th Regiment.

HILTON HEAD, S. C., Aug. 1st, 1864.

Messrs. Editors :—Since I last wrote you but little of

importance has transpired in regard to military affairs. 

Maj. Gen. Foster has issued an order to the effect that no one

shall give information of any military operation, in progress

or in contemplation, to their friends or the public press, as it

is fraught with incalculable evil to our cause.  This is an

important order, and should be strictly enforced everywhere

within the union lines, from Maine to the Gulf and Pacific

coast.

A market-place has been established at the pilot’s wharf,

and all producers bringing marketing to the post of Hilton

Head are required to take their produce directly to the

market-place, and there offer it for sale between the hours of

5 and 11 o’clock A. M. ; and after such hours will produce

unsold, will be offered at the camps, private dwellings, &c.,

at market prices established from District Head Quarters.

This is among the best of all orders lately issued; as it

enables each one to purchase at reasonable prices.  We are

in the height of watermelons, which can be bought at prices

ranging from fifteen to thirty cents; chickens sell from

fifty to seventy cents per pair ; boiling corn twenty-five cents

per dozen ears ; tomatoes ten cents per dozen ; cucumbers

two for five cents, &c., &c.  Rest assured that we are enjoy-

ing the fruits of the season immensely, it being the first

summer since our enlistment that we have had the chance

to indulge in the luxuries fresh from Mother Earth.

We had marching orders yesterday, and leave to-day for

some other point.  Many are conjecturing as to our destina-

tion—some to Florida, others Morris Island, Pennsylvania,

Virginia, &c.  If North, most likely to Grant, to try our

speed in running on Virginia soil, as we have proved to be

such gallant boys in that line of business on John’s Island,

S. C., during that raid of Maj. Gen. Foster.  The article in

the Press concerning it, was one of the most ungrateful lies

ever published.  The writer is known, and if he is not care-

ful, Generals Foster and Hatch will pull his rougish ears.

The 104th were in line through a thick tract of woodland

on the left of the rifle-pits, and fought the rebels with daring

bravery, having a cross-file on the enemy during the en-

gagement.  After the enemy was repulsed, we were relieved

by one of Col. Montgomery’s regiments, which is famous in

this Department for its bad actions on Morris Island and

Olustee, and in which Gen. Birney had no confidence during

the raid at White Point.

We were relieved, after the engagement, to build the

bridge for the retreat of the army, and selected on account

of being the best working regiment in the Department. 

The regiment above alluded to has a wide-spread, but inglo-

rious reputation, for its conduct in firing upon Union regi-

ments during the late expedition.

The officers of that regiment, by doing injustice to us, will

disgrace the country they represent, and the good people  of

old Bucks will stigmatize them with shame forever.  I did

not think they would be guilty of such gross injustice two

years ago.                    Very Respectfully,                T. C.