Jacob Swartzlander
Beaufort, S.C.

                                 Beaufort, S.C.
                                 April 14th. 1863

Han,
            I have just received from the government
a lot of stationery, and the first I use of the paper
shall be a sheet to write a few lines to you.
         I perceive by your last two letters nearly every
one at home either is or has been sick,
and some have just deceased.
I am glad I am in the army, where I es-
cape all such pests as sore throat and many
other things I was subject to at home.
I expect you have heard by this time of the
attempt to take Charleston with the iron clad
fleet, and you no doubt feel some anxiety on
account of the 104th who was in the expedition.
You can rest easy about the 104th., they have
been perfectly safe ever since they left Virginia
and at present they are all well.
But as regards the taking of Charleston, that
proved a failure. If not a failure it has been
postponed for the present.

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