But to return. I will now notice our first picket, and give facts as near as I remember. Our Company was ordered by the Colonel to go on picket to Rockville on the outskirts of Wadmalaw Island, in perfect sight of the enemy’s gunboats, about half mile distance in the Edisto River, and in sight of their camp fires on Edisto Island. Accordingly, we left Camp provided with a weeks rations, a blanket strapped to each ones back, and shouldering our muskets, struck the march for Rockville, 15 miles distance. We marched by fours, and about three in the evening reached a house two miles from Rockville, and took up quarters for the company in the house, pretty weary and tired. The first night was not mine to stand guard, which was very fortunate for me as I was somewhat fatigued. We slept soundly that night, and rising next morning, felt considerably refreshed. Clubbing together, we formed little parties, going about on the island, some in search of something to eat, some for simple curiosity, and others for books and camp plunder, etc. The coming night was the night for picket, and the Company fell in and marched down to Rockville, marching along behind the hedges and fences to keep out of sight of the Yankee lookouts, to whom we did not wish our whereabouts to be known. Just as we got in the vicinity of Rockville, a very heavy rain shower came up, drenching us to the skin. We marched on through the beautiful little village, one of the prettiest that I have ever seen, and took up quarters in one of the largest houses, and after stationing pickets on the banks of the river to watch for boats we lay down on the floor and was soon sound asleep.
Nothing of importance occurred that night. The next night was my turn for picket, and when it arrived my Captain took me down to the river banks, stationed me there, and ordered me to watch for boats and if I saw any to fire on it, and retreat to the house. I took my post, with a blanket around me to keep off the shrill, cold sea wind, and I stood and watched the rolling expanse of waters before me until I was tired out. About midnight I got so sleepy that I could hardly keep my eyes open, and every now and then would drop off in a gentle snooze, and would be awakened by the loud blowing of the porpoise in the river, or the constant dash of the waves on the shore. I though it the longest night ever human mortal experienced, and I fervently wished a boat with Yankees would come along, that I might fire into her, but none came. The Captain brought me a chair about midnight; I sat down in it, trying my best to keep awake until morning, but would occasionally drop off into little snoozes, but joy divine, I at last saw the bright light of day begin to dawn, and nights dark mantle was withdrawn. Then I was relieved after standing post the whole night, from dark until daylight, then leaving a picket in the place, we marched the company back to tour temporary quarters. When I got back to the house the first thing I did was, as, Dick, the cook, said, to eat a pound and a half of bacon, with bread in proportion, and then for sleep, but strange to say, I could not sleep, but was running about all day with the boys, sometime sailing on the tide in a leaky boat, and again catching crabs, and gathering oysters. That evening Lieutenant Logan came down to us, who had been home on sick furlough, and brought us orders to repair to camps instantly as the Regiment had received marching orders. Accordingly, we withdrew the pickets and took up line of march for camps. I was no little fatigued in this march, but kept up as well as any, as I always made it a point never to break down as long as one leg would follow the other, but I had stood guard the preceding night, not sleeping any of the any consequence, for 48 hours and was necessarily tired. When we got to camp all was quiet as ever, the marching orders having bee countermanded. So we were once more back into our old camps, and I tell you what, I did some tall sleeping that night. The next morning I got up considerably refreshed, and for several days we lolled about the camp, playing ball, fishing, drilling, etc. One day I went up to one of the large swamps, close by us, taking my gun and killed a small alligator, of which there was a great plenty, but could not get him out of the water. Also, there were a great many cranes all ‘round us, and finding some of their nests, I climbed up to them and got the eggs, over which I had a superb feast when I got back to camp. My faithful old servant Horace attended to me in these marches, ever careful to procure my comfort as he best could, carrying me little extra bites of something to eat, always having my dinner and cooked at the proper time. We did not have very many expeditions while at this camp, besides two or three other trips to Rockville, Bears Bluff, and of little consequence, and several forages and false alarms, caused sometimes by the sentinels firing at imaginary enemies, or discharging their guns by accident or carelessness. I went on several forages. I went on a forage once on Kiawah Island, right on the sea coast with A. McElwee and the Major and Commissary Captain W.B. Matts of the Regiment. I rode in a little wagon with the former mentioned gentlemen. The distance was about 25 miles. We passed on to Seabrook Plantation1, where a few days before the Stone Scouts had a brisk skirmish with the Yankees, the marks of the combat were distinctly to be seen on the trees and surrounding houses, which were perforated with balls. Here we crossed the river bridge over on Seabrook Island, we struck across the island and soon arrived at the other side, and crossed another stream on a very dilapidated bridge, over to Kiawah Island. From here we had a distinct view of the sand hills on the ocean beach. As we got on the island we struck on to a little road just wide enough for the wagons to pass through, with a jungle on each side of palmettos and other low country vegetation so thick that you can not see five steps into it, to let alone penetrating it. We proceeded, and at length arrived at one of the plantations, at the extreme verge of the island, where we found several negroes, the only persons on the island, from whom we bought all the chicken and eggs they had, and several young lambs, with which we loaded our wagons and then Captain Metts lending me his horse, I, with the rest of the party, two excepted, rode down to the beach to see the ocean. Accordingly we rode down there and rode along the beach for three miles or so, occasionally dismounting to pick up some pretty shell, it being in some respects new to me. We rode on until our guide, Captain Walpole, discovered a footprint freshly made in the sand, and knowing it to be one of our enemies, with the true instinct of a scout, grew cautious, and we turned into a little path and rode on until we reached the main road conducted by our guide, without whom we would have been certain to have gotten lost. We soon caught up with the wagon and proceeded to camp without accident, arriving about nine at night. When, after unloading the wagon, we retired to our tents and arose the next morning considerably refreshed in mind and body.
1 William Seabrook House - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Seabrook_House