Describes the island as barren and consisting of nothing but sand, except for the upper end which has pitch pine trees, a few palmettos, and a few prickly pears; some animal life consisting of a few raccoons, some wild cows and bullocks, and hogs, abandoned by the Southerners when the fort was evacuated; they have been busy transporting the stores off of the S.S. Constitution, a large 3,575 ton side-wheel steamer, built in New York in 1861, and using the left-behind brick to build ovens, a cook house, and dig a well; he has also been training on the 9 inch gun which has no after wheels, so they have to be run out with a roller handspike and side tackles; he has recently seen Ezra Brown; they have a little steamer called the New London which is kept busy chasing the rebel steamers; other ships mentioned in the letter include: another steamer, the U.S.S. Massachusetts, also is at Ship Island, and the gunboat, the U.S.S. Cuyler, is also present.

Writes that the steamer Constitution arrived yesterday after leaving Fort Monroe only three days prior, bringing over 2,000 men including the fourth lieutenant and five men from his battery; says the Zouaves and Mounted Rangers that arrived on the Constitution are fine-looking men with fine uniforms and equipment; describes the excitement of the day when two rebel steamers attempted to either spy upon the island or run past it to Mobile, but were prevented by the actions of the Cuyler and Water Witch; also describes the dimensions and guns of the ship New London commanded by Captain Reed which was unable to participate because they had no steam on; has also heard that a large iron steamer the La Buan of Hull, England, has been captured off the Texan coast full of cotton worth $500,000 by the U.S. sloop of war Portsmouth; reports on the death from lung fever of a Mr. Richardson from Middleton Massachusetts, who had just arrived on the Constitution; and states that his ink is poor, being made from gunpowder and vinegar.

Claims that his camp on the island is the healthiest place in the South, being free of malaria, and that there is no need to worry about him, notes the arrival of General [Benjamin?] Butler on the steamer Mississippi yesterday with the 31st Massachusetts Regiment on board, the steamer Fulton on March 8th with the 12th Connecticut and 13th Maine on board, the steamer Constitution on March 12th with the 4th [Massachusetts?], 6th Michigan, and 21st Indiana regiments on board, the ship E. Wilder Farley, with six companies of the 8th New Hampshire; they currently have four batteries and he believes that Nims Battery is coming soon from Baltimore.

Has received his parcel and letter from home by Frank Butler in the steamer Saxon and met a young man named Dermott from Chelsea on the same ship; thanks him for the items in his parcel, particularly the papers which were recent; one regiment and one section of light artillery went together with two gunboats over to Mississippi last Wednesday to drive away the enemy and burn their camp; the gunboats also captured a Secesh Steamer, and a river boat named the C.P. Wallis full of stores of spirit of turpentine, rosin, and tobacco; and lists the victories of the Federal army that he has read about in the papers.

Writes about the money he sent home and why it may not have arrived; their concern about bogus agents; describes the Mississippi River, which they entered at the S.W. Pass on Friday; passed Pilot Town and two plantations or farms partly covered with water; and mentions the current bombardment of Fort Jackson by their gunboats.

Has enjoyed the news of the victories at the battles of Pittsburg [Landing?] (also known as Shiloh) and Winchester, the success of General Pope at Island No. 10, the capture of the Crescent City, and the evacuation of Yorktown by the rebels; further discusses the effect of the Battle of Pittsburg or Shiloh on the Louisiana Regiments and the rebels; and hopes their troops are even now attacking Memphis.

Has had to move camp several times in the last few days; refers to McClellans success as reported in the papers and hears very little news in this place; hopes McDowell will do something soon; says the rebels have been great, on concentrating a large number of troops in a place where they were least expected, all through the war; along with some others, he sold his beef and pork rations for money to buy chickens so they could make soup and then made hoe cake in a frying pan yesterday.

Reports that his health has remained good in spite of all the various problems with adequate shelter, quality of water, temperature changes, and mosquitoes, the only exception was upon his arrival at Camp Parapet; has been busy making out muster rolls and pay rolls and company writing; discusses his participation in the Battle of Baton Rouge and the bravery of the troops with the exception of the 7th Vermont Regiment.

Writes in disgust about the loss of 18 pieces of cannon by McDowell at the Battle of Bull Run; feels that if the people would rise up determined to fight and enlist, the [rebel] army that is now before Washington would soon be cut to pieces, and as this is the last great attempt of the rebels it has been done with great impetuosity and with their combined energies, if this army should be knocked in the head they would not raise another. Also reports they are going to Fort Pike on Lake Pontchartrain soon.

Writes that the opening of the Mississippi has been accomplished; mentions several battles in the vicinity, including [Brashear?] City, Port Hudson, Fort Butler, and the loss of two pieces of artillery; and expects the paymaster to come any day.

Has marched from Donaldsonville to this new camp, where General Banks had a hard fight last spring; rumors of the rebels at New Iberia, Franklin, or at Vermillion; additional rumors about an armistice; present camp is along the main road to Franklin close by Bayou [Teche?] where lies the remains of the iron-clad steamer [Cotton?] destroyed by an expedition under the command of General Godfrey Weitzel which he describes.

They left Opelousas day before yesterday and marched to Corwin Crow Bayou for strategic reasons; has heard a rumor that General Samuel Peter Heintzelman left from a Northern port on an expedition to Texas; also heard about a battle between Meade and Lee on the old Bull Run battle field; and thanks him for the box he is sending, especially the boots, since he is in the saddle a lot and the army boots dont work well for that.

Has been on ship for about three months but did not get any mail until recently for they had all been sent to the wrong address; and had heard Eddie was at home but hoped he had not re-enlisted.

The Evening Star arrived this evening and according to the extra newspaper, General Grant had flanked Lee within seven miles of Richmond; thinks that Sherman is doing well and whipping Johnston; the Gulf Department has not had much action lately, but the rebels had a blockade above Vicksburg for some days.

Hopes they have received the money he has been sending, and all have turned in their muskets for guns and will probably be in the field very soon, roughing it.

Discusses the impending election between Lincoln and McClellan and circulating pamphlets concerning the peace in any terms party; most of the men favor Abraham Lincoln; wonders why the Massachusetts soldiers in the field are not allowed to vote; lists several expeditions that he has been on, including two to the Atchafalaya River, two to Bayou Sara, to Francisville, and one to Union Point up the Mississippi River; most interesting sight was Fort Adams and the Red River; have had a lot of artillery practice; and presently searching for Louisiana rebels in arms.

Informs him that the valise arrived safely while he was away on a scout; and they have not been paid for seven months.

Expresses surprise that they have not heard from him as he writes regularly; has been feasting on oysters; expects they will soon be knocking at the earthworks of Mobile; hopes that Charleston and Wilmington will soon follow; says that Fort Morgan is a very strong brick work but on the landward side sharpshooters could pick off any man attempting to work the parapet guns; and also describes Fort Gains.

Discusses the necessity of selling the farm; describes the difficult march to his new camp and trying to set up the guns while under fire, declaring that the spade and shovel are as necessary to an army as the rifle and cannon.

Discusses their worries about Charlie and his concern over them not receiving the bank notes sent from New Orleans; Captain Trull and seventeen of their men went to Austin to escort the Provisional Governor Hamilton; and he also tells a story about Captain Grover of the 7th Battery and a party of his men, mounted as cavalry, traveling 70 miles up into the country to apprehend a murderer and being fired upon by a man mistaking them as Jayhawkers in Federal uniform, since a group of them had threatened him that if he hired a Negro they would visit his home.

Had arrived in New Orleans on the 28th, their ship having been aground on the bar since the 24th apparently after a trip home; he had sailed on the Cleopatra from Cape Cod with goods to stock a store in New Orleans.

Discusses business matters, real estate in New Orleans and Charlestown, and the high cost of rent in the city, preparing 15 boxes of tin for roofing, and the early appearance of blackberries and strawberries.