Dear Annie

     WE Came back last Evening fairly tired out with our forty Eight hours duty in the trenches. WE started just after dark Monday evening. Our Company was on the left flank and remained with the acted as part of the reserve. WE had nothing to do but avoid the shells that came along but this Kept us busy enough. Pits were dug in rear of the sand hills and whenever the lookouts cried "Cover" Every man dropped flat in the bottom of his. Usually four men were put in a pit.
The rebel aim was splendid, several shells burst so close to us as to make the air sulphurous and one covered me with sand at the bottom of my pit. WE passed the night pleasantly enough but the day was very disagreeable. The sun was intensely hot and the breeze kept the fine powdery sand drifting over us and into our faces continually. The necessity too of Keeping under cover prevented our getting much shade. A shower in the afternoon was most welcome, wetting us but at the same time cooling the air and laying the dust. The enemy did not fire a great deal They evidently did not Know where we were building batteries but fired indiscriminately wherever they saw any of our men. At dark our Company and another was sent to the front to relieve the two that had been on duty there the past twenty four hours The bulk of our regiment were posted in our farthest

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advanced batteries about twelve hundred years from Fort Wagner. About five hundred yards in advance are the rifle pits which we were to occupy. The are of the simplest Kind and poorly laid out. Probably they were thrown up hastily the first night we were on the island before the ground could be examined but they ought to have been strengthened before this. The ground lies thus

[hand-drawn map showing Union positions on Morris Island opposite Ft. Wagner]

The swamp was supposed to protect our left flank but as it turned out this was a bad mistake. Instead of the rifle pits running thus [diagram] They should have been dug thus [diagram] or someway like it. Company D was put in the rifle pits on the left—the more advanced one,—I was left in the right one with our second platoon, while Captain Farrell took the first about one hundred & fifty yards further forward to act as an advanced guard. They were deployed as skirmishers and lay down to watch. Nothing occurred until near one o'clock though early in the evening Capt F sent me word that something was brewing among the rebs. The orders were that the advanced line should fall back to the rifle pits at once if attacked. If attacked in the trenches (the rifle pits are each merely a trench about six feet wide and two and a half deep, the earth thrown up in front so as to form an embanKment covering the men breast high) by a greatly superior force we were to fall back to the supports. About one o'clock suddenly a volley was fired by Capt Farrells party and back they came at double

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quick. Our men were ready in an instant, and as soon as Capt F and his men were inside our line we all commenced firing on the rebs now just in sight through the darkness and about sixty paces off. The fire staggered them, men dropping continually while their fire passed harmlessly, or nearly so, over our heads. They pushed on though to the very foot of the bank receiving a volley almost in their faces and receiving falling back a little probably to wait for their second line which we could see advancing. Company D's trench was about twenty yards in advance of ours and the rebs attempted to surround them by passing through the interval between their trench and ours. Several even jumped into their trench, some were bayoneted, four taken prisoners, the officer leading them shot by one of my men. At this juncture firing was heard on our left some ways in our rear and at the same time a party commenced firing at our left from some boats in the creek and from the marsh. As the enemy were thus getting in our flank and rear and were three or four times greater in number Capt F gave the order to retreat. It was done slowly, firing as we fell back. After retiring about halfway to the battery we met our supports advancing. WE halted, formed line of battle and moved a little to the left to unmask the light artillery. A section of artillery (two pieces) is sent to the front every evening and goes back before daylight. The artillery opened fire, to the three left companies were extended along the marsh, ours as skirmishers where the firing in our left and rear had been, the other two as supports. The other Companies moved to the front but found the rebs had also retreated carrying off their Killed and wounded except two. Gen Strong came up just then and taking one Company sKirmished to within two or three hundred yards of Fort Wagner, within hearing

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but owing to the darkness not within sight of the rebel pickets. Hurst's men [i.e., Capt. Frederick Hurst, Co. K, 48th New York Infantry] were so weary that while waiting for Gen S to make some examination of the ground he had hard work to Keep them from going to sleep. At daylight all the companies were drawn in except D, there being but little danger of an attack during the day. WE were posted at the battery and passed the day quietly, no shells were thrown at us and the battery is so near the water that the sand and sun were not so bad as when in the reserve the day before. The riflemen in Fort Wagner however Kept up a pretty brisk fire and we had to be Cautious about showing our heads above the rampart, not that the firing of a firing rifle would be at all accurate at 1200 yds, but it is desirable not to draw attention to this battery. It is well masked and though the rebs can't fail sometimes to see our men they don't seem to suspect anything. About dark we were relieved and glad enough we were to lie down in our own camp and have a long sleep. I had sent to Folly Island for a change of clothing and having had a surf bath this morning and put my clean clothes on felt quite like myself again.
We lost altogether five men in the affair of last night. In Co D, one Killed, one wounded and one wounded and taken prisoner. In our Co, one of the advanced guard was Killed at the first fire of the rebs and one man is missing. As he was standing near me when the fight began we think he must have been wounded and being overlooked, left behind, when the retreat was ordered.
     WE can only guess at the rebel loss, but it must have been considerable. WE saw quite a number fall especially at the volley fired when they were close on us and which sent their first line back in confusion. It was during this that we retreated. I think they must have lost thirty or forty altogether. One of the prisoners said they numbered about four hundred, which is not far from our own estimate. WE had one hundred and ten men.

We hear that four of the men who were flanking us lost their way and got among the engineers who Captured them. What was the object of the rebel sortie we don't Know. They went but little beyond our rifle pits so their object may have merely been to find out what we were doing there. They paid dearly for the information. If they intended anything more they probably gave up the idea after failing to surprise us.
     Our great luxury here is bathing, the beach is a fine one and we frequently take a dip both morning and evening. After going in turn through mud, sun, water and dust, a bath is of more value than food or sleep.
WE are to move our Camp here soon, at present we are occupying an old rebel camp, and the few tents remaining are not much better than none. Six of us occupy one old wall tent that does not Keep out rain in the least.
     Except in regard to tents, the rebs seem to have been well equipped. The rifles were Enfields like ours but so much better that many of our men have been exchanging their pieces for Captured rebel ones.
     It was well that our attack was not postponed again. A letter Captured stated that fifteen hundred men were to have been added to the garrison the day we captured the lower batteries.
     You need not look to see Charleston fall very soon. At least it seems to me that it must be a slow business though Gen Gilmore [i.e., Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore] evidently means to push things.
Our men have a rather hard time of it, but stand it well, not a bit of grumbling, and nothing better could be desired of their behavior in action.
Gen Strong expressed himself as much pleased at

our management of this little affair. Gen Strong is maKing himself very popular.
     His own disregard of danger and his Care for his men have drawn the attention of the soldiers.

July 17.

     The mens Knapsacks and a little of the officers baggage are to be sent here today. I hope we shall soon have all our tents.
     Everyone passed a most miserable night. The rain pouring most of the time, and I fear it will soon tell on the health of the men This climate not permitting exposure that one can go through with impunity in the North. Just now men horses & wagons are busy hauling ordnance and such provisions as are needed from day to day.
Some reserves came in this morning bringing a Charleston paper of yesterday that declares "Charleston is lost unless the Yankees can be driven from Morris Island at the point of the bayonet" I hope it may come to this. Our own position is perfectly secure. Fort Sumter can annoy us but can neither drive us away nor seriously hinder the building of batteries. Today the work is going on in broad day light, and one of our men was slightly wounded while helping drag a mortar up the beach.
WE hope to be ready to open fire tomorrow morning but this is doubtful. Last nights rain delayed operations Considerably. The gunboats give the rebel fortifications some shelling every day, more to hinder them from strengthening their works than anything else. The rebs seem more anxious to do this than to annoy us. They throw a few shells at our camp every day, but the fort is about three miles off and we have plenty of time to get under cover. Yesterday two one hundred pdr shells struck and burst not three rods from our tent, doing no damage however.
     This will reach you I suppose about the time you leave Andover. For security's sake, I think I will send it to Uncle W's Care.
A pleasant vacation to you dear. Much love to Ogden Nellie and Fannie. I had a pleasant letter from F by last mail, and will try to answer it soon. Remember me to Uncle Henry [i.e., Henry Edwards], Aunt M A, Uncle Amory [i.e., Amory Edwards], Lizzie Cadman, Cousins Kate & William [i.e., William H. and Catherine C. Edwards] if you meet them, to Mollie too especially and to Frank and Anthony. I am so glad to hear that Aunt Helen is decidedly recovering. That letter from Ogden has not yet come to hand.

Most affectionately yours
Robert S Edwards

P. S. Please pay Fanny for some handKerchiefs etc she bought for me