Bishop writes fondly of their visit and the voyage ahead and then continues his letter aboard ship. After leaving Camp Buckingham a week prior, Bishop embarked with 1700 (and then reduced to 1400 for fear the ship would sink) others on the steamer Chi Kiang. 6 days at sea and they entered the Gulf of Mexico. They had 2 days of very heavy weather. One night they found ourselves in the trough of the sea with the vessel perfectly out of the control of the sailors. Something was the matter with the rudder chains so that they could not bring the vessel around before the wind. Many were seasick. James Hagan acted with a great deal of credit to himself. He was up that night and helped the sailors to lighten the vessel of 20 tons of ice that was stowed on one side of the vessel.
Camp Buckingham [LI, NY] November 28th 1862
Dear Wife,
I arrived safe to camp on Friday about 2 o'clock A.M. and found everything after the old sort. there are rumours that we are going on board the vessel tomorrow that is Sunday and probably we shall although some of the Boys say that they will not go unless they are paid before they start. I am of the opinion that they will go without being paid but we shall see. Well my dear little Wife I had a very pleasant little visit home and you treated me well which makes me feel happy. I expect to realize a good deal of happiness in looking back to my last visit. I am satisfied with you my dear Wife and I know That my [?] [?] you often times to [?] when you really have no inclination yourself but I am in hopes that if I am spared to come home to stay that I can regulate my desires within the confines of temperance.
My little wife you are left with a good deal of responsibility on your hands in taking care of the children and especially Edward. You must be kind to him and endeaver to win him to obedience by mildness and love as much as possible. I am in hopes that he will outgrow these inclinations that spring from bad associations. endeavor to keep him from bad boys as much as possible and have him read instructive stories and good Books.
Dec 9th 1862 Tuesday morning
At sea off Key West [FL]
My dear Wife
you will see that I began this letter on Camp Buckingham over a week ago. I had forgotten that I had not finished it and sent it to you. We embarked on board of the Steamer ChiKinang [Ed. U.S. Civil War transport ship with the Chinese name Chi Kiang] on Sunday just before dark and an awful churliss time it was with one regiment of soldier board and the prospect of being loaded down so heavy that we should all be lost. the captain said that he would not sail until they took off some of the men. we had about 1700 men on board. Finally they took off 3 companies and finally we started on Wednesday morning at 11 o'clock we started for Ship Island below N. Orleans.
We now have been 6 days at sea and we are just turning to go into the Gulf of Mexico we have been all the morning going between different Islands off the point of Florida. yesterday we were in sight of the coast of Flori day all day long. whether we shall ever arrive at our destination remains to be seen but we expect to be 3 or 4 days on the water yet. My dear Wife we have all had a very narrow escape from death at sea. we had 2 days of very heavy weather with a very rough sea. we had had a heavy sea all day and the ocean was rolling and pitching like a boiling cauldron. We were obliged to run before the wind to escape being swamped. about 10 o'clock at night we found ourselves in the trough of the sea with the vessel perfectly out of the control of the sailors. Something was the matter with the rudder chains so that they could not bring the vessel around before the wind and we lay for what seemed to us an age of agony expecting nothing could save us going down as the sea poured into us from each side. but a sea struck her near astern and brought her around sufficiently so that the rudder would work her again and the helmsman got her before the wind and we went pitching and groaning along. for 2 days and nights we went pitching and straining over the high waves like a race horse. the motion of the vessel and the commotion of the seas was such that I could not
walk around but had to keep my Bunk. many were seasick a [ ] and some were praying and all were very anxious. James Hagan acted with a great deal of credit to himself. he was up that night and helped the sailors to lighten the vessel of 20 tons of ice that was stowed on one side of the vessel when the vessel was struck by the seas that washed her so and nearly lost us Jim Hagan was standing on the hatch with one or 2 others as cool as could be and he remained up all night encouraging and helping as much as he could. we went scudding before the wind until the next night when the sea calmed down and it has been smooth pretty much of the time since. You be assured that we all feel thankful for our deliverance from death which would probably been our portion if the ship had not soon righted. enough of that. the ship is all in a commotion now from a circumstance which has just passed. there is from 12 to 1400 men on board and they are all jabboring about it. there was a pilot Boat ahead of us and she ran right into our Bow and stove a hole into us but so high up that it did not do us any hurt but it broke their Bow Spirit short off and we see them astern steering for land with their Jib flying loose by the side of their vessel. I presume they escaped with their lives. the men say that we are just off dry Tortugas and some say that it is Key West we probably shall not know which for some time as we cannot get speech with the captain of the vessel. they think that it will take us 2 or 3 days yet to reach Ship Island with fair weather. we are all of us anxious to get off the ship as quick as possible. Some time I intend to write you more about this vessel and the ways they stowed 12 or 14 hundred men into it and the way that we have been treated but if we live to get back again I suppose we shall forget the hardships. My dear Wife I intend to write another letter before we land or at least before we have an opportunity to send it. you must direct your letters to Co B. 23 Regiment C.V. Banks
Expedition until I learn some other address. we have not received any monthly pay yet and we do not know when we shall.
with much love I subscribe myself your loving Husband
J. D. Bishop
