Ship Island. Miss
		April 14th, 1862

Dear Mother,
		Capt Cogswell is to visit
Marshall on a furlough of sixty day.
He will go in a day or two. If you have
an opportunity of sending anything by him
let there be two shirts, similar to those I
got before I came away, only let them be
larger around the neck and the wrist bands.
The government owes us nearly four
months pay at present.
	I received a letter Saturday last (12th) from
Howard Burgess, also two States [mans?] of
the 5th and 12th [illegible in original].
    I believe I told you in my last letter
that we had received a supply of Austrian
rifles. Last Saturday our company was
out shooting at a target. The shooting
demonstrated that these rifles are good
for long ranges.
   Friday night (11th) there was a terrible


thunder storm on this island. Three
men in the guard-tent of the 31st
Massachusetts were instantly killed
by lightning, and four more seriously
injured. I do not think I ever saw such
terrible flashes of lightning.
    An order was read on parade last
night from Major Gen. Butler com-
manding the Department of the Gulf pro-
hibiting any information being sent
away from here relative to the strength 
of the forces on this island or regarding
any intended movement.
   Our [illegible in original] has sold out everything he had
in the way of paper, envelopes, and nearly
everything else. It will be some time before
he can get anything more here. So 
there are a great many things which
we actually need, which cannot be
procured. 
    I am really anxious to know where William
Is and how he is getting along, and how 

Dixie progresses. I hope you get
along comfortably. Do Father or
Willie send you any money.
It seems to me they ought to.

    The last news we have here is the
taking of Manassas, the division
of the Union troops into divisions some-
what different from before, that Major
Gen. Fremont, has been assigned a
Department, and the news of the 
naval fight at Newport News was
received about 2 weeks ago.
		Your affectionate son
			H. Bostock
Mrs. Marie Bostock

			Mrs. Maria Bostock
				Marshall
				   Michigan