Courtesy of Canter Brown, Jr., Hagan-Roberts Collection, Ga. Dept. of Archives and History, Atlanta
Transcribed by Spessard Stone
Sherod E. Roberts (1837-1906), during the Civil War, on or about September 1, 1861, enlisted as a private in Capt. Francis M. Jackson's Co. (Allapaha Guards), 29th Georgia Infantry Regiment. In November 1861, he participated in the battle at Fort Royal and later that month was discharged due to sickness. Previously on November 8 from Camp Lawton, Savannah, he had written his wife, Keziah, that he had participated in the battle at Fort Royal:
Savannah, Ga.
Nov 8th 1861
Dear Kiziah I take the opportunity riting you a few lines to let you know that I am well tho very much weared and hope that this may find you enjoying good health. I was at the battle of fort royl. We started wednesday morning to Hilton head and reach that point at 9 that evening and march about 6 miles by land and about sundown we arrived at fort royl their we stayd until yesterday morning about 9 oclock when they commenced fiting and they kep it up until about 9 thirty eavning and our ammunition give out and we had to reteat we were not in the fort in the fight but made an attemp to go but the wankes bombarded us so we cold not get there & 2 cannon Balls throad dirt in my face & but none of our company got hurt. Ther was one of the rigment got kild they say and 2 or 3 wonded. We then started to try to get off of the Iland for there was so many of the wankes we could not fight them. They had the fort and we knew they cold surround us and take us. We marched about 5 miles to a landing and their we got on boats and flats and got off before they overtaken us. Louis and math has not come in yet and two or three more but they all got on boats and we think they will come in a day or two. We got aboard of a steamer about 8 oclock and we got to savannah this morning about 8. I lost my overcoat and one of my blankets and napsack and haversack. Our hole rigment left everything they carrid but there gons and amunition and every ons that was there for they were atrying to get away from there. There was about 17 or 15 killed I think and about the same wounded on our side and on their side we do not know what the damige is. They had between forty and fifty war vessils their and they allow that there was 30 or 40 thousand men on them and we only had between 15 and 20 thousand and we gist left the best way we cod. I neve eat but one meale in two days and nights. I got back here but the Savannah foalk give us plenty of cooked pervisions to day and I felt very well this after noon. You will see ? of the fight in the papers to morrow an that will tell you all the perticulars. I told Zeak to rite you I was gone but have return with out getting to shoot the first time, but I think we will get the chance be fore long for they will try Georgia soon I think.
So rite to me as soon as you can for I waunt to here from all at home. So I must close: by tel betty and marget to rite to me and let your papa read this to for tell him that the wankes got that blanket that he give me. So farewell.
Transcribed on June 1, 2004