Camp Collier Sabine Post 25th Feby 1862

Dearest Elizabeth

I have written you two letters without an opportunity of sending either directly and I know that you are uneasy and impatient. The first I wrote a week since for Mr. Swearingen to carry. He got disappointed and the 2nd I wrote night before last and sent up by Mr. Mancill to Wm Hooks, thinking they might be passing/going there before Mr. Swearingen goes up, which will be Friday next, unless something prevents. If Mrs. Swearingen wants any of the shirting you have, let her have it.

As I have written lenghtly in the other two letters and hope you will soon get them I shall write but letter in this. We were a kittle alarmed yesterday by the firing of Cannon and the appearance of two ships out on the Gulf. One was a Steamer Ship and the other a Sail with three masts. One of them was nearby late in the evening and was covered in fog a little before dark. It continued foggy all night and until 9 or 10 oclock this morning, when we discovered that they were Steam Boats and not Steam Ships. The soon were landed and as ascertained to be from Louisianna with Sugar & Syrup. One of them came very near sinking before she reached this Fort and had to throw over-board 80 ??Hogsheads of Sugar and a good deal of Syrup.

They cut the Hogsheads & ??Blls (?barrells) so that the Sugar and Syrup won't wash, that the yankees might not get it, but if they had not, a good deal of it might have been saved by us, as the wind and tide has brought a great many of the Blls & ?Heads up the Pass and taken them on above here. Some of them still had some Sugar in them, notwithstanding their having been cut.

We have the promise of pay from the Government soon, and when we get pay I shall have to go up to Frenches to pay for the guns and leather I bought and if you can meet me at Wm Hooks I will try to be absent long enough to stay there with you a day of two. You can send me word by Mr. Swearingen whether you will meet me or not and I will let you know by some other person. (?Gentz, Best or someone else) when I will be at Hookes, giving you time to get there before I do. Matty can come down you, if you can not get Torrance or Eli to come. There is still considerable complaint of colds among the boys, but none ?dangerous.

I want you to send me more paper by Mr. Swearingen and I will try to take care of it myself next time. I put in the hands of Mayo what I brought down and told him to have some Blanks printed for the use of the Company, and he took it all off, and I had to barrow this sheet and the ones I sent by Mancill. Paper can not be bought here at any price, and in Galveston is worth ten cents a sheet, therefore you must take care of what is there.

Mr. Haynes is to leave early in the morning for home, and has promised to send this up to you. He may not return for some time and for that reason you nees not try to send an answer by him.

Dallas is learning to blow the Fife and I presume will be appointed for that purpose and will not have to stand guard, or do other duty, any more.

Notwithstanding the Enemies vessels were near by last night, one of the sentinals at the Fort was caught sleeping on his post. I expect it will go hard with him.

Your affectionate Husband
J. G. Collier

******************************

(Original in Possession of Mrs. Anna Laura (Yancey) Lakey, Vidor, Tx)(Copy from ALYL to CWY to BYD)