Houghton Letter 1863-10-25 Page 3

much prisoners as if we were
inmates of that large stone
building in Charlestown muss set apart for those
who are acquiring to much
notoriety for the public good
but here we have nearly as
much freedom as at home
the Fort is not quite finished
and only mounts three guns
at present but will [illegible] two more
within a month it is a pretty
little fort too pretty for such
a place like this.

There are not so many
negroes here as at Newbern
but are a better class as far
as intelligence is concerned
although none of them are so
intelligent as our northern blacks
as for that matter the whites
themselfs are not bright