U.S. General Hospital

Beverly, N.J. August 17^th

 

Dear Brother

                        I feel able to day to write a few lines to you I suppose you have been informed that the Johnies have at last made a hole in me. Goodale said he would write you the same day, 8^th. I suppose he did so, although do not know. I was hit by a sharpshooter, was sitting on the ground, my back against a tree in rear of second line reading a paper. I heard the report of rifle at same instant felt the ball near my bowels, left side My escape from what might have been a fatal wound I regard as providential. The ball entered about three inches below the heart struck the rib & it appears followed it & came out under my left arm / had it gone an inch lower would have entered my bowels why the ball did not break them I know not. I have as bad a wound as I care to have. I was carried to Div Hosp. wound dressed & laid on the floor with the rest for 24 hours I suffered terribly, every breath I drew pained me, after while felt easier so long as I remained quiet, but if went to turn or raise my self then I had to look out it took me 10 minutes to turn over or raise myself. I had no appetite since. the Sanitary furnished the hospital with most everything suitable for wounded men but I could not eat much of it. In fact I have not eat since was wounded enough to make one good meal all together. after couple days was sent to City Point, staid two nights when a boat load of 65 of us were sent down the James to Ft Monroe. here we were transfered to a big steamer & started for Philadelphia had a hard time aboard, were used shamefully or at least a part of us / I was crowded down into the hold hardly any air, but little light. we rec^d nothing fit for sick men to eat, the last day nothing but hard bread & little soup not fit to eat. when I left could hardly crawl up the stairs but we got to Phil at last & were put aboard a boat some refreshments served out & we started up the Del to this place 16 miles from Phil. Arrived here day before yesterday. it is a new hosp had hardly got things going in good shape yet I am afraid they never will, as the whole community are down on the management particularly the ladies. they want to help the boys & are anxious to feed them, bring in fruits & delicacies, but the head Surgeon wants to feed them himself dont want the ladies prowling around & they tell me he has heretofore ordered the guard to keep the ladies outside but they have been in here simce I have been here / they say he drove the Sanitary out entirely now with such doings as these you can imagine what care we get what food we get &c we get just no care at all. I have seen no nurse yet & we have no Ward master for our Ward they say we are to have these things sometime & doctor comes around & looks at us once a day he has dressed my wound twice says we ought to dress our own wounds The greatest shame is in the food. I have found nothing yet that I could relish. I am losing flesh, I cannot get out to get any fruit as I have no clothes except hosp shirt & drawers. took my pants & blouse away at City Point & I lost my knapsack & contents after reached Phila so I am pretty short. Now I want to get home the most of anything get out of this place. I expected a furlough when I got to the hospital but they tell me none have been given from this place as yet although it may be different after a while. I want to draw my pay if I can before I get my furlough, but if I find I cant, but can get a furlough, I shall want you to send me a little money to get home with, for I am tired of hospital life. I shall put in for the first chance I hope you will write me soon. I want to hear from you. love to all R B Loomis

 

[margins]

 

Direct R B Loomis U.S. Gen^l Hos

            Beverly N.J. Ward 7

 

I hope I shall get along

but it will take some time

my wound begins to discharge

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