Marine Hospital Jan 11^th 1863

 

Dear Wife

            Although I have written and mailed one letter to you to day yet I will commence another to you yet to day as I got one from you about 15 minutes after I had sealed the one that I sent to you to day, so of course I could not say anything about it in that and I shall not probably finish to day but will try to have it ready for the next mail

 

Your letter that I got to day was mailed the 30^th Dec it had a pretty quick passage only 11 days in coming from home

 

            You said that there was nothing new took place christmas Only that Silas Ostranders weding with Miss Frank Wheeler Well that is some news but you was mistaken about his being a brother of Melvin Ostrander he is a brothers son his father used to own the brick house next to Mr Reynolds where Vandusen lives. Yes I was acquainted with Hiram Krummet he enlisted in our company and when we got in New York City he and some others deserted and went and enlisted in the 5^th U. S. Artilery but it was a mistake about his being in active service and going through the fights of port hudson on the contrary he was in the hospital all of this time instead of being in the field I know this from the fact that I have some of his company boys here in the ward and they say that he has been sick some 8 months or since the first of May so his fighting has been like mine the fighting of disease more apt to kill than rebel balls or bayonets it is a fact that four soldiers die with disease to one that is killed fighting /

 

            Your speaking of Wes Drake puts me in mind of the change that has taken in his mind in regard to his practising medicine. he commences I see by going to work in a barber shop the best place for to practice I think if he will not cut to deep and draw to much blood

 

            In regard to the cold weather that you spoke of we do not have such very cold weather but a goodeal of rain it has rained every day this year but two. it seems a goodeal colder here than it really is such weather as we have here would be called very warm weather at the North. You ask if the worms troubles the roses here as they do north. I do not recolect seeing any roses at all that the worms had medled with in all that I seen, but they look as nice now as they do in the spring

 

            You say that you dont want me to go back to the Regiment I do not know whether I shall go back or not it will be just as the Doctor in charge of the hospital says. But if what I hear is true just as soon as it gets warm weather I want to go back for I can enjoy myself better there and live better than I can here. The Doctor told me yesterday morning that he heard that our Regiment were going to be turned into Heavy Artilery. if so they will have pretty easy times for they will probably be stationed in some of the captured forts to garison them and will not have much marching or fighting to do for the rest of our time. I can say with you that I hope the war will be ended by spring but I have but little faith in its closing under a year yet for if the Rebs can stand it through the winter they can stand it through the next summer easier 

 

            you speak of my saving those pants of mine and send them I shall do so and I have a good dress coat and another pair of pants that I shall send home if I cannot sell them here for what they are worth. if sell them I will send you the money that I get I have a shirt or two that I shall send when I send the coat and pants but they will not be of much account but if I send a box I may as well put them in and send them along with the rest

 

            Frank you need not save them apples for me for if you do I am afraid that they will spoil and your three dollars you had better take them and buy you something with for you need it worse that I do, and pa will thank you just as much as if you had given it to him and will come home just as soon as he can and then we will have the fun. you must take good care of the bird that Mr Reynolds gave you you ought to be a good boy after such a nice bird given to you, you will wont you frank. Lilly Pa is much obliged to you for your kind offer of getting him some new clothes if he would come home I will come just as soon as I can and Mr Reynolds had not better call my lady Old Sober if he does pa will tend to him

 

            I send you to day a New Orleans times and Lilly a Sabbath School paper in it. I shall put an other ring in this letter and if will fit Mrs Heath you may give it to her and if it will not let me know whether it is to large or small and I will send another one in the place of it. Jan 13^th I has rained every day but two this year and the mud is very deep except on what is called the shell roads they are as nice as roads in the summer I did not finish this Monday and will write a little in it to day and send it by the steamer that leaves to morrow, and will try to have / another short one ready for Saturdays mail if I can find anything to write. I am waiting for fair weather so that I can go down the river about 7 mile to the old battle ground of the Battle of New Orleans. after I go down there I will write you a discription of it as well as I can and then I am going out to lake ponchartrain the resort of the big bugs of the city in the summer

 

but I shall have to stop now for it is time to send this to the office

 

Write as often as you can and I will answer yours as fast as they come

 

from yours as Ever

L. V. Tucker

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