Marine Hospital New Orleans Jan 20^th 1863

 

            Dear Wife

                        As I am sitting a part of to night I will see if I can think of anything to write to you. it will help to pass away the time while I am sitting here and keep me from getting a sleep so I think that I will try it awhile. There has nothing of importance transpired here since I wrote last so I shall probably make a short letter this time. My health is about the same as it was when I wrote last week Some days I feel firstrate and then again others I do not feel so well but I do not think that I am loosing any. I weigh now a hundred and forty pounds, not as much as I do in the winter when I am home, but if this cool weather continues I hope to make up some of it yet before long. I hope that you and the children are all well and enjoying good health

 

When I wrote my last letter I spoke of our Regiment being turned in to Heavy Artilery but it is not so. Banks issued an order for them to be and when they had got all ready to moove down here to the city he recalled it, so they remain as they were Infantry still but I hope that he may think better of it and have them yet transfered to Artilery

 

            I looked for a letter from home by this mail but looked in vain for no letter came only a Newark paper of Dec 31^st but that was something. If you see Dr Vosburgh give him my respects I would like to see him firstrate. it would seem like old times again if he was around he was always so cheerful and full of life I had expected for several days past that / I should be sent to the regiment, for they have had three examinations in the ward to see who was fit to be returned to duty, twice by our doctors here and once by the Medical director himself but they passed right by me every time without out noticing me at all. I guess that they think that I am not worth much any where and may as well stay here as anywhere for if I go to the Regiment Uncle Sam will have to feed me and he may as well do it here as any where else for what I know                O how I wish that they would pay off so that I could send you some money it grieves me to think that I cannot send you any money when you must need so very bad. I am willing to go with out money myself if I could only send you some to help you along through the cold weather I should feel much better to know that you was not in want the money. I send you a paper with this letter and one in it for lilly. I shall send you another ring in this letter. when you wear it you must not put your hands into very warm water for I had nothing only black sealing wax to put the sets in with and hot water will melt the wax and they will come out. if you want to you may sell it if you have a chance it is worth 75^cts

 

            I have just learned that there is a mail leaves here to morrow morning and I will close this now and write again to morrow or next day. I got your letter of the 5^th of Jan this morning I will send you one dollar in this letter it is all that I have I can send you now as soon as I get more I will send it to you. Write often as usual and accep this from

L. V. Tucker

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