St Louis Hospital

New Orleans LA June 22^d 1863

 

Dear Wife

             Perhaps you begin to think by this time that I have forgotten you or do not care anything for you as I have not written to you in so long a time but I have not. there is not a day passes but that I think of you and the children and wonder how you are getting along at home without money and perhaps but few friends such as ones friends in time of need But I try to console my self with the idea that there is one that watches over all and in whose kind protection I can put my trust believing that he will not allow of want in those that trust in him I hope that the time of our seperation will be short. One reason of my not writing any oftener than I have is that I have had so much to do that when I did get the time to write I would be so tired that it would seem as if I could not write and so I neglected to do it as often as I ought

 

            I had charge of a ward in which there was 36 beds and then Drake was taken sick and I had to take charge of his ward and attend to them both so that it kept me pretty busy all of the time and then an other reason was you wrote that you thought of going to Seneca and I did not know but that you had gone as I had not received any letters from Arcadia since / May 6^th nor heard from home since then So you see that I had a good reason for thinking that you had gone to Seneca on a visit and then two weeks ago to day we received orders to break up the hospital at Brashear and moove to New Orleans that again made it all hurry and confusion So the next morning I was started off for New Orleans with about 30 sick men in my charge from mine and Drakes Ward and Drake was one of them nearly all of them being unable to help themselves well we got to the city about dark and had to stay on the cars all night with out any supper (or for that matter breakfast either) but in the morning I went in to a saloon and bought my breakfast and it have done you good to have seen me eat that morning Beefsteak & fried liver, pie, coffee cheese bread & butter &c well I guess I got my 50 cents worth that time sure after eating went back and to the men aboard of the steamer and wend down 3 miles to the U.S. Barracks Hospital where we were all served with breakfast which consisted of a slice of bread about 2 inches thick with a very little butter on it and a bowl of tea suetened so sweet that I could not drink it I asked for some that was not suetened but could not get so I got up and left without eating but when dinner came it was no better and for supper it was dry bread and suetened tea the next morning it had not improved so I just took myself off from the premises and went up to the city and came across the Medical director and after stating my case to him he told me to go to the St Louis and / stay until further orders where I am now The St Louis was a large hotel and did a fine business until the war broke out which cut it off a greatdeal and finally shut up entirely a few months since. The house & furniture cost a million and a quarter dollars the furniture is of the nicest kind and was bought in New York for two hundred thousand dollars it was bought on credit and was paid for by the South a seceding from the union Somebody lost some money by that speculation I think                 

 

Since we came here we have cleaned up the house (which is five stories) and fitted it up and got in near 400 wounded men that have been wounded at Port Hudson within the last two weeks the house is capable of holding a thousand men besides having room for all of the help and a large dining room and kitchen the Port Hudson fight is not yet through with and perhaps will not be when this reaches you although Banks has been reinforced largely yet it is a strong place in all of the hard fight at Port Hudson Co. A. has not been in any of them they were detailed to go of about 4 miles to guard some steam boats that we took from the Rebs and are there yet and will probably stay there until it is through with My next letter may be mailed from there as I think of going up there in a few days unless things change here a greatdeal for the better for the Doctor and Steward in charge here use all of their men as if they were dogs driving them around and cursing them and then not give them only about half enough to eat when the hospital has all that is necessary for a man to eat and more than they need / the men are leaving them nearly every day and going to their regiments rather than to stay where such men are

 

June 24            Well to day after two days delay I commence this again with a better heart for I have just received all of your letters since May 6^th and also Mr Reynolds that had the stamps in I have felt better since than I had in a good while before for it was a long time since I heard from home I am well and hearty as usual and was glad to know that you were all as well as you was our Chaplain came down from the Regt and brought all of the back mail down with him I had nine letters and a paper from you and others

 

            One thing worries me yet that is money I do not care for myself if I only had some to send you we have not had any pay since the first of January and it is now near pay day again without any prospect of pay yet I sent you the 6^th of this month five dollars in a letter that I sent to Reynolds I do not know as he has got it yet but I hope he has for you must need it. Give him my best thanks for his kindness to you and the children since I have been gone for I feel that he is a friend in deed tell him that I often think of him and will write to him oftener if possible                       

 

Mr French was buried at the Island hospital at Brashear he was put in a plain decent coffin with his cloths on and his name on the coffin and buried so that I know where he is there is a head board up with his name on there was a prayer at his grave but I must close and write more next time        L V Tucker

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