Marine Hospital New Orleans L'a. Dec 19^th 1863

 

            Dear Wife

                        I will commence a letter to day for you but shall not finish it before Monday, because there is a mail due here to day and I hope to get a letter from you. and then I calculate to go to church here in the city to morrow and then I may have more to write and then the mail that left here this morning for New York carried a letter and a paper from me for you and more than that I have not much to write to day so you see that taking all things into consideration you may get a longer letter by my waiting until the first of the week even if it is filled up then with trash that does not amount to much but it will be a letter such as it is

 

            Well I am here in the Marine hospital yet as a necessary evil, but how long I shall be here I cannot tell for there is a new order issued from Gen Banks this morning for all able bodied men to go to their Regiments. I presume that I shall be able bodied (if the Lieut Colonel) should have the saying in the matter but he has not, he has been detached from the regiment and sent to the city on duty. So the Regiment is rid of one pest for a while I hope. Our Colonel Dwight goes back to the Regiment to take charge of the brigade in the place of Gen Weitzel the Major takes command of the Regiment he is well qualified and well liked by the boys

 

            My health is still improving and I feel now quite like myself again and hope that I shall have no more sickness while I am here I had rather work than be sick an lie still the only objections that I have against going back to the Regiment now is because they have no tents excep their shelter tents simply a piece of muslin about 5 feet by 8 stretched over a pole it is just enough to keep the sun and dew off but not the rain or cold as they are open at each end two men has to occupy one tent and when they march they take it down and take it a part and each man has to carry one half of it on their back beside their own things that they carry with them 

 

Dec 20^th          Sunday

            As I wrote yesterday that I calculated to go to church to day and I have been. this morning I fixed up and Mr White and myself went down to the city to church. We went to a Methodist church but it was Methodist only in name with the exception of kneeling down in prayer time The house was very large and plainly finished inside—seats with out cushions. floors bare only the aisles had a strip of cheap cotton carpet and rather dingy at that. The only nice thing in it was an organ and it was the first Methodist church that I ever saw with an organ in. Their music & singing was good but the preaching was like all of the rest of the Southern Institutions very dry and prosy and not a word was uttered about the affairs of the Government. The Minister was rather a good looking man about forty years old and well built. he preached from Gallatians 3 & 12^th first part of the verse. The congregation was small and composed mostly of women. If it had not been for the few soldiers that was there there have been about ten women to one man. One thing I noticed very particularly and that was that no citizen would not sit in the same seat with a Union soldier it looks as if that showed where their loyalty was                      

 

After church and on our way back we stopped at the Poydras Market and Mr White bought each of us a cup of coffee we had with it three very small fried cakes each the cost was five cents each the cake free. the coffee was first rate. Coffee is the only thing that I have found here that the Southerners know how to cook and that they make good but other things I think I can beat them cooking or most of provisions I can and not brag any. they are all very poor cooks

 

            Sunday here is but a holiday in the city there is more amusements going on here Sunday than any other day of the week about four fifths of the stores and shops and places of business is kept open Sunday and their goods displayed as much or more than on any other day of the week. how can they prosper with such a state of things 

 

            Dec 21^st                       I will write a little again to day although probably not a full page for two reasons, one is the mail that is due here has not yet come, and the other is we are quite busy to in cleaning up and getting things neat for to morrow Gen Banks and the Medical Director of this Department is to inspect the Hospital to morrow and we have to get every thing very neat and clean for the in spection. So you see that I may have something more to write. And then on friday we are to have quite a time here in raising a flag. The patients of the hospital have contributed money and send to New York and bought a flag that cost in the neighborhood of $100, and the are calculating to have something of a time at what they call the Raising, but I can not describe until after it is over but will try to after it is over                

 

But one thing I do want to speak of is in regard to the paying of the taxes on ours and fathers lots. You probably have not the money now and I have not got it to send you now but expect to get my pay again the first of Jan and will send it to you the first mail after I get it but if you have to pay it before then perhaps you can get of Mr Reynolds until you get what I send you. If you can not get it of him try Theodore Horton or else get the money on one of the County Certifficates that Mr Reynolds has. If you have the money you will save four cents on a dollar by paying it within thirty days after they commence collecting it but do the best that you can and I will be satisfied for you are boss now.                       

 

I am still on the gain and feel as if I was going to get well now if I am only careful and take care of myself as I should and I shall try and do that as far as I can under the circumstances that I am placed. The cool fine weather that we are having now agrees with me yesterday and this morning the thermometer was down to 30 and I have felt felt firstrate both days, but to day it is getting warmer and now it is as warm as April or May at home so you see we need not suffer very much with the cold here in the Hospital 

 

Dec 22^d                       Again I will write a little more in my letter. I shall get it done after a while I think. In what I wrote yesterday I spoke of an inspection that was to take place to day but has not yet taken place but will probably soon but the flag raising has taken place and the speaking is just finished. three speeches were made but were rather dry and prosy as the flag was raised there was a national salute of 35 guns fired then followed some cheering and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and afterwards the speaking and now (at two Oclock) we are waiting for the promised dinner of fat things, but I presume that it will consist as usual of salt meat pea soup and cold water, perhaps butter for a luxury.

 

For some cause Gen Banks has not been here and so I shall not probably see him to day. I do not know why they did wait until friday as they first talked of, for the flag raising in stead of having it to day. But I will wait untill after dinner before I write any more

 

            Well dinner is over and the extra dinner was just what I thought it would be salt meat pea soup and water. Inspection has passed of to. they inspected my ward while I was gone after dinner for the sick so I cannot tell who the Inspectors were so I will say no more about it.

 

            I find instead of a dinner that they are giving out whiskey and quite a number both black & white are pretty drunk they think that whiskey is better than good victuals for a soldier

 

            The mail steamer has come at last but brought no letter yet but I got a Newark paper from you and a New York paper from Mr Reynolds I hope when the rest of the mail comes up to morrow that I may get a letter

 

            I send a ring in to Lilly it is made from the button that you sent me it was not large enough for yours. I will send one to frank in my next letter just like this but I will close this but shall probably commence another to morrow

 

Write soon and often             

From yours as usual               

L. V. Tucker

SOURCES