Marine U.S.A General Hospital N. Orleans L'a July 7^th 1864

 

Dear Frank

                        Good Morning. are you well and enjoying yourself this warm weather it is very hot here where I am this morning Well Frank Pa has at last commenced to write you a letter and he hopes that it will find you well and still a good boy. Ma has told me about your being a good boy and how fast you are learning to read and what an interest you take in your Arithmetic and other studies at school. Frank it makes me feel proud of my boy to hear such a good report of you at school But do you when you are at home do all that you can to help Ma with her work and make that as light for her as you can. if you do you are really a good boy and one that I can be proud of and one that others will like and be kind to and then you will know that you are doing the best that you can to be a good boy

 

            Well Frank my dear boy how I would like to see you and Lilly this morning and kiss you both and then have a good talk and play with you as we used to when I was home. but I hope that it will not be long before I shall see you again with Lilly & Ma / Then wont we have a good time again

 

Frank are you kind to Lilly and do you take good care of her as her brother and help her all that you can

 

            Well Frank I have got a little boy here about your size and about eleven years old. He has got no father nor Mother living he is an orphan with no one to care for him or see to him. When his Mother died he went to the Regiment where his father was and staid until his father was taken sick when he was sent here to the hospital with his father and staid with him until his father died. he then staid here without any one to see to him until day before yesterday when Dr Bockee (the surgeon in charge here) came in urged me to take him and do the best that I could with him. So I finally consented and will try and do the that I can with him his name is Dennis Sullivan he is naturally a very intelligent boy very quick & active

 

            Well Franky I must stop writing this time but I will write to you again before long

 

            Lilly Pa will write to you in a few days or the next letter that I write. Pa thinks of you every day and wishes that he could see you. Kiss Ma for me wont you Lilly

 

Good Bye for this time

L. V. Tucker

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