Phil^a March 23^rd 1864

 

Friend Fred.

 

                        How are you to night? it is about half past 9 Oclock but as I am on night duty this week, and will have to be up late, I think I will make the time pass pleasently by writing to you. I received your letter of Feb 29^th some time ago, but haveing several other letters to write I have neglected yours untill now. I suppose you know that.

 

So Fred the I. C. was not pro-sactly the thing for you? I was thinking you could make out better at your trade. I am glad your health is better, it is a glorious thing to have good health. mine is generaly very good, but of late I have been troubled with a / cold but feel very well tonight. Well old boy, I went to Annapolis. I do not remember exactly the date of my visit, but it was about 5 or 6 weeks ago, and now for a little talk about it. I went there in company with some friends of mine, M^r Mulford, wife & two daughters, one of them was lately married, the other is about 19 years old and another young Lady. So you see I was with a good party. Well, for pleasure "or" to save expense we went in the Steamboat. The trip we enjoyed very much as all the girls played Eucher, and when we tired of that, the Capt got down his violin which he played very nicely, together with the singing of the girls the time passed very pleasently. M^r Mulford has a sister in the Hosp^t she is Matron of the Sanitary home / but she, not knowing of our comeing, was taken very much by surprise but she received us with a harty welcome. The home is for the purpos of entertaining Ladies that come there in serch of sons husbands or brothers, they are alowed to board & lodge there free of cost. We took down quite a large donation of stores and so made our home there.

 

The Hospital is a very large place and a beautiful place, it is situated right on the beach of the Bay. it consists of quite a large number of buildings, besides which there is as many tents put up in the yard as we had at Smoketown, they where put up expressly for Miss Hall. She attends to all that part. As soon, if not a little sooner, than I was rested, I went to look for her. I found her in her tent, (which, by the way, was not fixed up quite as well as the one she / had at Smoketown, because she does not have to live there as she used when at Smoketown) playing some kind of a game with one of "her" boys. I walked up to the entrance of the tent, took off my hat "as a gentleman should" an said—how do you do Miss Hall. She came up to me and looked at me for about one minute and then said—Why Prior. we had a little talk, then the bugal sounded for dinner. I went with her to see her give it out as she used to of old. She has an album with a great many Smoketown boys in it, among them is Uncle Till. She wants yours and mine. One day she came up to the home and took tea with us and in the evening we all went to a lecture. I droped the other girls like hot potatos and played the agreable to her, and would do so at any time / But I think I hear you say, "I am most tired of reading this letter"; Never mind Fred I am about half done.

 

            The lecture took place in the hospital Chaple, which had all the old Christmas decorations still hanging. What an excitement there was. When the Lecturer was about half through, the chandelear, which was made of evergreens and lighted with about 30 candles caught fire and burnt up through the seeling and set the roof on fire. Old Vanderkieft was there, and you know he dont get at all excited. Oh, no, not at all. Well he dident run around any, calling for ladders and ring the bell, (for they have a bell and an engine in the yard) get out the Moshean any, no not at all. That put an end to the Lecture / and the whole afair ended in smoke. Since then, I hear the Chaple has been fixed up and is now prettier than ever. I met another person there that you know I believe, I mean Miss Davis, she was stoping at the home on the sick list. I believe us boys did not like her as well as Miss Hall, I dont now I think she is to proud. I like to see a person religous but not to go to extreams which I think she does. One day Miss Hall invited her and I down to her tent and we had a gay old Smoketown dinner as Miss Hall said. All the broken dishes, knives, forks and spoons she could find, she got, and the fare was just what the soldiers had. So you see it was quite romantic, yes quite. What do you think of it M^rs Swarman? 

 

I also went to see D^r Vanderkieft. he appeared to be very glad to see me, it pleased him to see how well I walked on my leg. D^r Ely is there too he recognised me as soon as he saw me. Haskings was there to see his brother not long ago, he is in Washington in the I. C. I saw Johnson to, the fellow that built the little church. he looks right well. There are several others there that where at Smoketown, but you or I did not know them.

 

            Now I think I'll stop. Remember me to your wife and tell her this letter is for her as well as you, tell her I think she had better not let you dance so much. Write soon

           

to Your old friend

Prior. 

 

P. S. I forgot one thing. Miss Hall wants you to write to her, and send her your photograph.

her Directions are

United States Hospital

Annapolis M^d

 

Do so Fred she would like like to hear from you

 

Good Night

Will Prior.

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