Carver Hospital Washington D.C.

 

Sunday Nov 15th 1863

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers Friend &c

I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to let you all know how i am i am a bout the same as usual on the gain if any thing i am content at least and that is a considerable I have been writing to Pheebe and have since wrote a letter for a fellow soldier whoo is unfortunate enough as be without education. so now i thought i would try and write a few lines to my Parents whoo are ever anxious to hear from a child under every circumstance and i am sure i am as anxious to hear from them i never shall complain if i always enjoy as good health as i do at the present for i think i have been blesed times innumerable and am thankful for the many blessings i have received from time to time Yesterday ther was a great stir in the city i saw some thing i never thought of seaing a few years a go i saw the second District of Columbia Colored Reg of Infantry on drill They wer nearly all from this city they wer Freed by the President and now are under arms and have marching orders for Charleston There is 4 Regs ordered to go in a few days 2 Regs from Maryland 1^st & 2^d Colored Reg Maryland & the 1^st & 2^d District of Columbia this Reg that i saw was nearly all young darkies and wer very stout healthy looking fellows all the non Commissioned officers wer Darkies and all the Commitioned officers wer white men they wer well drilled for the time they have been organised it is only about 2 months / they can go through the manuel of arms as well as half the Reg now in the field they wer reviewed near this Hospital by General Casey he is a man very mutch like (Lawes Loomis) (of Bridgeport Conn.) in looks & in size this Reg numbers over 900 hundred the Brigade numbers 3800 & over so you sea that saves so many white men i hope this will continue If it does we shall soon have the places in the ranks filled up that is i mean enlisting Darkies for i say put them in and let them smell powder and save the white men. Then the Darks are willing to go so why not let them try it i wished we had ten times the number of Darkies in the armie today that we have. There is not mutch nuse from the armie of the Potomac General Mead & General Killpatrick in command of the Cavelry are working together and i think they will ear long give a stiring account of their stittness at the present i have great faith in boath of the a bove named Generals and i think they will do every thing in their power. The nuse from Charleston is not very dead they are very near through with their works and soon General Gilmore will try what he can do there is several vessels ready for sea hear at the Navy Yard they have been repaired and iron plated and now are ready for sea i think they will go to Charleston. The city begins to be thronged again with people and soon Congress will be in full bloom. Father how i wished you was able to visit this place for it is worth a fortune to sea if you was here to stay a week or two so as to have time to go over the city & sea the Public Buildings namely / the Capitol the White House The Treasury Building the Patent Office the General Post Office the Smithsonean Institute also to sea the Washington Monument whitch is now over 200 hund feet high thence to the Navy Yard & Arsenal also to start and go out a bout 4 miles and sea the Forts a round the city and you would be surprised to sea the number of cannon and the amount of ammunition also go into the Government stables and sea 10,000 horses & mules you would wonder wher they all came from then visit the store houses thousands of them in every direction and sea milions of lbs Barells of pork beaf flower potatoes carotts turnips beets onions &c to numerous to mention From there visit the Soldiers Home for old and young men that have served in the Regular Service also the soldiers Burying Ground near by and sea the number that have died in the Revolution & since thence to the Hospitals and sea the differant states or Representatives from differant states all together as harmonious as if they wer Brothers in fact they are brother soldiers and the most of them try to do all they can for their fellow man The health of the differant Hospitals are increasing as the weather groes cooler ther is only a bout 700 hundred in this Hospital at the present and many will soon join their Regaments we received ower Pay yesterday and was not sorry i can tell you but i do not care but very little a bout money for all i want is a little tobacco paper envelops & stamps i have all i want to eat and all i want to ware and am in very comfortable circumstances / at the present. I get a pass every few days and go to the city just to pass a way time I have sean nearly all the public officers in the city the most of them look very mutch like their profiles that you sea in the papers the President & Wife look very mutch like their profiles they are very old fassioned people The Presidents sone a bout as large as Jesse and looks very mutch like him had a very nise little pony presented to him and at the presentation the speeker told the President that he would have a horse to ride to revew the Armie of the Potomac the President in return sayed he was a fraid that his heals would drag in the mud and stop the team. Yesterday eavening there came up a very heavy thunder shower and lasted all night but cleared away a bout noon today. Now i will tell you what i had for dinner. Rost beaf sweet potatoes turnip sauce rice pudding & soop bread &c. It is now near night and i must close the Brass Band is playing now for Dress Parad for the Invalid Corps they are playing the Girl i left be hind me. The boys that are in the ward with me are all very well there is 2 from Main 2 from Indiannia 4 from Pensylvania 1 from Western Verginia one from the District of Columbia 3 from Conn. Hoping to hear from you one and all soon i will close with my best wishes for all hoping these few lines will find you all in the best of health and spirets. This is from your loveing though absent Sone & Brother

                                                                       

William H Clark

 

P.S       Excuse all mistakes & bad writing

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