Brazos Santiago Texas

Camp 36 U.S.C.T.

April 15^th 1866

 

'Dear Mother'

                        Just four weeks married and not a single regret yet, except it be that I had not done so earlier during the war; although I have been in many places where it would be impossible to have her along. We have twelve ladies on the island six of whom are officers wives therefore we are not entirely cut off from society. But our amount of gossip is very limited & the ladies have to talk military pretty much. There is a wonderful improvement in our 'cuisine' also for ladies can get up dishes that our darkies open their eyes at in wonder and admiration. 

 

I received a nice letter from Charlie by the last steamer and thank him much for it. He is with you now, give him my warm love and ask him to forgive me for not writing him by this mail as I am studying up on tactics to please the Lieut. Col. who wants me for his Major and I indite my only epistle to you. There is little of moment here the Mexicans keeping pretty quiet on the other side of the Rio. But we have to vent all our spleen on the President and his reconstruction policy which 'we do not view in those lamps' as Artemus Ward says. We have had three dances since the ladies came and Sunday services for them and the Officers. We ride out occasionally in the ambulance or in a private team owned by Major L. H. Warren of Hopkinton Springs notoriety, who is quite a ladies man. You will remember him I guess a son of G. Washington Warren of Bunker Hill. His Father & Mother have been here a fortnight on a visit. They did Cuba and New Orleans on their way here and were going to do the Mississippi River on their return homewards. They spoke of having seen Genl. E.W. in good spirits in Boston before they started and it carried me back to Hopkinton to see and talk with them. I have a Prov. paper which informs me that the Greystone Mortgage has been foreclosed, will pretty little Greystone never lift up its head again? I had acquired some fondness for the place. How are Aunt Mary Ann and our cousins? give my kindest wishes to them all. How is Mary Heath Cushing and her flock? bushels of love to them and never forgetting yourself dear Mother        I am ever your dutiful Son

Walter H. /

 

P.S. Mrs. W. W. sends her warmest love to you all. She says she wishes had your pictures so that she could look at you in the spirit if not in the flesh and worries constantly for fear you may not love her as well as I do. Not much [faded] that is there? She would like to write but [faded] what to say, and is not quite [faded] enough in her Island home to fix [faded] upon writing to her new relations [faded] just recovered from a smart [faded] diarrhoea which is the first disease to [faded] strangers here generally and [faded] quite well. My health is excellent. believe me still yr son

W.H.W.

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