Park's will be apt to bring you

                        this letter [faded]

Millcreek Hosp^t near Ft. Monroe

 

Sept 30^th /62.

Affectionate Mother—I should have written to you ere this, and you no doubt will blame me for not doing so, but as I seem to be neither better nor I may say worse than when I came here [faded and torn] I shall write though if any change for better or worse happens. Dont worry or fret your self for all that is wrong with me is a very sore pain in my back & kidneys which affects my urinary works. I am also plagued with that curse of camp—the [faded] as we called it at home. I am much reduced in flesh. My face is [faded] for whiskers. And "take me all in all" I'm a down right curious fellow [faded] I got the letters which were sent here [paper hole] Lizzie & Jimmie as also the $2.00 for which I thank you one & all. I hope to be able to replace it before long. 

 

Well now while speaking of money—You know I lent W^m Sheriff $50.00 before leaving home. I left you the note. Did you ever collect it? It bears interest 10 per cent. I want you to see something about it and if you need the money why use it, if not you can either let him keep it at the same per cent or do anything else you [paper hole] best with it. Dont be afraid to "make [torn] in my prittee-pot"!!—I had the pleasure of seeing M^r Miller (the Miller) from Pine Grove here the other day. He came to interceded for a discharge for M^cMillen but intercession of friends is of no use here. Nothing but a surgeon's certificate of disability will procure a discharge. Lizzie [faded and torn] get discharged but I dont [faded and torn] for if I get able to go back to [faded and torn] can perhaps shoot another reb [faded and torn] so much for Uncle Sam. I dont want any more letters directed [faded] a chance of being [faded] in Hospt and if I be / sent there I'l write and let you know.

 

I have heard but once from the regt since I left it. Harrison Hurry wrote me a letter on the day or so after our noble Gen. Kearney was killed. He did not say where the regt was, but told me that our regt had the honor of escorting that hero's remains from the field of battle to Alexandria. I heard that Lieut. Cl[faded and torn] & Hurry were going home to recruit for the regt. Another report I heard is that the 55^th & 57^th was consolidated and most of the officers of the 57^th had been either mustered out of service or else resigned, among them Cap^t Ralph. I cant tell whether any of these reports

 

are true but if

will have but small

going back among

I got a letter from Jno S

in the U.S. Hosp^t Che

his discharge. He will be h

these days soon. 

 

M^r Miller promised to take a few lines for me, so I wrote a letter and in the mean time he left without letting me know and the result was I didn't send it even by mail. The $40.00 I sent you by express from Harrison's Landing did you ever get it? I believe you never mentioned getting it. If you did not I can make the Express Co responsible. Tell me all about it when you write.

 

I have not heard from Cousin Sallie for a long time, nor from Uncle. I write none except to Uncles & home and that but seldom. Give my best

[faded and torn] family

                                                                                                                       

at this time

remains as ever

your son J. D. Baker

1862

SOURCES