Jan 20 1862

 

Campbell Hospital on

7^th St Washington DC

 

Dear Parents

                  dont be alarmed at reading the heading of my letter for Slocums Division started for the front yesterday and all that were not able to march were sent to this place to the different hospitals and your son is with them I am able to be around it is a verry nice place for the first time since I enlisted I had my pants off and slept in a bed you cant imagine how odd it seemed I hope have got over my sickness I wrote this letter to let you know of it before the boys will let you know of it for they will let make it me worse than I am have you sent the money yet if you have not send it to me / at once for I am out of money if you can send me the whole I would be verry glad as I can get some little things that would pay me double when I join the regiment if you cant get the note changed without sending on to New Haven for it send me a five dollar treasury note there are eight left here from our Company the boys Jerry Charley Penfield and Robert Allisson have been verry kind to me Penfield and Jerry brought my knapsack to the cars and I walked how I wish I could have gone on but I was quite weak for three days I ate not a mouthfull and I had nothing but blood pass me (as bloody matter) but I am over it now but so weak that I could not walk a quarter of / a mile Arthur Boardman is here he is pretty sick he is from Cromwell in Robert Allisons company H S Geer died quite sudden I was the only one that see him draw his last breath as I went into the hospital he was strugling for breath the nurse was waiting on the sick handing them their breakfast Geer lay and his last breath he ever drew was I think as easy as any he ever drew with a heart ready to break I came to my tent I did not have the pleasure of seeing his remains leave for the north as I left on Sunday and his remains left yesterday (Monday) one thing I shall try to do and that is get my Dag type taken as soon as I get a letter from you the boys /

 

            dont worry about me

 

from Cromwell have all been kind to me Smith is a nice man and with my eyes full of tears I bid Jerry and Charley good bye at the cars knowing that in a few days they will in all probability be in battle and who will fall I dont know I hope none but I must stop such stuff for a soldier ought never to think of such things so our Col says the boys that were left back in the whole Division will number some thousands dont let one mail go out without letting me know, and if you have sent some money on before you get this send some to me I will tell you how to direct on top of page Love to all George /

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