Hd. Qrs. 173^d N.Y.S.V.

Port Hudson La. Aug 16^th 63

 

            My Dear Grandpa.

                                    I need scarcely assure you how much I love you and how often I think of you in your pleasant rooms at Green Hill even though I am separated from you by many a long mile & long stretch of country which an enemy holds and / which we soldiers hope soon to see our possession and all the Secessionists punished as they deserve. Would that our Generals had some of the stern manly revolutionary spirit which I have seen you so often evince in some of our pleasant conversations together, then might we have the laurel of victory more often on our glo- / rious banners and not have evinced in campaigns as I am sorry to say is too often done, a spirit of personal aggrandisement and the filling of ones pocket with ill gotten and unlawful gains wrenched from a conquered and vanquished country for whose state of social equality which they enjoyed in our former Union we are now [?] to resuscitate out of / the wrecks of the Southern Confederacy which have been driven from the phantom ship of state headed by Jeff. I say phantom for I regard the Southern Confederacy as something similar to an egg the ends of which we are vainly batting at and politely tapping at other points not with a clenched hand & a good muscle but with the en- / cumbrances of stuffed gloves & [?] padded sleeves in the hope of contrition & indemnity, [?] &c. I say that in my belief the only way to end this unhappy war is to put Generals of known courage & capacity at the heads of our armies, give these Generals every thing they need & not interfere with their plans nor allow political considera- / tions to influence for an instant the Cabinet or President.

                                   

Love to all I am affec your Grandson

William /

 

[overleaf]

 

Lieut Co^l W^m N. Green's

            Letter Recd 4^th Sept^r 1863

 

 

[direction]

 

William E. Green Esq

Green Hill,

Worcester

Mass.

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