Finley Hospital Washington

D. C. Feb 13^th 1863.

 

Dear Sister

 

It is now a week ago to-day since I arrived at this place. I wrote a letter home as soon as I got here but I have not received any answer yet. I suppose you would like to have me give you some account of my sickness and how I got along. I was unwell several days before I went to the doctor. At last I decided to go to the doctor. He gave me some medicine but I did not get much better. My box that you sent me arrived about this time but I had not much appetite I could not eat more than one or two of my cakes at a time. At last one morning it was rather stormy and I did not feel like going down to the doctors at surgeons call, so the orderly sergeant said he would ask him to come up and see me. So about ten oclock he came up and examined me, and said he guessed he should send me to the general hospital at Acquia Creek, and that I must be ready at 1 oclock. Ephraim Houghton was in my tent at the time and as I did not feel like writing to you he said he would write to father and let you know where I was and how I was. /

 

About noon myself and a number of other sick were put aboard ambulances and taken to the railroad station and put aboard the cars, and after considerable delay were started off for Acquia Creek. When we arrived there it was nearly dark. We we were put aboard a steamer and in the morning carried over to Windmill Point where a hospital had just been established called the General hospital. Our shelter consisted of good tents with camp bedsteads. It was the 24^th of January when I left the regiment. I do not remember much what happened for a number of days only that I was crazy as a loon /

 

After I came to myself I found that I had had a run of a fever. I was pretty weak after it but I soon began to gather strength and picked up pretty fast. I received a letter from Mother and one from Father while there containing two dollars. As soon as I got well enough I wrote a letter to father. Up to last saturday I had got so that I could walk out round the tent when orders came to remove all the sick of the 9^th army corps to Washington. We were put aboard the steamboat and sunday morning we arrived here in Washington and found ambulances in waiting at the wharf to take us to this hospital. When I arrived here I was somewhat tired but otherwise I felt as well as usual could be expected. In the afternoon a lady came into the hospital and inquired for me. I was out at the time but the man that has charge of giving out the medicines told me that it was Miss Bacon of Harvard that she came from the same town that I did. He said he was going down to her rooms after some medicine and I might go with him. I went and who should I see but Miss Sarah Bacon. She said that she had received a letter from her sister Sophia stating that you had heard that I was sick and mother was feeling very anxious about me. /

 

When she heard of the arrival of a number of sick from the army of the Potomac she looked over the lists and found my name and at once inquired me out. She was has been very kind to me she gave me a pair of drawers and a shirt out of a box she had received from Lynn. They took our clothes from us down to Acquia Creek to wash but they had not got them done when we came away so that we had only the clothes we had on. The patients were all furnished with a clean shirt and drawers but then they are cotton but these Miss Bacon gave me are woolen such as I have been wearing. She has also let me have the Boston Semi Weekly Journal to read. She has it sent to her direct from the office by her sister. I find that she has been here about six weeks she has charge of the liquor and clothing department or as she expressed it, she "was keeping a liquor store".

 

The hospital is very pleasantly situated on a hill overlooking the city of Washington from it you have a fine view of the Capitol building. I should think it was about a mile or a little more in a straight line from the hospital. When you write please let me know if you know anything about Mr Warner. I think I shall go down to the city this week to get my pay some of the 36^th boys that are here have been down and got their pay. The regiment has been paid off. Those who have been down got from 20 to 30 dollars according to the time they have been enlisted. According to the pay they get I do not expect to get much over 20 dollars as it was the 13^th of August when I enlisted.

 

As to my health I would say that I am gaining although I am not as strong yet as before I was sick but that could not be expected. But I find that these comfortable quarters and good substantial fare are strengthening me fast and I am in hopes with Gods blessing soon to get about again. The doctor does not give me any medicine now, nor do I think I need it. He is a very pleasant man and I for aught I can see a competent physician although of course I am not much of a judge but I know when I like the appearance of a man. There is another doctor over him but we do not see much of him as he has the general superintendence of the whole hospital and sees to making out discharges and examining those who wish to get their discharge. There are eight wards to the hospital. I am in the 4^th ward, therefore in directing your letters to me you will direct them to Finley Hospital Ward 4 Washington D. C. Each ward consists of one building. In our ward there are some over 75 patients I should judge although I have not counted them but I must bring this long and I fear it may be tedious letter to a close. I hope mother nor father nor you will worry yourselves about me, for those that were with me down to the other hospital tell me that they did not expect I should get along so well. But I said I was going to close my letter so with much love to you all good bye

 

From your brother,

E. W. Stacy

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