U.S.A. Gen. Hospital             

Chestnut Hill Phila. Pa.

Feb 20^th 1863

 

            Bro. F. I have just recd yours of Feb 16^th, was glad to hear that you was all well. it had been a long time since I had heard from home, or it seemed so to me, the last one I recd before yours was written Jan. 15^th. it had been over a month and that is a long time for one in the hospital. Some like a hospital life, but I dont. I think though I shall get used to it soon.

 

            I expect I have got the name of being a regular beat, aint / I, like Andrew Neal and some others I could speak of. and you say you want to enlist, and think you shall if you can get away. now perhaps I can give you a little good advice.

 

            if you are not been well and have not got entirely well of the Diptheria, I would advise you to stay at home. if the diptheria efected your limbs, which I have no doubt that it did much worse than it did mine, you would not get wet and lay out one night before you would be used up entirely. I know the first time I got wet, (what I mean a good soaking) / I went a trip to City Point, and the second time, took me off my feet, and for one week I could not stir a foot nor turn my self in bed no more than a dead man, and for a month I did not stand on my feet, and you would be the same if not worse.

 

            you say Sell thinks he shall be one of the men to go into Richmond, you tell him to await untill I get there so I can go in with him. I dont blame him for going, I would if I had been in his place, rather than stand a draft, and he has gone to the same place I should go, if I was going to enlist again / it is not half so hard as infantry. I supose he enlisted for one year only. what bounty does he get.

 

I am glad to hear that there is some going to Vol. I should think that the young crop was trying to do pretty well. I dont see why Anthony by Jolly did not pass for a man.

 

I have got a letter wrote and ready to put in the Office for Selden but I suppose it will of no use to send it for he will not get it, if he left Augusta Monday I think he may pass this place to day.

 

            I would like to see him I can get a pass and / go and see him when I go to my Regt. we shall not be but a short distance apart. I would like to belong to that Bty.

 

dont Charles Morrill want to enlist now. does he say any thing about Len Gordons Batry now.

 

            we have had very good news here yesterday and this morning. we are all glad to hear that the Stars and Stripes are once more floating over Charleston, the nest egg of the Rebelion. What does Grandfather think of the war now, does he think it is going to last 8 or 4 years longer. / How does he feel about Selden's going away. I suppose he talks discouraging to him about it. We are having very fine weather here now. There is not but very little snow here now, the nights are quite cool but days are warm and pleasant as spring. I have not been out of doors since I came here, and cannot get out without a pass. we can go into a hall and have a chance to walk around 6 acres. it is rather a peculiar shaped building, to begin with it is a building about 14 feet / wide and runs around 6 acres, and from that there is built 50 wards about 100 feet long. each ward has 60 beds and 4 stoves. this ward has got about 35 patients in it.

           

I cannot write any more this time write often and all the news

                                                                       

Yours Truly

J. A. Dowst

 

[top margin last page, a diagram of the hospital naming, l. to r.: cook house, qrs officers, P.O., Dispensary, Chapel, Ward 1, Ward 2]

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