2^d Corps 2^d Div Hospital

Citty Point Va Dec 31 1864

 

I recd yours of the 22^d, 23^d, 24^th, 25^th and last [faded] and will write a few lines in answer

 

            I am at the same old place as ever and about the same as I have been for the last 6 weeks or for the last 3 weeks. I am better than I was 6 weeks ago but I cannot run very fast yet, my diarhea is nearly well at times and then it comes on again, but I dont think I would make much account of that if I was not lame or did not have the other troubles. you want to / know if the efects of diptheria afects one any other place than about my legs and hips. it does not only when I get cold or some thing and then it makes my arms and fingers week and numb, but they dont trouble any more. my throat does not trouble any, it has not felt any sore but once or twice since I was at home, and then I should hardly noticed it had I not seen so much of this diptheria. but it does make me lame or it dont hurt me to walk only it takes the strength all out of my legs and hips.

 

my back is week and feels tired all the time. I cannot walk much where it is rough with out bumping my nose on the ground, and to tell the / whole of the story, I have to walk with a staff.

 

well about the 5^th of Oct. I had the jaunders & Diarhea and was sent excused from duty and stayed around the camp untill the 25^th, and then the Div. had orders to march and then the Dr. sent me to Div. Hospital and then I was sent from there here and I staid here about 10 days and then was sent to the Regt, and there I under took to help put up some qrs for my self and worked in the rain and got cold. then I went to the Dr. and he would not excuse me from duty and the next day he excused me, and I / stayed there two weeks and kept failing or growing worse all the while untill I got so I could not walk atall, nor get up and stand on my feet, and the Dr. went away and I could get to the hospital untill he would give me a pass. I stoped with the Co two nights after I could not walk and I got so I could not raise my hand to my head, nor turn over in bed. I begun to think I was going to fail entirely and I did not know but for ever

 

well then the Dr. came and sent me to my the hospital and after I was there two or three day and got warmed up I begun to get the use of my limbs some and in about a week I got so I could sit up in bed / and since I got here so here I have got so I can walk on crutches where it is level. I have to sit on the bed most of the time. it does not hurt me to walk only my legs are limber and week, dont seem to have the use of them. I am going now all the time, but not so fast as I would like. Now you have got the whole of it and know just as much about as ever I do

 

I did set out to say no more about it than I could help but it will make it no worse if I do tell it all

 

I do not suffer any and am fat as a hog.

 

I dont know how long I shall be so but I think if I do as well as I have / I can walk around in a few weeks. you spoke of my getting a furlough but I dont think I can and if I could I should not now for as long as I am comfortable I cannot aford to spend $100 to go home 15 days. That is all they give and it will take 8 days to travel from here to Maine and back.

 

and what is more I believe we shall all be at home before another year.

 

it is generaly believed here that the war will soon come to a close, and I think it cannot hold out much longer. we feel that we never shall have to go through another campaign. The Rebs are fast running into our lines / there was a Maj. & Capt. and Lieut, and about 50 men came into our lines the other day, and they say the rebs are fighting among themselves, and they cannot get clothes nor grub. the Maj said we should hear of some thing soon, before we expect it, he thinks they cant hold out much longer.

 

            I have not seen nor heard from C Smart since he came out here.

 

I have not got the paper yet. I get the war news here I guess before you do, but I like to look over a Maine paper. Tell Granville I have not got any of his letters. I have not got any of the letters you sent to the Regt yet. you spoke / of having a new house keeper I never have heard of it before. you spoke as though you had written before about it.

 

Where does E Edgmont talk of moving to. I suppose Marsh Graves is making quite a show aint he. I would like to put him on picket up in front of Petersburg to day. it is very warm or comfortable weather here now

 

it is warm and rainy here to day. Does Ferd go to school this winter.

 

            Has N. M. Sofrey moved away yet.

 

            I cannot write any more now. Oh they say we are going to have another big dinner tomorrow I wish you all a hapy New Year

(Yours J.A.D.)

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