Harpers Ferry Va       

Friday Morning January the 9^th 1863

 

Dear Neice,

                        I seat myself this morning to drop you a few lines in answer to your kind and interesting letter that I received a few days ago with great satisfaction to heare from you all. Anna I have joind my regiment again that was the reason that your letter was so long geting to me I left Williamsport the 28^th september and though your letter was maild the 23^rd I never got it untill the 4^th of this month when the Hospital was moved from Williamsport those that were very sick were sent to Hagerstown a distance of six mile the convelescents I being one of them were put on board a canall boat that was bound to Harpers Ferry the distance to said place by canall was 40 mile all that we had with us to eat would make us but two meals I asked the captain of the boat when he expected to get to the Ferry he told me he thought he would get there sometime saturday night, but the had on board 116 tons of / coal and 17 of us soldiers and in several places along the canall there was so much ice that we had to break our way through it as best we could. by this time we had eat everything that we had also all that the captain had on board the boat there was but littel money amongst us but I happend to have some but had to pay for all that I got at one place I had to pay a cent for watter crackers. placed as we were the captain run the boat night and day but although we left Williamsport friday at noon sunday at 2 O'clock found us yet six mile from Harpers Ferry and this was not all for a large stone had roled from the mountain into the canall and we could no further untill it would be taken out. in this fix we got a horse from the lock keeper for as good luck would have it this happend at a lock. So one of our men mounted the horse and rode to the Ferry to report our condision and to tell them to a wagon for us. But I was always unluckey for no teams had come at dark, & I had sleep very cold the night before and thought was there a warm place on board the boat that I would have it that / night and teling eney of the rest I went to the hay house and crawed down in the hay as far as I could get I was warm there and soon fell asleep while I sleep the teams came and all got off but me. In the morning I went to the house of the lock keeper and spent the last of my money for my breakfast and after inquiring the road set out on foot with my knapsack on my back although it had been but a few days since I had left my bed with Typhoid Fever. half a mile brought me to the 1^st Md pickets I rested here and warmed myself by there fier and set out again one mile farther brought to the Calvary pickets and they were about to return to there camp and was going my road one took my knapsack to carry and an other gave me his horse to ride they brought me within 2 mile of my regiment I arived there just at dark I crosed the river on the pontoon bridge it being the first one that I ever seen the floor of the bridge is laid on boats built for this purpose Anna this is a very rough country there is one mountain that is 11 hundred feet high there they are all coverd with snow now and it is piercing could here to day we have very comfortable / quarters here our company is in a brick house and a stove in every room my health is no better since I came here but dont let this give you eney uneasy uneasiness for I hope that I will better ere long dont think because I do not answer in reply to something that you mensiond in your letter that they were unnoticed by me for they were tell your mother she must excuse me for not answering her letter and the rest for writing to them for one has such a bad oppertunity of writing here tell your mother allthough she wished me a pleasent christmas it was but dull to me but many thanks to her for her good wishes and advice give my love to her and all the family I wish that I could sed you all I could talk to you much better then I can write but God knows when that will be but I hope it will be some day the Shanandoah empyes into the Potomac at this place there is much more that I could write but have filed this large no with foolishness that wont be interesting I heard the 7^th father sent me some money they were all I wrote to George the 7^th but have got no answer yet I expect he will soon join his regiment by what I hear give this letter to them all to read excuse bad spelling and writing no more at present. I close with my love to you dear Anna and remain as ever your affectionate Uncle

                                                                                               

Hiram to Anna

 

when you write let me know if Wes and Ann has been to see you also give me the particulars you know

 

Direct H. N. Hamilton

6^th Regt Md Vols C^o. G.                                              

Harpers Ferry                                                  

Jefferson County                                             

Care of Capt Christie              Va                                           

                                                                                                            

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