John P. DeMeritt to Julia A. DeMeritt, 1 February 1865
DL1644.15
New Orleans La
Feb. 1. 1865.
Dear Sister Bell,
Your letter, mailed Jan 17, reached me yesterday and I was thankful again to hear you all were well and doing finely. This eve while alone in Mr. Beedy's office, he being at supper, and having nothing to do, I concluded I could not do better than drop a few lines to you.
In your letter you speak of Frank Mitchel and of his compliment to me &c. You will please give him my best regards & say, I often think of him & always with great pleasure too, because of the good report about his reading the Testament. May he find that Word more precious daily the longer he lives & from it be induced to lead a Christian life of usefulness. I am sorry to hear Clara still continues no better. I fear she will not live long. Please give / them my deepest sympathy & tell them they are remembered in my daily prayers.
I must not forget to congratulate Martha upon her success in teaching at my old fishing ground. I hope good success will attend her endeavors through the whole term. Up to date I have very little to pen. About all the week so far has been spent in running into the city & back to camp. Several matters in business have led me to the city twice, principally of which was pay, and getting my teeth fixed. As to the pay I am in hopes of getting some tomorrow, & as to the teeth, seeing Father did not offer to fill them & send them to me by letter when I heard from him the other day, I concluded to do what I could here. I have got two filled, & if pay comes soon shall get them all rigged out in shape.
Yesterday I had a letter from Cousin Sarah Fitts Masters & she sent me her picture. She & her family were well as were also the rest of the relatives. She was feeling very bad / for the death of her husband, which you remember occurred a few months ago. I must write her a letter of encouragement soon. I will send her picture in this letter for you to keep there. You will see the likeness is not taken first rate. It looks quite natural
however.
I think that was a very short letter of yours. Just set down & think what a faint picture of home you gave! Not a word on the weather, or whether you had snow or not. Not a word about Eddie's going to school, or what he studied. Not a word about Church &c, as to whether anybody or all went. Not a word about Laura. Not a word has been said yet from home about Laura's learning to dance, about which you have by this time learnt my opinion. In fact I could fill this sheet, I think, with questions about which I wish you would write, & which you most always omit. Just set down & write me exactly what you would tell me if I was by your side & you will have a long and very interesting letter.
Feb. 4th. Marching orders have come at last. We will this eve or to-morrow go on ocean steamers for Mobile. So you will probably hear from me next from that place or its vicinity. I hope I shall in my next be able to tell you Mobile is ours. It is reported the Rebs are evacuating the city but nothing reliable is known.
As I got pay up to Nov 1st I will send in this forty dollars thirty dollars with which I wish you would pay Geo W. Read what I owe him. He has my note for twenty five dollars which with interest will amount to nearly thirty. When you pay him he will give you the note, which you will keep safely & give me the date of it that I may see if the interest was rightly calculated. I think there will be a little money left, if so you may have it for your trouble. In my next unless I shall fear to trust the mail I will send a little money that you at home can use if you like or set by against a pinch. If you need money when this reaches you you may use out of this and not pay George until I send more. I had another tooth filled which was the last cavity I
had. I feel nice at the good luck in getting my teeth in shape again. My health is first rate.
You must not feel concerned if you do not hear from me for a fortnight or more, as I presume it will be quite a little time before we shall get our mail arrangements settled. Direct at New Orleans and do not put on via Cairo. Love to all
Write often.
Your dear brother
John
DATABASE CONTENT
| (11286) | DL1644.015 | 165 | Letters | 1865-02-01 |
Tags: Business, Camp/Lodging, Death (Home Front), Family, Food, Home, Illnesses, Mail, Marching, Money, Payment, Photographs, Religion, School/Education
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 1
- (72) [origination] ~ New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
SOURCES
John P. DeMeritt to Julia A. DeMeritt, 1 February 1865, DL1644.015, Nau Collection
