Head Quarters 77^th Regt O.V.I.

Alton, Ills., Feb 1, 1863.

 

My very dear Wife:

                        I was so much pleased to get your letter of last Sunday. It makes me very happy to know that you are well, and living comfortably surrounded by our darling children, all in good health and spirits.

 

            You say you are stouter now than for some years, and feel confident you will have as good health at 35 as at 95. I have heard of nothing which gives me so much happiness as of your good health, and I feel in hopes you will be at least as stout at that age as when you were married. I am truly glad to hear that the neighbors think you look better than usual. You always looked "as sweet as a peach" to me, and I doubt not your charms are still retained. How I would like to kiss your dear sweet lips as often as I pleased to-night, and press you warmly in my arms, as I have been wont to do when at home. My heart thrills at the thought of so happy a time. Oh, love, how I do long for the time when I can return to spend the balance of my days with you. I look at your picture every little while, and kiss it too, dearest, So often; but it isn't like you—it don't me in return. Still I prize it and the children's pictures so much. If they don't kiss me in return, they seem to look at me with the same expression of love with which you greet me.

 

            I am glad you can go to church with Mary and Sue. It is quite a nice thing for daughter to be large enough to "keep house" while you go out. It's a good joke for Mrs. Flagg to object to your / going to the Unitarian Church. I think you will hear the Gospel preached there as well as at the Congregational Church. When I come home, I will go with you often to any church you choose, as you have always been so good to go with me to mine. I like the Baptists, but I am not so uncharitable as to suppose there is no good in another church.

 

            I wrote you that Mrs. Hildebrand had brought me an invitation from Col. Woods to visit his house; and that I intended going there and to the Monticello Seminary. We had made arrangements to go out yesterday; but the illness of Col. Hildebrand prevented her from going, so E.S. M^cCarty went with me. Col. H. is almost well now, but Mrs. H. thought she ought not to leave him that long yet. We had a nice time though. Miss Hayes and Col. Woods daughter tried to get leave from the Principal to go with us to Col. Woods, but she refused them, and they were so much disappointed. Miss Baker, one of the teachers, Miss Hayes and Miss Iselt, (three pretty girls, but not so pretty as you) took us all through the Seminary and showed us the library, the cabinet, the gymnasium, the painting gallery, the music rooms,—in which were thirteen pianos,—and in fact every room they thought we would care to see. Miss Baker, who is the Teacher of Music, sang and played some new patriotic songs for us. M^c had no acquaintances there, till I introduced him, and he thought himself in luck to go with me. He got very much interested in a Miss M^cCreary, a very intelligent lady who visits Alton sometimes with Miss Miller, a daughter of the president of one of the Alton Banks. She seemed equally interested in him. By the way, the 77^th boys are very popular with the ladies of this city and vicinity. Brass buttons and shoulder straps are "all the go" here. /

 

After we left the Seminary, which is a beautiful place—splendid building and beautiful enclosure, handsomely ornamented with shrubbery—we drove to Col. Woods, and found them waiting for us, as Miss Hayes had told Mrs. Woods we were coming. They are excellent people, and treated us very kindly. Miss Mary Woods and Miss Lizzie Chamberlain, and Col. Woods and his lady, all expressed themselves much gratified by our visit. They asked me all about my wife and children, and of course I told them what an interesting little family I have. Mrs. Hildebrand had told them about me,—and I guess had complimented me as "a real gentleman", "very intelligent" etc., and had told them of my participation in the Battle of Shiloh, receiving a wound and being captured. So they took some interest in me, and urged me to visit them often—to make their house a resort while I remained in Alton. I will probably call on them again, if I stay here long. Mrs. Woods said it must have been distressing for you to hear that I was missing, and could hear nothing from me for weeks. She says her only son is Adjutant in an Illinois regiment, and that she fears to hear of that regiment getting into a battle. By the way, Mrs. Woods has the handsomest collection of shells and other curiosities in her cabinet that I ever saw. She has two pyramids entirely covered with small shells. They are about four feet high, and were certainly the work of her own hands. Everything about her house exhibits her taste as very fine.

 

            I received a letter from Augusta, and will answer it soon. Give her my kind regards; and don't forget to remember me to the rest of our friends—including Mrs. Stewart and Mr. Racer's folks.

 

I am sorry to hear, by a letter from Sister Melissa, that brother Elisha does not expect to live longer than spring. His lungs are badly affected, and he has, I fear, "come home to die". Poor brother, I would like so much to see him once again, but fear I never shall in this world. Melissa says Mary Ann is getting her health again—that she is quite stout since her marriage, and does all her own work. I am so glad to hear it. Porter foot, which he cut some time ago, is healing fast. Father is in as good health as usual, and Mother has better health than for years past.

 

            We have very sharp cold weather here now. It is good for our health. I never felt better in my life. My vaccination did not take, which shows that I cannot take the Small Pox. The disease is spreading in the regiment—or rather varioloid is. Still but few die. Capt. Sisson is better.

                                               

I am, dearest, as ever, yours only.

A.W. M^cCormick.

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