Huttonsville March 23^rd 1862.

 

            I have been fearing all day dear wife that I might receive a telegraph from you in regard to our dear little Evy. Not having done so I feel tonight much relieved and will try to think that by this time the danger is past. I dread the scarlet fever more than almost any other disease for children. Even after the disease is apparently over a slight exposure will frequently bring on trouble which seems more fatal than the original disease. I know that you will guard Evy most carefully from all danger, and I hope your care can be rewarded in her perfect & speedy recovery. I have always heard that rubbing the skin with bacon skin always acted like magic in easing the irritation of the skin and reducing the fever. It is a disease of the skin and this remedy seems to give to it that which the fever takes away. / I suppose you have tried the remedy before this, and have tested its value. I sincerely hope that Johny may escape. The bella donna as a prevention I know from experience to be an excellent medicine, and I pray that in his case it may prove sufficient.

 

            In nursing you must guard yourself dear wife as much as possible for you are now more liable to be sick than ordinarily you would be. I shall be unhappy until your next letter arrives, but I will trust in the goodness and mercy of our Heavenly Father to protect and save you all. Without this I should indeed be miserable. Separated from all of you and impossible to reach you or to attempt it, I can only go to the giver of all things for aid and comfort. He will sustain when all things else fail. Today I have thought of you as in church, and hoped that Evy was well enough to permit you to go. Would that I could be with you this evening to join in the service. /

 

            I received a letter from Burnet last night. He was well, but wrote that Sat had been sick with the measles, but was now well. I hope she will take special care of herself for some four or five weeks, or otherwise she may receive permanent injury from the effects of the disease. Since our arrival here we have lost four men by the measles, but all the rest are I believe considered out of danger. This disease has run through the camp very rapidly, and we have met with very little loss compared with other regiments. Our Surgeons are both men of intelligence and skill in their profession, as well as gentlemen in their manners and education. This is a great comfort, and I feel if I should be taken sick entirely willing to trust myself to the care of either of them. At present I am perfectly well, and hope to continue so to the end of the war.

 

            I wrote you that Gen^l Milroy had / returned. He is now waiting reinforcements before he makes an advance. Captain Hyman (I believe that is the name) is coming to our aid with his battery, and also the 73^rd Ohio. I had written the 55^th but the regiment is in such a bad condition from sickness that it cannot march, or else it would also join us. As soon as this storm is over and the weather settles for a few days, we will I doubt not get our orders to go forward to Cheat Mountain, and from this point the whole force will advance. Gen^l Milroy has not force enough to advance on Staunton, alone, but if Gen^l Cox should join him with his column we could do so with ease. Our movements are however to be ordered by others, and all that we can do is merely to speculate. Every now and then they have little affairs in the mountains between scouting parties which amount to nothing either way. 

 

            I am sorry Mr Munroe has made so bad an out at collecting, but I suppose the fault is not his. You must not dispond however, but look ahead and count again that which I have marked as good in your little book. Do not be afraid of Mr Wooley. He cannot hurt you for you will have enough to pay him long before any advantage could be taken of any failure to pay promptly. His next payment is due I think in May and if you should fail to save enough out of the collections between now and then, you must look to the month of June for the money. Besides this I have no doubt the paymaster will visit the 75^th before that day, and if he does I can send you enough money to place you out of all difficulty. Do not therefore feel any anxiety upon this point as I think in money matters we are all / right for the present. I do not atall fear that you will get your affairs entangled for I know you always keep everything very correctly. Be careful in every separate tenants account to charge on one side of the page the rent at the time it becomes due, and credit him with the payments as soon as they are made on the other. In this way you cannot get into trouble, for there is nothing else to get tangled. As to the manner in which you spend the money, all I have to say is, do just as you please, only be sure to spend enough upon yourself. I must not have my little wife stint herself in anything that she can afford. You now hold the purse strings, and all you have to do is to spend what you please, and that will perfectly satisfy me. I know well dear wife that money is safer with you than with me. Kiss dear Evy and Johny for me & give my love to them & all the family always including Nettie. May God bless and protect you all. Good night kisses to darling wife.

                                                                                                           

N. C. M^cLean

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