Amos F. Garrison II to Harriet F. Kirby, 17 December 1865
Fort Mason A.T. Dec 17th 1865
Dear Sister
Yours of Oct 8th came duly at hand
sometime ago and very glad I was to hear from
you. this is the fourth attempt at answering
but there has always been something to
interrupt the completion, besides lack of
will in the first place since 2” of May. I have
not had a bed except my blankets or a
house over my head only one or two days
at a time when I have been travelling
around the country, my store house consists
of a few posts set in the ground with a
little brush throwed over the top, about
one half as good as your common cowshed
and this through July and August our rainy
season when for night and day it rains, but this
we got used to, we cannot expect a dry
bed so we take a wet one, it is as good as
vapor baths or packs, since that time I
have had fever and ague eight times
but this is soon cured with three pills
of blue mass at night with a dose of castor oil
in the morning, and twenty five grains of quinine
two or three hours before chill time, we have
had on sick report from one to three hundred
out of our command ranging from five to
eight companies but in all this there was but
few deaths and all from other causes. this with
my business which is good and contracting
with Govt. and travelling around to make my
purchases have kept me so busy that I have
not had much time to myself, especially
so, as money is very scarce, as our soldiers
have not been paid off for ten months and
the Quartermaster of Commisary Depts have
not had any money for six months and this
in a country where every man has to be his
own banker, and all our purchases are made
in old Mexico, and have to be paid in coin-
this post is within twelve miles of the line
at the junction of the Sana Cruz & Potiera
rivers (which you can nearly jump across), so
you see we are very near being foreigners. the
French and Mexicans are continually fighting
in a small way along the border-
Your letter is the first letter I have received
since July, your information in regard to the
country is correct, I believe it to be the richest
in minerals of the U.S. although as yet it
is underdeveloped as the Indians are so bad and
the country is so expensive, that it is impossible to travel
off of the road, except with large escorts
without risking the top of your head, although
it is done every day, the excitement & pleasure
is not so great probably as you imagine, if
anything should happen to me, they have a
very summary way of acting here. first write
to friends, then appoint an administrator
sell of effects and remit the money, so that
point is settled as well as it can be, as far as
Henry is concerned, I am afraid I shall
not be able to assist as he wishes for
the reasons expresed on the other side-Uncle
Amos is still in New Mexico and was well
when I last heard from him some two
months ago. I start for Mexico this week to be
gone a week or two. Good Bye, love to all
Yours as ever
A.F.Garrison
DATABASE CONTENT
| (586) | DL0068.031 | 14 | Letters | 1865-12-17 |
Letter from Captain Amos F. Garrison, United States Volunteers Commissary Department, Fort Mason, A. T., December 17, 1865, to his Sister
Tags: Business, France, Medicine, Native Americans, Weather
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 1
- (2700) [origination] ~ Fort Mason, Santa Cruz County, Arizona
SOURCES
Amos F. Garrison II to Harriet F. Kirby, 17 December 1865, DL0068.031
