M^cVeigh Hospital

                                                                                                            4^th Ward

                                                                                                Monday Evening

                                                                                                            May 2^d/1864

Brother William

            I am getting better How do you do and how do you get along. I should have written to you before but I knew you would hear all my letters read to night it is raining hard here now although it has been a very pleasant day. it thunders and lightnings and puts me in mind of last summer when you and I sat on the front stoop and it it thundered and rained so hard. I wish you could be here with me some Pleasant day we would go down to the Dock of the Potomack River and see the steamboats come in and go out. We can see the Capital very plain from here only six miles up the river from here but Oh Will don’t think of Enlisting in this War but stay at home and be a good Obedient Son to Mother & Father and you will be doing your duty/ and God Will reward you for it. there is to many new Recruits now that are to young for the hard service that the Soldier has to do, two thirds of the men in the Hospital are Recruits if you was sick in a Hospital you could not have Mother to watch over and take care of you. We as Nurses do all we can but after all it is not like a Mothers care I send you in this letter two songs and the Pictures with them. if I was home with you to night I would have you go up stairs and get some of your Walnuts and we would have a good Crack and eat for you know how I love them, you must lay in for a good lot of Walnuts next fall for I may be home in the Winter to help you eat some of them you must be a good Boy and be steady I wish you would write me a letter I would be happy to hear from you here in Va be good to the little ones and I will Remember you when I come home. Give my love to all the folk and Remember me as ever your Brother   Lyman A Griffith

 

                                    Write

 

[top margin] the verses I cut out of a newspaper Give them to ann for they are better than anything I can write to her

 

I Rec^d a letter from ann the 22^d of Apr have not got any since I may get one tomorrow I hope so          your Brother   Lyman

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