Memphis Tennessee

                                                                                                                        Nov 30^th 1862

 

Dear Wife       I will write you afew lines now to let you know that I am all right yet. We moved into Memphis day before yesterday I am still in the hospital as nurse I like to stay here verry well how long I will stay in the hospital I do not know my ten days are up tomorrow and if the Doctors and hospital stewart which is Jim Miller like me as nurse I shall stay longer the sick want me to stay with them There are about thirty or 35 thousand men here now I was in side the breastworks today I could not give you any description of them so that you would have any idea how they look. the works are thrown up about 10 feet high and composed of cane and earth works and / there are large cannon placed on the top of the works pointing towards the river There are several gun boats in the river which runs close to the breastworks the hospital is alarge two story frame house near the river it is verry pleasantly situated on the corner of Vance and Main streets. There are some of the boys in the hospital that are dangerously ill the man that is worst is Wm Higgins he has the measles and there are afew cases of mumps that are pretty bad yet there is one man in our ward that shot himself the ball passed through the ball of his foot Memphis is a verry pretty city and pretty large there is nothing of importance going on now there has been agreat many buildings destroyed by fire supposed to set on fire by the soldiers. There are two women now that belong to the regiment one is the Matron the other assistant cook they / appear to be verry respectable women. The tents are verry different from those you saw at camp Butler they are built about 4 feet high with brick and then the tents are stretched over and they are floored and have chimneys. I think that we will stay here all winter. It is reported that the 114^th Ills was badly cut up afew days ago about nine miles below here whether there is any truth in it or not I do not know. Our company has been on guard at the prison for two or three days they say that gray backs are thick as hops there I am glad that I am not in there now. You must excuse my bad writing as I am seated on alarge chunk of coal writing on abook lying on my knee The weather is verry pleasant here now it is about like the first of september in Ills I am well satisfied and am getting fat I weigh ahundred and sixty four lbs now If I live to get back and should ever have / the money to spare I shall make another visit to the south and bring you with me I would like for you to have yours and Eddys daugerrotypes taken and send them to me I should like verry well to live in the south it is a verry pretty country. There is going to be an investigation of matters at the hospital that I think will throw Dr Barry and Jim Miller out of office it is millers business to provide for the hospital he has neglected his duty and us fellows in the hospital fared slim for afew days. This is the fourth letter that I have written to you and have received no answer. write soon or I think I shall have to begin to complain I send my love to all my friends in old bond tell them to write to me. Old Gooden hagen the old dutch preacher is here he is more trouble than profit with his exhortations I will send you a picture of the house we used for ahospital before we come here. Nothing more your affectionate Husband

                                                                                                            H. B. Drake

 

M. E. Drake

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