University Hospt. Aug 14, 63

New Orleans, La

 

Dear Mother

                        By Adams Express I have sent you Eighty Dollars, for which I have to pay two dolls. for express and insurance you know that there was nine mos. due us at the end of July, so I got $104.00 Eight mos. pay I have kept. $22.00 to buy things with as we do not get hardly enything tasty such as pickles butter, eggs, and the like which we cannot get from home even if they would let you send it. I have got my descriptive paper so I shall get my pay regular every two mos. which if I was in the regiment I might have to wait perhaps four, or six months before I get eny more. but I suppose that there is something as important occupying your mind as the money and you would like to hear from it. my leg is doing grandly I go around on crutches enywhere in the Hospt. since I wrote you last I had an operation that saved my leg from amputation. I was thinking my leg was doing well but the matter that run from it stunk very bad and my leg pained me for two or three days. I told the Dr. about it he says let me see it I took off the bandage and he examined it and found that the bone was decaying so he took his pinchers and got out all the bad bone and since that my leg has got along first-rate so I can bare so weight on it all that I have got to do now is to staighten my leg as the the cords have got somewhat contracted it will come to by degrees. I suppose C.G. is anciously waiting for a letter from me but I have no indication to open a correspondence with eny-body out of the home-circle. I am expecting to get a letter from Mrs. Rider and Father, and yourself. and the box by the next mail. Today has seen a sad event in this city by the execution of a soldier who was shot at 7 o’clock this morning. I have not learned eny particulars about it but shall get a paper. he shot the major of his Regt. but he was going to shoot the man and he just stepped back and shot him. I do not hadly believe the story as they can get up one about enything. it is dinner time so I will leave off till after. I suppose you will think that I am getting extravigent in keeping so much money back but you see stuff is so dear at present in the city that it take considerable but I still keep up the idea of carefulness and I think I am entitled to spend a little after seeing such hard times, and I find that I gain a good deal of strenght I suppose everybody is enquiring about me. tell them I am doing firstrate. hope this will find you all well and prosperous

 

                                                            I remain your affect Son

                                                                        Reuben Haworth

 

Enclosed is a dollar for the children to get something with to please them

                                                            from their brother,

                                                                        (Reuben Haworth)

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