Brandy Station Va Dec 7^th 1863

 

Mrs Lariviere

                        Your letter of the 24^th Nov has just come to hand and I hasten to reply & give you all the information I can respecting your departed Husband I will tell you all from the time he was taken sick till he was taken away in an ambulance. We had stopped for dinner one day and when we got ready to start Zeph hitched up his team and sent word to me that he was sick. I went to him and asked him what ailed him & he said his head ached & had some pain in his back & one of his legs cramped. He said if I could get some one to drive his team a day or so he would be [paper hole] so & he rode in his waggon He did not think then that he would be sick much / neither did I and in that way I left him & went to my team. We did not start till in the night but I went to his waggon before we started & as I did he was asleep I did not wake him & did not see him till noon the next day as we were driving all the time & I could not leave my team. At noon we stopped for dinner & the first thing I did was to go to his waggon to see him. I asked the driver how he was & he said no better & had not spoke since morning I was alarmed then & tried to wake him but in vain His teeth were set & all he would do was to keep feeling with his hands. Some thought he had had a fit & had gone into the lockjaw. He was insensable & never spoke again and never recognized me. I could get no Dr nor medicine & so I could do nothing for him. / The next day we reached FairFax & I set to work to get a Dr & at last did get one to see him but he was so far gone that he could do nothing for him & the next day an ambulance came & took him away. Our Lieutenant says he was buried at Fair Fax Cemetery & he says he is decently buried in a good coffin. I asked him how much it would cost you to get him home & he said not less than 150 dollars & perhaps not less than 200, & his advice is to let him rest. I do not know whether he died in the night or daytime. He had changed very much when he left me & was very poor. I am glad you have got your pension money settled & that you get so much. I have collected all that is oweing him except 4 dollars & the man that owes that is in the hospital at Washington. The Lieut says he will get it if he can. We left here soon / after I got his money but now I will send it soon as I think it safe & also his things. There is your likeness & some rings & a few other little things which I thought the Children would be glad to have to play with. But I must bid you good night as it is getting late. If I have the good fortune to get a furlough this winter I will come & see you. Till then remember me as your friend

                                                                                                            Alman B Fargo

SOURCES