Gen. Hospital No. 1.

Lexington Ky March 20. 63

 

                        Dear Laura.

                                    Your letter containing those likenesses arrived today I was all in a flurry until I got it open & what do you supose the result was both the pictures ruined you should have put some raw cotton between them & also turned the backs instead of the faces together the side of your face over the babe's is rubbed so that the features are obliterated almost. I am very sorry indeed but the babe's likeness is all right you was so anxious for me to see her. God bless her sweet little fat face how I would like to rub my cheek against her fat face. Laura the sight of your face does me lots of good it makes me  want to go home but that is out of the question just at this time. I am going to the Reg't. in the course of two or three weeks if I have nothing to hinder. I feel confident I will be able to procure a discharge at the Reg't. long before I can even hope for one here. The fact is it will never do to expect a discharge from a Kentucky Hospital especially if it is officered by Kentucky officers Drs. &c. Since the 26 of Jan. there has been several of our Co. discharged from the Reg't. who would not have been so lucky if they had been in some of these Ky. Hospitals / Why the Kentuckians here in the General Hospital say boldly there is no use for a northan man to expect ever to get discharged from here. so I will just make tracks to the Reg't. as soon as I am able to stand the trip which I think will not be longer than about two or three weeks at the farthest. Yesterday I received a letter from Solon in which he did not appear quite so republican as in the last before. I rather think the boy has seen the elephant to his satisfaction he don't advocate the nigger question with quite as much zeal as he used to do. Laura it would do you good to see the mottled assemblage that is here congregated there is one or two from every State in the union Deutch English Irish Scotch Yankees & even Niggers. but of the latter they can be counted by the thousands. I defy any one to walk the streets of Lexington and not meet 4 niggers to one white person great fat greasey devils it is enough to make a decent man sick to walk the streets of such a place.

 

            The letter I am answering to day is so old I hardly know how to answer it I am thinking you will have to content yourselves this time with a short letter. I can't as I see attempt a letter to Neal before Sunday I have the neuralgia in the whole left side of my face and I have to do a good deal of grunting in order to get what little written I do write I hope by sunday I shall be better and feel more like doing something than I do at this time excuse this short thing

SOURCES