Springfield December 1^st 1862

 

Dear Brother

                        I thought that I set down and pass a small portion of the time away by writing you a few lines. It being a very cool raw lonesome day I dont know hardley how to pass the time away here in this lonesome hole. This is about as bad a place to hang around as Rolla when a fellow is just a bout half dead and a live. I am getting perfectly sick tired and discouraged of hanging around these darned Hospitals getting no better or no worse as far as I can see. I wish that they do something or another with a fellow either kill or cure him and make a clean job of it so / a fellow can know what they are a going to do with him and not keep him here caged up worse than any one in a prison. There are sixteen of us have to live in a room about ten by twelve feet square and when we all get laid down there is not room enough to put your foot down. Last thursday was thanksgiving I suppose that you had a good time and plentey to eat as you allways do in that part of the country. Well we had a pretty fair dinner for the State of Missery as we call it Jim, Myself and one of the other boys went up town the day before thanksgiving and bought all we could of the hucksters and then went around among the chicken roosts and then we had to wait till the chickens went to roost so we could catch them / and then we made out to get three chickens and one Turkey the turkey was cooked. The chickens we cooked in a kettle and made gravy and baked a lot of buiscuit pretty good considering where they were and the advanteges we had for making them. And then we got three or four pies and some cheese and we had pie and cheese for a dessert and that comprised our thanksgiving dinner. There was a woman came down here last Friday from Oconomowoc her name was Munger Mrs Goodman was well acquainted with her folks. Her Husband bellongs to our company. he has been very sick here in the hospital ever since the regiment left here. She says that she is not / going back till he does if it is not in three years. I was over to the other hospital yesterday. Isee takes right hold and goes to work nursing and doing all She cam for to help the sick. Bert you must write me all the news when you answer this. How do you and all the girls over to school get a long now days.

 

Tell mother I want that letter from her and that fine comb of mine. Bert let Mother and father read this if it ever reaches you. The regiment is twelve miles south west of here waiting for marching orders. This is all I have to say this time

                                                                                    Yours Truly

give my love

to all enquiring                                                                       S. Strong

 

Tell Father not to forget that money

answer soon

SOURCES