U.S. General Hospital

Armory Square, Ward J.

Washington, D.C.

March 25^th 1863

 

Dear Aunt

                        I received your letter and papers with the stamps which was very aseptable very glad to hear from you I am pretty well with the exception of a bad head ache which nearly blinds me by spels and I cant write you much of a letter the doctor has discovered something new in me in the shape of abcesses on the blader they have never done anything for it that has troubled me from the time that I was sick in Newburn. I am some better now though the doctor [?] the water and found it full of air and that is how he found it what the matter was. he does not say / wheather he can cure it or not they have paid me two months of the four the other two I expect I shall lose for the Doctor did not send up my description list and the paymaster said that the books was all squared up and the government had no more to do with the matter the poor fellow has lost a whole year and one months pay and a lot of clothing money the same way I have two months pay and 18 dollars clothing money due me now if they go on in this way there is thousands of dollars made by somebody. there is nearly 98 here in this hospital the same way I have not given up the thought of being discharged for I now have thought much about it yet I should like to look round home but there is time enough / yet for that the Dr spoke yesterday of sending me back to my Regt pretty soon but I guess he will wait a spell and as for cooking again I never shall in the Regt and I could not wear a belt with those abcesses coming up every little while. if you provoke me to it I shall beet beat you yet in left hand work (ha ha) pretty good I guess you will soon get tired of it I dont think I shall agree to it dont you think I have improved some in my effort Charley has [?] his endeavor to make a marked effort. Issac seems to have taken of a hard time of it in what department for the lords sake is Ed W in there is nothing of that description ever been in the war that I ever was in all the [?] of your / [?] is the same as Johnney Eastman in the 25^th. I have just been examined by the surgeon in charge and he says he can cure me well I should like to have him if he can for I have suffered long enough one thing more I never will take a furlough not while I am in the army you may bet on that I dont know what else to write here my head aches pretty bad and my mind is not clear enough to write Ideass for Anns composition I like the subject very well and I will try and think up something through the night for you I can understand John well enough not to trouble him when I have sought for anything like this in my curcumstances in what I wanted most was [?] it and cant get it that way it is but to let such folks alone

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