William G. Gage to Catharine A. Gage and Brother, 28 August 1863
Annapolis Md. Augt. 28th 1863.
 
Dear Mother
              Yours & Henry's letters I received this noon & by yours I see you not only want me to come home very badly but think that I want to come full as bad as you want me to come. now if I could be exchanged & go back to the regiment it would sute me just as well now that I begin to get my strength.
 
I see also that you not only want me to come home but want me to stay there & I see an other thing you think my little boy childe has got sick of it after seeing one little charge & getting scered & taken prisoner he will be glad to get out of it now. I would kindly inform you that is not my view of the thing the only reason why I wanted to come / home was be cause there was no prospect of an exchange & this is a very lonesom place.
 
It was against my principals to be taken prisoner at liest with out being hirt pretty badly but when I saw a regiment that I thought would fight run all over like a flock of sheep (that is what they made me think of a f when they were crowding to get back through the fence) I thought I would not shot on their account & so surrendered.
 
Give my love to all
You Son
Wm. G. Gage.
 
P.S. Tell Henry when he writes he must direct to the 7th Mich Cav. as well as to the Barracks.
Glover. /
 
Annapolis Md. Augt. 28th 1863
Dear Brother
           Your's of the 23d was received this noon & you may know I was quite glad to get it as I had no word from home since the letter of Fathers containing the money.
 
You did with this letter as you have done here tofore put very little news in them but fill them up asking questions, but I will humor you a little this time & answer them & if you do so next time you must blame your self if they are not all answered. It wont take long to tell what I got to eat in Richmond about four slices off one of you loaves of baker's bread would cover all the bread & I think a little / more & the meat was a piece of boiled salt pork about an inch thick & two & one half square we were there about twenty four hours. What we got there we concidered as excelent & in good quantities.
 
You wanted to know whether I was with Church when he was killed I was not.
 
I do not think of any news to write there is nothing going on in this place. you may think that for a Capitol of a state & situated on such a fine harbor it should be quite a large place but it is not look in the geography & see what its population is stated to be I am sure it cannot contain over three thousand at the present time.
 
I hope you are all well.
Wm. G. Gage.
7475
DATABASE CONTENT
(7475)DL1334.023104Letters1863-08-28

Tags: Anxiety, Death (Military), Food, Homecoming, Money, Prisoners of War

People - Records: 2

  • (2613) [writer] ~ Gage, William Glover
  • (2618) [recipient] ~ Gage, Catharine A. ~ Glover, Catharine A.

Places - Records: 1

  • (486) [origination] ~ Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

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SOURCES

William G. Gage to Catharine A. Gage and Brother, 28 August 1863, DL1334.023, Nau Collection