13th New York Infantry - Fairfax Seminary Hospital

Item LTR-10293

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.


Fairfax Seminary Hospital, VA
November 29, 1862

Dear Sister Dem,
Excuse me for not answering your last letter before this. I will try and do better hereafter. I feel quite smart this morning. I am setting in the Ward Master’s room and the sun is shining in the window as pleasant as summer. I get up in the morning, dress and come down to the room. I say dress that I can’t do alone, the nurse helps me. I can’t use my arms very well and have to be very careful how to steer around it or it hurts me. My chest aches a good deal, but the surgeon says that it will be a good while before I get so it won’t pain me. I asked him yesterday if I would ever be fit for duty again and he didn’t say anything but shook his head.
Probably when I come home, I will come to stay. How did Thanksgiving go with you? Well I hope it passed very pleasant. With me I had a good dinner, a good piece of turkey and other things to compare. I hope to be with you to eat a Christmas dinner and then I will tell you more than I can write. This is the first letter that I have written with pen and ink, you will excuse poor writing won’t you. Just think of it tomorrow is the last of the month, then comes the first winter month, does it seem possible?
When I wrote you last, I did expect to go to Washington this week, but I did not feel quite strong enough. It is better to stay one week too long than to go back too soon. I could stay here a month yet and enjoy myself quite well aft I get so I can walk out for quite a number of the doctors want me to come up to their rooms and stay. I have a good many friends here.
Dem it is afternoon and I thought I would finish my letters. Since I completed this letter I have received two. One from Willis and one from Cousin Charlie. I tell you I was glad to get one from him. I also got the Advertiser.
O’Dear how I would like to be at home it don’t seem as if I could walk until the time comes for me to start. I don’t believe that you have such pleasant weather in Dansville as we do down in this forlorn country. Charlie, after telling how bad he felt about my getting wounded had to tell me about a good hunt he and another fellow had a few days ago. I will try and write to him tomorrow. Tell Willis I will write to him one of these days. He was very kind to write to me. I don’t hardly know what more to write. My mind is confused and it seems so funny to set up and write that I can’t think about what to say but I can find enough to talk about when I am home. Tell Ace that the nurse that took care of me when he was out here, left for his regiment today. I guess he will remember him.
I must close for my breast and shoulders ache so I will have to lay down a short time. Give my love to all of the folks. Tell little Mollie that I thank her very much for her kind letter. Love to Ma, Pa, Ace, Mollie, Mrs. Squares and Johnson, Bottones and Uncle George’s folks.


So Good Bye
With much love, I remain your brother,
Mark

P.S. Dem I will rest a little while then write more if I can find anything to write. I dream of home almost every night.

Yours,
Mark