18th Ohio Infantry - Wounded at Chickamauga

Item LTR-11340

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 2 pages, written in period ink.

Hospital No. 19
Nashville, Tennessee
 
November 2, 1863
 
Dear friends at home,
 
As the heading of my letter will show, I am still at Hospital No. 19.  There are a great many of the boys been sent away.  Some to the convalescent camps, some to Louisville, and quite a number have gone home on furlough.  I am the only of our regiment that is now at this hospital.  My doctor offered me a 20 days furlough, but I took him that I did not want any unless I could get 30 days.
 
My wound is still improving.  But not as fast as I thought it was going to.  The doctor says that it is a tolerable deep flesh wound and will have to heal from the inside and this is why it is good while healing up.  He says if it healed up on the outside before it was thoroughly healed in the inside, it would get sore and break again.  It still matters a little yet.  The doctor says it is doing very well.  There are still a few wounded soldiers that come in from the front, every few days.
 
The soldiers in the hospital are to be paid off in a few days.  That is, those that have their descriptive rolls.  I don’t expect to get any pay this time.  As my Descriptive Roll has not been sent here yet.
 
The Cumberland River has raised some 2 or 3 feet and small boats have been running for the last week.  There were five boats that came up today.  They are generally landed with Army supplies; some are loaded with goods for the merchants of this city.
 
The news of the city is nothing of importance.  The news from the front is still favorable.  Lieutenant Colonel Grosvenor of our regiment was in this city a few days ago on his way home to get recruits for our regiment.  He says the Army has been reorganized, but our regiment has not been consolidated with any other.  He appears very anxious to have the regiment filled up and not have it consolidated with any other.
 
As news is scarce, I will call it a short letter and close for the present.  Write as soon as convenient.
 
Direct to:
Hospital No. 19, 2^nd Ward
Nashville, Tennessee
 
As perhaps I will stay here for some time yet.  And if I move, my letters can be sent to me.
 
Yours truly,
 
A.  Gorrell