174th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-11373

Description

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


U. S. General Hospital
 April 23rd 1863
 
Dear Friend,
 
I have received your kind and welcome letter today and was very glad to hear from you. Also, of your good health. I am the same as I have been this long time.  I can be about and am thankful indeed that I can be about or else this would be a hard place for me. It is so almost 4 months that I have not been a half a mile away, although I think the Lord is dealing kindly with me that am not exposed to danger or out in the field of conflict, but I might come there yet.  Even there he can protect me, and so I hope in him and make myself contented. Am glad to hear that you have received the rings and that Miss Mary Stoltz is proud with her ring, and I will try and make a nicer one for her if I can and send it. It is very likely that I stay till my time is up. I expect they put me on guard duty at this place. They discharged the best men this winter and the cripples they put on duty. Now this is the very thing is carried on in general and now I must stop till tomorrow morning. It’s getting dark. 
 
I got your letter late in the afternoon, (Friday morning).  Raw mackerel, and dry bread for breakfast. Uncle Sam’s dish. They talk of paying us. If they do, I will send my money to Mr. Stoltz by the Adams Express Company and he may use it until I come home and if I do not then you may have it.  I don’t think that it will be much.  We expect to be paid up to the 5^th of March from the date that we were drafted. That would be four and a half months.  My time is going by fast now, only two and a half months.  Have courage, be of good spirit.  If it is the Lord’s will, I shall see you soon.  I would like to see you indeed and I think the time is not far off when I shall be able to see you once more.  If you see Mrs. Yeager, tell her where am and how am getting along and that I would like to know if grandmother is living yet and how she is.  That I would like to hear from them and let me know if you have seen Miss Marple since I left.  I have not heard from her the whole time.  I do not write to her and have business to do so neither.  You know what I promise, I keep, if I can do so.  I don’t write to no other one then you alone. If you find me otherwise, call me a liar.  If I send money to Mr. Stoltz, I will write to him first and let him know it and how much I send.  
 
So, I must close my letter for this time by giving you my best wishes and that you may enjoy the happiness of God.  Give my best respect to Mary and all the rest in the family.  Tell James he should send me the New York Ledger and if I stay here, I will pay him and then he shall send it every week to me.  Hoping to hear from you,
 
My Love,
 
Levi K. Moore
 
 
U. S.  General Hospital near Hampton, Virginia
Ward 16 – care of E. McClellan
 
P. S.  It is raining again today.  10 o’clock a.m., 24^th of April 1863.