174th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-6346

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages written in period ink.


U.S. General Hospital
May 16th 1863

Dear Friend,

I have received your kind and most affectionate letter today and was glad to hear from you and that you are enjoying the blessings of good health. I am one day as the other. Nothing to pray about. It only tis getting too warm for me already down here. I do not know what I shall do after while. You said you had sent some New York Ledgers. But I did not get them yet. Perhaps I shall receive them tomorrow. If not then, then they are lost. Good many letters and papers get lost down this way. My brother had sent me a dollar of money some time ago and I never got it.

News, I have not much for you this time. For I am so long at this, that I hardly know what to write to my friends anymore. On Monday next I will be twenty weeks at this place. I want them to send me away now or else shoot me, one of the two. But I expect to get away now in a short time. Whether I go, I do not know but you shall hear from me wherever I go. You need not answer this right away. Or if you do, don’t write anything particular. I think you can write once more but nothing of any interest. If I find out that I stay my time out here, I will let you know in a hurry. And if I go away I will do the same. So don’t make yourself any trouble concerning me. For war is uncertain. And I only got two months longer. Then I’ll try and get home if I live that long. If I don’t then, I hope I have a better home than this. But I hope the Lord will grant me the blessing of seeing home once more. So be contented. And now I got to close this for this time. Hoping you shall soon be able to hear from me again. My best wishes to you all. May God bless you. While I remain your

True Friend,

Levi K. Moore
U.S. General Hospital, Hampton
4 Ward No. 16
Care of Doctor E. McClellan