[1861 September 17] Camp Blair

Tuesday night

My own darling

I have just heard from David through the
young man who has been with him since he
was wounded and am happy to be able
to say, that his chances for recovery now seem
to be as much in his favor as they appeared
against him on yesterday. The wound is of such
a nature that it cannot be probed, but judging
from the symptoms exhibited last night & to day
the surgeons have concluded that his stomach is
uninjured--if this is true Davids good consti-
tution & calmness will save him. I
am sorry that I sent you so unfavorable
an account this morning, but having as I did
so little hope of his recovery, I could not flat-
ter you with an unfounded hope--and even
now I fear I am too sanguine--but I tell you
his situation as he is reported to day. Your
Father got down safely--I forgot to tell you
in my last that your father says Edward is
almost able to return to his regiment and
George who went home sick last friday is
improving--he only has billious fever

I got to day your letter writ[t]en Sunday and
monday--scolding & crying about coming to see
your no account old man--even wishing for
me to get sick enough to have a furlough
now I can tell my precious old lady, that as
much as I want to see her and I know I
want to see her as bad as anyone could
want to see a wife--yet I have no idea of having
to pay for a sight of her either by a spell of
fever or rheumatism--I have never had

[page 2]
much of either but from what I have seen
of their effects I am not at all disposed to try
them--So Stephen is full of complaints I ex-
pected it--but cant help him he must do the
best he can--In regard to the plank let S[?]
buy them and I can either send money to pay
for them or Stephen can pay for them when
he sells his wheat & corn $15 or $20 will pay
for all he wants--Tell Stephen whenever he
can sell anything off of the place which he
thinks ought to be sold he must sell it and
use the money to buy such things as he needs
on the farm--by the way you may take
full notes of all he has to say & tell me when
you come down--

[letter of Edward T. H. Warren will continue on Wednesday the 18th]

MSS 7786-g