1861 Oct[ober] 21 Egypt Va

Dear Sisters Brothers & Family

I take pen in hand
this eaveining with a heavy heart to communicate
to you the sad news of our late bereavement
last saturday eavening at 4 oclock our much
loved brother William breathed his last yesterday
we consigned his body to its Mother eart[h] a little aft-
er three. (God moves in a misterious way his wonders
to perform) I think I wrote to you some three
ago that he had left home with the malitia
quite unwell. This Morning 4 weeks a go he left
home father took him to Thomas Johnsons as that
was where his company met from there to [?]
then through Lewisburg they were water bound on
Friday at Bungers Mills he walked all that distan
ce as they travailed very slow on Sabbath they
moved from the Mill to the meadow bluff he had to be
halled that day not being able to sit up--he sent
word to Thomas J to send him his horse he did so but
he was not able to ride when he got it. He then
send for him to bring his [jursy?] waggon for him
he started early Thursday morning and met him
near the Blue Sulphur comeing in a waggon he
got in to Thomases waggon and got to his house that
night though he would stay there a few days
get medison from Dr. Clay to work off what he had
taken in Camp then come home young Dr Gutt is
the Physician in His regiment he had him almost
salivated and had not one particle of salts or oil
to work it off with he called his disease numonia
but alas it proved to be tyfoid fever I went to
Thomases to see him the next day after he got there and
was not at home any more until yesterday evening

[page 2]
he lay from that Time until last Tuesday 11 or 12
days without much danger though growing weaker
but we thought his simptons better he had a little
caugh the Dr. told him to use horehawn surrip or
Expectorant for that. Tuesday he dind[sic] not appear quite
as well in the eavening caughed a little tight. Min
erva asked him if he would not take some Expectoratnt
he sayed he would a tea spoon full then turned
over and sayed his bowels were so tender I told
him we would but[sic] mustard on them as that
was the Dr orders he turned on his back and felt
ll over them and sayed they were not sore. he then
turned on his side and commenced straining to vomit
he appeard to exert every nerve in his entire boddy
as soon as he quit trying to vomit he called for his
chamber [pot] and passed a quantity of blood in two hours
or less time he passed between 5 and 6 pints of bure[sic] blood comlained
of being dreadful sick. his feet and hands got cold
as soon as he had the first movement we started T.J.
after the Dr. but he is as busy he is very hard to find
t[h]at was a litle after 4 in the afternoon the Dr did not
get here until about midnight he put more mustard
on we had some on his bowels his bowels rists and ancles and after a little some
around below the knee we got his feet warm and
stoped the hemorage but his hands were never warm
again he was swetting terably at the same time the
bed was berfectly wet. he had never been the least
flity before not did not complain much but had
no apetite and was very sleepy and stupid not a greateal
of fever except his hands and feet, now his feaver
appeared to o to his head and his sufferings were
terable though he was not consious but very little of
the time from that until saturday. roling and tumnbling]
throwing himself from side to side then wanting to get
out of bed. Oh it was distressing to be with him

[page 3]
Thursday Mr Bittinger came to see him he called him
by name but did not appear to notice much,
in the night he came to his mind and sayed he
was a dead man he could not live and sayed something about Mother & Ma asked him
Bittinger if he wished to see Mr Bittinger he sayed he did Thomas
awoke him he talked to him a good whill I cannot tell
near all that was sayed he sayed he was resigned to the
wil of God, but if it was not sinful in him to think
so he would rather have died than suffered what
he had. Agness had been to see him that day I asked
him if he would not like to see Sister Eliza he sayed
yes I I would like to see every person I ever knew I asked
him what he would say to her he said I would tell
her to meet me in heaven. I asked him if he would
not tell the girls in Pocahontas the same he sayed
he would be talked a little longer than was unconcious
we though he would not last untilmorning but
he rallied and appear to be suffering dreadfully until
late saturay eavening when his sperrit took its flight
Eliza came to see him on Friday. he knew her but could
not talk sarsely any we wached him allnight expectin
g every hour to e his las he could not swallow for near
24 hours, but would of ten try to get out of bead and
and[sic] say he must go, some times he would give military commands
in his delerium. he sayed to me he was not agoing to be here
long I asked him where he was going he sayed to heaven
we buried him in his clothes black cloth coat lite
Mursales vest dark gray pants black cravat white socks
and gloves and a pare of gentlemans slipper a nice bunch
of blowers[sic] in his hand, his coffin was lined with
white and padded in the bottom and covered with brad
cloth then but[sic] in a box and placed in the earth near
the new church. he spoke of Wallice twice in his deleri
um once told the Dr. that he was here I hpe what
is our loss is his eternal gain though it was very hard

[page 4]
to give him up he has not a friend on earth that will
miss him like me the rest of you have you families to ewvive
your affections but mine were set on him I fear too much
I think I can safely say no one ever had a more kind an aff
ectionate brother than he has been to me for the last 8 years
but he is gon gon forever. The rest of the family are
all well as far as I know. the Malitia were released
week before last a great many of them came home sick
wm Haynes is very low but some better he has the Tyfoid fever
John Ballinger died with it his brother arch has it and many
others. there is a great many sick Soldies in Greenbrier Co
and some in Monro in private famalies Eliza has one at
her hous with the Tyfoid she says there is from one to five
at near[l]y every house in her neighborhood there is one
Regiment camped on the creek at Mr e. Gwinns.

I do hope you will write soon we are geting very
anxious to hear, not haveing had a letter for so long I
believe this is my third without any reply if you are sick
write any how and let us know. please excuse this badly
writen letter you know I cannot feel in a writing humor
Mother went up to Thomases this morning to do some
washing Sister expects to be sick her self in about 6 weeks
Wm did not appear to think he was dangerous until near
his last. therefore did not mention his worldly good
attall his business will be hard to settel
Your devoted Sister & Aunt
M[ary] S. Hinchman

MSS 13371]