1862 August 24 Mill Creek General Hospital

Mill Creek General Hospital Aug 24
Dear Mother
    I am still here and about the
same as when I last wrote the doctors here
dont seem to know how to take hold of
the diarrhea here the climate here is so
much different from what they are
accustomed too.  Our regt. left Newport
News last week for Acquia Creek as
nigh as I can learn received letters
from them one from you one from Westford
and one from York, Pa. I have not received
that box yet but will as soon as I join
my regt. I was glad to hear of your
surprise in the shape of a cow and all
the other fixins as it is what you have
needed so long I did not think the
people there would spend so much
as there must be considerable draft on
their purses to pay the bounty
did they take the old man Coulter
as one of the valiant men of Needham
I thought Nat Bowditch had gone back
long ago. I think Asa wont suffer
much for wine if it keeps coming in

[page 2]
at the rate you speak of.  I think that
was considerable of a joke on Mr Patten
but who was sensible enough to get it
up.  I am in hopes that with Popes Burnsides
& McCellans army joined together will
soon take Richmond and settle up
this horrid & bloody war as it might
have been settled if the Army of the
Potomac had not been split up
last spring but had gone right on
by the way of Manasses and
Gordonsville as we had force enough
to have swept their army at that
time to destruction. I just left off writing
on account of a great singing on the
road which proved to be a negro
funeral they went up to the grave and
down back singing and if it had not
been stormy and my being writing I
should have gone up to the grave
Tell Homer I found one of them
little howlgoublins in my letter but
did not do as they told me as we
dont wear such things in our buttenhole
Tell him I wish I could have been
up there with him but if wishes
were horses &c &c. Tell Ann I shall

[page 3]
look with impatience for that
long letter she promised me telling
all about the good time she had at
Westford & Acton and what they said
was the reason for their not writing to
me before.  The drum and fife are passing
playing the funeral march as they carry some
poor fellow from the hospital we are not
in the hospital building but in tents
put up for temporary accommodations
of the least sick here but they will
begin to send off those who are able
to do duty just as soon as the regt.
get stationary and they receive orders
Give my respects to all enquiring
friends and my love yourself
                  From your aff son
                                 Wm Wallace

[on envelope]
Mrs. E. Smith
Newton Lower Falls
Mass.

[on side of envelope]
Soldiers Letter
J R Bronson
Surg in Charge

MSS 15360