Near Gordonsville Sept 10th
Dear Mother
You will doubtless be sur=
prised to see that I have not yet joined
my regiment. When Sam left I thought
that I would be able to go back in a-
bout two weeks, but my wounds which
to that time were healing rapidly
seemed to come to a stand still for
some time and then to heal with a
provoking degree of slowness. They have
now however nearly closed up and I will
I think be able to join the army in
about ten days. I would have written
to you sooner but have been prevented
by a very sore finger with which I
have been troubled for the last four
or five weeks. Sam I suppose has
given you so favorable an account
of my condition that you have felt
no uneasiness. did he get home with-
out difficulty? I have not heard from
him since he left Richmond. He was
scarcely in a condition to travel when
he left but the opportunity of
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going with old friends was too good to
be lost. I suppose you have heard
all about the glorious victories a-
chieved here by our troops. At the
last account a large force had crossed
the Potomac and entered Maryland
Yesterday we heard the report of
the surrender of Cincinnatti. Truly
the cause of the Confederacy is looking
up. I suppose the Postlethwaite
girls were delighted to see Sam
I almost envied his condition in
that it enabled him to go home. If
I had supposed that my wounds
would have been so long in healing
I should have been tempted to go
with him. I receive[d] Nells letter
some time since and will answer
it before long. I suppose there are
several more on the way by this time
which I will probably get in the
course of time. I have not heard
of my regiment for some time.
They are about Manassas some where
I suppose. Do you know where the
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Ogdens are at. I saw Billy a few
weeks ago as the army were passing
here on their way to attack Pope
His regiment was not in the first
battle a[t] Cedar fun. He was looking
very well indeed and asked to be
remembered by you all when I wrote
I have not heard anything of him
since the battles around Manassas
If you can do so without incon-
venience and have a good opportunity
I wish you would send me about
fifty dollars. My pay is amply suf-
ficient for ordinary purposes, but
the expenses occasioned by my wound
have been considerable and I will
have to borrow the money to meet
them. Unless you can send it with-
out putting yourself to inconvenience
don't do so as it is possible to get
along without it I suppose. Tell
Sam that the family here all
send their respects to him and say
that he must let them hear from
him. Mrs Jones desires to be
[page 4]
remembered to you. Give much
love to Nell and Nette and also
to the servants. Remember me to
all my friends and believe me
Your affectionate son
Horatio N Smith
Horatio N. Smith, Co. D., 21st Mississippi
MSS 3772
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