A Family and Nation under Fire by Georgiann Baldino

Author:Georgiann Baldino [Baldino, Georgiann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781631013058
Google: X_soyQEACAAJ
Publisher: Kent State University Press
Published: 2018-01-15T22:27:11+00:00

WILLIAM TO JOSEPH

In Camp near Knoxville, Maryland, October 12, 1862

Dear Brother:

I have been anxiously expecting a letter from you for some time but have been disappointed. I suppose the reason is our mail has strayed off to some other place and has not been forwarded yet. I have not had a line from you since the one you wrote on the 28th nlt [no later than]. I wrote you a letter about the same time giving you a list of the officers of the regiment and also some particulars of our doing; and also the fact that Sammy had been so badly afflicted with the rheumatism as to render his discharge necessary, which I affected. I waited an answer from you before sending him home until last Friday when I took him to Hagerstown where he could take the cars. We started from there on Saturday morning but owing to the raid of Stuart, the train was turned back, and he did not get away until Sunday or Monday. I understand the train he was on came very nearly falling into the hands of the rebels at Chambersburg, Pa. However, a “miss is as good as a mile,” and he escaped.

The poor boy became worse as long as he remained and finally, he could scarcely walk at all. I took the very best care of him I could and would have sent him home sooner, but being nearly out of money, and nearly all the officers in the same condition, I had hopes that you might be able to procure a pass for him over a part of the distance at least, even if you did not conclude to come on yourself. But finding him getting so much worse I “strapped” myself and gave him $29.00 and told him to go as far as Mother’s, and that you would, no doubt, get him a pass from there to Chicago. There will have to be great care taken of him, or he will soon be as badly afflicted as Father or Jim. I never felt more sorry for any person than for him when I saw the terrible pain he suffered in trying to walk. What an infernal disease this is and how our poor family have suffered from it.

I am still in hopes you may conclude to pay me a visit. You can come all the way by rail. We are encamped about a mile from Knoxville on the Baltimore & Ohio R.R. You can come right to the Knoxville depot, which is some three or four miles from Harpers Ferry. I also have some lingering hope that you might be able to procure me a short furlough through your friendship with [U.S. secretary of the treasury] Chase43 or some member of “Old Abe’s” cabinet. I think we will remain here for a week or two in order to recruit our horses and men and either prepare for winter quarters or a campaign in Virginia; in either case I would be pleased to pay my friends a short visit and have a little recreation.

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