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Williamsburg November 18th 1861
 +
 
 +
Sunday morning
 +
 
 +
I am in despair.  Last night
 +
I sat up here with Monty, and at half past
 +
five this morning, worn and weary went to
 +
bed, but to hear on waking that Mother was
 +
quite sick having had a fainting spell, and
 +
so sharp a pain in her back as to force her
 +
to bed.  Where is all this to end?  I really
 +
do not feel capable of much more nursing,
 +
and even if I were bodily able, the spirit
 +
is very weak, for, I assure, you I am tired
 +
of it and long to feel as if I might go to
 +
bed and stay there a week if I wanted to.
 +
 
 +
Bland is too feeble for me to be willing
 +
for her to help me, and I am afraid I
 +
shall have to place myself at the head
 +
of this Hospital whither or no.  The next
 +
thing is, will I be able to go to Bellfield
 +
to see my dear Husband?  I fear not, unless,
 +
indeed, Mrs. [More?] should not go down until
 +
 
 +
[Pg 2]
 +
 
 +
the middle or last of the week.  I do hope
 +
I may not be disappointed, or you either,
 +
my dear Husband, I know you will feel
 +
my not being able to join you, as much
 +
as I shall myself.
 +
 
 +
Monty continues to improve.  Bland
 +
looks dreadfully, and her voice indicates
 +
great weakness.  I have made her bitters
 +
for her this morning.  She says she intends
 +
taking them because “Brother Charles ordered
 +
them.”  but she is so slow about beginning
 +
that, I expect, I shall be forced to take
 +
her in hand and see her take the [  ?  ]
 +
quantity.  I am at this moment cooking
 +
for the sick soldiers at the dining room
 +
fire.  I suppose, it is best that people
 +
should not be allowed to follow their
 +
own inclinations too much.  But for weeks,
 +
not to say months, I have longed for rest,
 +
tranquility, to be allowed to be happy
 +
in my own way at my won home, where
 +
ever that might be.  I am afraid you
 +
 
 +
[Pg 3]
 +
 
 +
will think this a very grumbling letter,
 +
and maybe it is, though, I think, all
 +
I have said quite natural.
 +
 
 +
[Tanty?] Jones is better, tho’ he has been
 +
exceedingly ill.  I have not seen them
 +
all at home this morning though it is long
 +
after twelve o’clock. I went to the Hospital
 +
yesterday, and attended to only missionary
 +
work, and [      ] interest felt and manifest
 +
                      had
 +
=ed.  My men at ^ suffered for my
 +
personal care very much, I found two
 +
of them sicker than when I left them, and
 +
one of the two had been very sick, and had
 +
needed what I had just sent him. Helen’s
 +
man Johnson died on Saturday night.
 +
 
 +
Brother Edwin is going to York to-morrow
 +
if well enough, please sir get a letter ready
 +
to send back by him.  So you know that I
 +
am not selfish so far as you are concerned,
 +
for I almost hesitate to ask you to write, knowing how
 +
much you dislike it.  But I have not gotten up to that
 +
point and must beg for a letter tho’  I do not think I
 +
shall enjoy it, if it is not a free will offering
 +
 
 +
Devotedly your Wife
 +
 
 +
 
 +
[Envelope]
 +
 
 +
Dr. Charles W. Coleman P.A.C.S.
 +
 
 +
Howitzer Camp
 +
 
 +
York Town
 +
 
 +
Va
 +
 
 +
Kindness of
 +
Mr. Randolph Bryan Jr.

Revision as of 20:32, 2 February 2012

Williamsburg November 18th 1861

Sunday morning

I am in despair. Last night I sat up here with Monty, and at half past five this morning, worn and weary went to bed, but to hear on waking that Mother was quite sick having had a fainting spell, and so sharp a pain in her back as to force her to bed. Where is all this to end? I really do not feel capable of much more nursing, and even if I were bodily able, the spirit is very weak, for, I assure, you I am tired of it and long to feel as if I might go to bed and stay there a week if I wanted to.

Bland is too feeble for me to be willing for her to help me, and I am afraid I shall have to place myself at the head of this Hospital whither or no. The next thing is, will I be able to go to Bellfield to see my dear Husband? I fear not, unless, indeed, Mrs. [More?] should not go down until

[Pg 2]

the middle or last of the week. I do hope I may not be disappointed, or you either, my dear Husband, I know you will feel my not being able to join you, as much as I shall myself.

Monty continues to improve. Bland looks dreadfully, and her voice indicates great weakness. I have made her bitters for her this morning. She says she intends taking them because “Brother Charles ordered them.” but she is so slow about beginning that, I expect, I shall be forced to take her in hand and see her take the [  ? ] quantity. I am at this moment cooking for the sick soldiers at the dining room fire. I suppose, it is best that people should not be allowed to follow their own inclinations too much. But for weeks, not to say months, I have longed for rest, tranquility, to be allowed to be happy in my own way at my won home, where ever that might be. I am afraid you

[Pg 3]

will think this a very grumbling letter, and maybe it is, though, I think, all I have said quite natural.

[Tanty?] Jones is better, tho’ he has been exceedingly ill. I have not seen them all at home this morning though it is long after twelve o’clock. I went to the Hospital yesterday, and attended to only missionary work, and [ ] interest felt and manifest 

                      had

=ed. My men at ^ suffered for my personal care very much, I found two of them sicker than when I left them, and one of the two had been very sick, and had needed what I had just sent him. Helen’s man Johnson died on Saturday night.

Brother Edwin is going to York to-morrow if well enough, please sir get a letter ready to send back by him. So you know that I am not selfish so far as you are concerned, for I almost hesitate to ask you to write, knowing how much you dislike it. But I have not gotten up to that point and must beg for a letter tho’ I do not think I shall enjoy it, if it is not a free will offering

Devotedly your Wife


[Envelope]

Dr. Charles W. Coleman P.A.C.S.

Howitzer Camp

York Town

Va

Kindness of Mr. Randolph Bryan Jr.

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