Temple Aug 16th//63
Remembered firend,
I am quite ashamed
that your letter has gone so long
unanswered, but hope you will excuse
me when I tell you that my health
has been very poor, and I have had
a great deal to do and no one to
help me. My sister Oakes and her
little girl came here from Connecticut
three weeks ago, They have gone to
meeting now, so I have a few
moments to myself, I recieved a
letter from Freland the same day
I received yours, it was written the
same day that yours was, He wrote
[page 2]
that his health was good
and he hpe to live to
visit Temple sometime, he said the
battle at Gettesburg was terrible
about one half of the 1st Army Corps
was killed. I think he is getting tired
of the war, and who is there that is
not tired of it ; Some of the nine
months men that went from this
town have got home, they say that the
North will never subjugate the South if
the war should last a hundred years,
About one half that went from this
town have died, two of them were on
thir way home, and the rest look
as though their days were few, Words
are inadequate to express my indignation
at the stubbornness of these wicked
black hearted Abolitionists at the North
Three times the South has begged
[page 3]
for admission back into the
Union, and three times they
have been rejected, Old Abe and
his minions say they never shall come
back untill they abolish slavery, so
you see this is a Nigger war. Old Abe
called men out to put down the reb
ellion, and restore the Union “as it
was”, but the South Shall
be subjugated and come back into the
Union under a new Constitution, it must
be very hard for those that supposed they
were going to help restore the Union, to
be compelled to stay, (now the policy of
the war is changed), and fight against
the Union and their own principles
I should think they would rise as a
man and leave the field, but this
long tirade will do no good so I
[page 4]
may as well stop, but I do wish
the detestable Abolitionists was
all in the army, I suppose
you know that Dan is not going, and
Sam did actually sign five dollars
to help pay for Dans liberty, would
ou have believed he would,
I suppose your school is done, and I
hope to see you over here this fall,
Em and Kate are well, Mrs. Mary
A Woodbery is with Kate now,
I cannot think of much more to
write now, but will try and write
more nest time. Please excuse this
poor writing for I am in a hurry
and my ink is very bad,
Hoping this will find you in the full
enjoyment of health and happiness
and that I shall hear from you
soon, I remain as ever, your friend.
S. H. M.