Cheaspeake G. Hospittal
Fortress Monroe Va
August 23 1863
Dear Father
I take my pencil in
hand to write you a few lines. I am
a gaining slowly but none to fast
the doctor says I have got a bad
Diarehea just now which makes
me pretty weak. I tried to walk
a little the other day. and I had
to set down to or three times and
when I got back I was so weak
that could hardly stand up. the
most that troubles is my knees
they seem to give out and just as
quick they give out I have to give
up but we have some good
nurces if we dident I do not
know what I should do we have
one woman nurce and she is
very kind to us and we have a
very good doctor his name is
[page 2]
Doctor Clarke which has the
care of our ward and he looks
out for us tip top and our living
is very good for a Hospittal. we
have milk and anything that a sick
soldiers needs to make him comfortable
have you recieved that money yet
that I sen thome when I was at
Alexandria. I sent home 30 dollars
and mebbe if you have not recieved
it they made a mistake in the
name and sent it to grandfather
if you have not got it they must
have made mistake and left
out of the D. and sent to Allen
Lane instead of Allen D. Lane
but I hope that you have got
it before this time what is the
reason that some of you have
not wrote to me I have not
recieved a letter from you or
any of the folks for a month
and I dont know what it means
[page 3]
but I think that the letter has
gone to the Reegt before this time
but I expect to hear from the
Regt before a great while. I suppose
that the 4th Regt. has got home
before this time what kind of a
story do the tell. I guess that they
have had a pretty hard time as the
account the papers tell about
them. how do they look dont
they look hard. what does Alfred
Hodges say about it. I wish that
you would tell him to write
to me. if you see him. and tell
him how to direct. I suppose that
William Allen is to work to
Taunton yet how does he like
it we are haveing warm weather
here now. I sweat my clothes
all through and I do not wear
any thing but a pair of drawers
and a shirt a regular hospittal
suit and we change them every week
[page 4]
my hand trembles so that I can
hardly write to day is sunday here
and we have a meeting here just
as same as we do at home. it is so
hot here that I am almost feint I
have a very short breath I guess that
I will not write any more till after
the mail has come mebbe I shall
get a letter and if I do. I can write
a little more. the mail has come and
I did not get any from any body I
haint gont to write any more till I
get a letter from some body. tell
Willie to write to me and all of the
boys to write. I should like to see
you tip top and sleep up in my
old bed soon once more. I shall try
to get a furlough if I dont get any
better and if I am taken worse
I shall have willie come on here
if he will and see me and have
him try to get my discharge or
something else please write as
soon as you recieve and tell
[1] all of the news if you cant write get Ella to write for yo
[2] or sombudy else
[3] direct the same as ever only put on [6?] ward and recieve this
from your son and friend Edwin A Lane give my love to all
and tell them to write soon to me