| | 1 | Author: | White, James J. | Add | | | Title: | Letter to James Brooks  | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Description: | I am compelled from want of pen and ink to write a line in
pencil—seizing a moment now I may not have it half hour hence. It is
my painful duty to inform you that your son William
died today after an illness of several days which appeared to me
something like conjestion
of the brain. Our brigade has been very much
exposed by forced marches through heat and dust, and by being compelled
to camp out at night without tents, not even the superior officers being
allowed to carry tents from the difficulty of transportation.[1]
I suppose
it would be most agreeable to the feelings of yourself and your boy's
mother that his remains should be taken at once to his home, but we have
been
drawn up
in line of battle this evening[2]
and on application to our colonel[3] he
assured me that it would be impossible to get permission from
Gen.
Johnston[4]
for any one to leave at this time, and I ascertained that
permission had been refused to remove the remains of Lieutenant Patton[5]
of the Rockbridge Grays who died this morning.
And although I had with
considerable difficulty made arrangements for
William's transportation
before speaking to Col.
Preston, I felt forced to abandon it, and have
provided for his decent interment in the Episcopal Cemetery here and
have directed a head board with his name to be provided
so that at
some subsequent time his remains may be removed to the bosom of his
friends. When I discovered that William was sick
I had
him taken to the
Hospital in Winchester which is in Charge of
M. H. Houston, formerly of
Rockbridge, late of Wheeling, where every attention possible under the
circumstances was provided. I have done the best I could my dear Sir
and in communicating with the stricken parents of the most admirable
young man, it is but the simplest justice to say that whether as student
or soldier, I had nothing to complain of him, but believe in my
conscience that he did his duty modestly and conscientiously on every
occasion. Your son Andrew has just mentioned
that the physician thought
the disease of his brother was spinal to the
brain.[6]
Excuse
the unavoidable haste of this letter, for I am hurried in every way
imaginable.
We are expecting the enemy here at any moment and I believe
that we are able to meet them. With assurances of kind regards and
sincere sympathy. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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