 | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair |  |
1861-09-06
I received your
kind letter last eavning which
gave me great releaf I had not
hird from home
in nearly a month
I had concluded
that you all had forgoten
us intirely I told the boys if
my relation wanted to hear from
me thay would have to write
to me for I had
writen three
letters to thare one, and if thay
would not write to me, I
w
I would not write to them,
tho I will excuse you for
this time if you will
not
do so eny more,
I have no news of intrust to
write me and John are boath
well at this time tho we
are staying in a
house yet
we are not able for
service and
we are waiting on the sick
we have three patiants to
wait
is James May Hu Norten
and Josire Burnett,
Burnett has typhoid fever[1]
May had the yellow janders[2]
he has goten over them
tho he is not well
I dont think thay was
eny thing the matter
with Norten except cold,[3]
old man billy Pruett
died this morning he eat
too mutch Beef liver one
day last week which I have
no doubt was the cause of
his deth he is the one that
was going to the flag back, [4]
several of our boys is
complaining tho none of
them are not sick mutch
I beleave the sick in camp
are improveing Jenerally
to hear such bad news
form Texas I had bin think
ing about writing to aunt
Kitty[5], I have put it off
too long to talk about writig now,
you talked like
you would
you said something
about our coming home
I dont think that I'll go
home until my time is out
if keep my helth un
less peace is made,
love to you all
so good eavning write
soon to
affectionate Cousin
goes home soon im going
to send for things by them
Josiah Burnett, who was enlisted in Company D with the Booker brothers, was admitted into Chimborazo Hospital with typhoid fever on October 26, 1861. He returned to duty on December 16, 1861, and he died of meningitis on February 12, 1862 (Gregory, 84).
Jaundice is yellowing of the skin, tissues and eyes by deposition of bile pigment, caused by interference with production or discharge of bile (as in some liver diseases) or by breakdown of red blood cells (as after internal hemorrhage). Yellow fever is commonly accompanied by jaundice. James May was sent to the hospital on July 15, 1862 and died shortly thereafter on July 22, 1862. It is not certain if jaundice was responsible for his death (Gregory, 109).
Hugh Norton, a private in Company D, went AWOL from the camp on July 5, 1862. He returned later, but went AWOL again on January 1, 1864.
| Letter to Chloe Unity Blair | |