Miss Kate Armentrout
Greenville
Augusta County,
Va.
August 13th 1864
Walnut Hill Westmorland Co. Va.
My Dear friend
I avail myself of the pleasant opportunity of droping you a few lines which I
hope will reach you safe & find you in the full enjoyment of health
& prosperity. I have not heard from you since through your letter of the
2nd of July which I received while at the Hospital, I
answered it immediately telling you that I should leave for home in a short time
which I did. I left Richmond the 13th day of July. When I
last wrote I instructed you to direct your letter to Sorrells, Essex Co but on
my way home I learned that the mail was not running to
that office owing to the enimy having broken up the Mail route while on his line
of March to Richmond but Since I have been home the line has been reestablished
consequently letters sent by the directions given you will reach me safe.
I will now tell you of some of my suffering after getting home another abscess
formed on the out side of my face, which gave Ms Muck panic, so soon as that got
better the Erysipeals took hold in my face & my throat & tongue
became seriously affected so that I could not talk & I assure you my
suffering I cannot discribe I surely must have died
but for the mercy of God & the attentions of two good physicians thank
God I have recovered from my Extreme illness & now able to sit up
& walk about a little but am very weak, I hope in
a few weeks to gain considerable
strength if I am not taken wors which I hope will not
be the case. I often think of the charactor of your
last letter & the feeling it produced when recieved a letter from my sister surely could not have been recieved with more delight & while I
constantly think of you I have become more & more anxious to see you why
should we have friends and never meet with them? it is
pleasant indeed to speak with our friends through silent medium of the pen, but
how much more pleasant to meet them & grasp the hand with the gentle
press of freindship & can meet the
friendly & impressive gaze. Oh! how much I would appreciate the
realization of such an ideal, with you my
Ever dear friend
Kate I have come to the conclusion that I will if possible visit
Rosedale Augusta Co. if I can make my
arangements to suit. My idea is to go up
some time in September that is if I should get will Enough to travel &
my jaws are not strong Enough to return to the Army that would give me an
opportunity to as what would be to me perfectly
delightful. Well my friend you must write soon I am so anxious to hear from you.
When you write let me know which is the nearest Rail Road station to where you
live. Waynesboro & Staunton are the only stations that I know any of
& dont know the distance they are from your place. Well I must close
please Excuse bad writing & mistakes as I am
quite feeble & nervous. My kindest regards to your Pa & family
with much love for your self believe me to be your true freind.
