Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
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I expected a letter from you tonight & felt a good deal disappointed that I
did not get one. Why has not Laura written again? Is she no better? I write you
again so soon, altho' I have not heard from you, because I suppose you will feel
anxious to hear from me after knowing that I am lame. I am getting along much
better than I expected, & if nothing happens I shall be in the saddle again
in a day or two - before you get this letter. But a foot is a bad thing to get
injured & I may be some lame for quite a while. I have got a pair of
crutches so that I can hobble round independent. You need not feel any concerned
about me as I am very comfortable every way & have just as good care as I
should at home tho' it is not quite as pleasant as it would be to have my dear
wife to wait upon me. I have a good floor, a good bed, and a good stove, so that
I am as comfortable as
any body need be. How long we can enjoy these
things I don't know how long we shall be permitted to be as comfortable as we
are now. What the intentions are in regard to us, nobody knows. We are in the
hands of higher authority & they will do as they please. Otherwise than my
lameness I am quite well. I have no cold nor any trouble of any kind, I sleep
well & enjoy myself as well as could be expected in camp.
Before I was lamed I went into the city two or three times. It is a long ride to go any where. I have not yet been past the presidents house, but intend to go into that part of the city when I get better.
Do you get the Free Press? Mr. Benedict one of the editors is a private in the Burlington Co. He will write home at least once a week & you will hear something of the regt thro' him. I want you to cut out all of his letters & save every one of them.
I want you to go into my office & look after my matters somewhat. I wish you
would see Mr. Chas. Baldwin immediately & tell him that he can take
Brightley's Digest & keep it till I return if he chooses. You must keep
track of the books that are lent. You had better go into the office occasionally
to see how matters
look. Have you found out what Ormsby is up to in
respect to Cy? How does he carry sail? I am glad to hear that there is likely to
be an increase of the Evans stock. It will help the war. How is your friend Mrs.
Baldwin?
Write me about every thing
How are the chickens? I wish we had a few out here. A chicken now & then would be agreeable.
I suppose you hear nothing from Cyrus. If you do I wish you would write at once.
I suppose you feel lonesome none, as you have Mac with you. I hope he will keep you warm nights. Give him my best regards & teach him to stand up. I have almost forgotten how the little scamp looks.
Give my love to Laura & tell her that I hope to hear from her as often as she is able to write.
Wednesday Morning. We have had a terrible wind this morning, but my tent withstood it, tho' some went over. The dust flew so that we could not see even the tents of our own encampment. Everything in the tent is dirty & if this sheet should feel gritty you may know that it is Washington dust.
I should like to have you come into my tent to see how comfortable we are. But I
suppose
it wont do to say much for we may move at any moment. You
probably know more about the war than we do here. The Washington papers say but
little about movements & you will see by the enclosed scrap which speaks of
our review how careful they are about mentioning the number of troops. The scrap
is from the Sunday Morning Chronicle.
My foot continues to be better, & in two or three days I can do my duty on horseback, tho' I shall be slightly lame for some days or weeks.
Remember me kindly to all who enquire.
Tell Charlie Harding that I want to hear from him. Love to Laura & Mrs Flanders.
Take good care of yourself so that when you come out here you can endure camp life
There is a report among the boys that we are to do provost guardmarshall duty in Washington this winter. That would suit you exactly I suppose. We could have a very pleasant time on some accts if it were to be so, but nobody knows.
Write often & direct as usual -
Your affectionate husbandRoswell Farnham.