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Dear Uncle Walter

You will doubtless be Somewhat Surprised to learn that I am in Washington but here I am and will try and give you a few details of my Adventures Since I left Armory Square Well I went to Camp Destribution well after we got thare the doctor Sent word around for all the wounded men to be Examined he Sent me to Angaer General Hospital then I was Examined thare by the Board and Ordered to be Sent to Washington what they will do with me now is more than I can tell thare now haint I done well Oh! I would like to see you verry much for I like Uncle Walter verry much now dont think I am trying to play the flatterer for I haint no Such a person

now I want you to come up and See me Just as soon as you can and the first pass I can get I am coming to see you for I have got lots to tell you that would be Imposible to write please drop me a note by Return mail in the meantime I am yours Etc.

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About the Text

The text presented here is derived from Charley Shively, ed., Drum Beats: Walt Whitman's Civil War Boy Lovers (San Francisco: Gay Sunshine Press, 1989). For a detailed description of discrepancies between this electronic edition and the print source, see our statement of editorial policy.

The manuscript of this letter, dated March 9, 1864, is held in the Walt Whitman Collection, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin.

Notes

1.  William A. Jellison, at age 18, enlisted in the 6th Maine on 25 October 1862. Whitman's notebook contains the following description written in another hand: "William A. Jellison. Company 'H' 6th Me Reg home address West Enfield Maine". See Edward F. Grier, ed., Notes and Unpublished Prose Manuscripts (New York: New York University Press, 1961–84), 2:673. Jellison transferred to the 1st Maine on 15 August 1864.  (Back)

Whitman Archive ID

tex.00144