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William H. Millis Sr. to Walt Whitman, 9 January 1864

About This Item

  • Title: William H. Millis Sr. to Walt Whitman, 9 January 1864
  • Date: January 9, 1864
  • Creator(s): William H. Millis Sr.
  • Whitman Archive ID: nyp.00157
  • Source: Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the New York Public Library. The transcription presented here is derived from Drum Beats: Walt Whitman's Civil War Boy Lovers, ed. Charley Shively (San Francisco, California: Gay Sunshine Press, 1989), 158. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Contributors to digital file: Elizabeth Lorang Eric Conrad Bev Rilett Kathryn Kruger Nick Krauter
  • Cite this page: Sr., William H. Millis. "William H. Millis Sr. to Walt Whitman, 9 January 1864." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 24 April 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: nyp.00157.xml (TEI)
Friend Whitting, Sir,

We received your kind and welcome letter inquiring for my boy Billy and in reply will say that Billy is or was getting along first rate when we heard from him last he is in Washington employed in hospital as night watch.1 I write to him to day and send him your letter doubtless he will write to you forthwith

I feel very much indebted to you for your kindness and greatly honored to answer your letter or as many as you may write. Billy come home in July the first of the month and stayed till the 10th of November when he went back and got employment. He has so far recovered as to able to attend to the duties of night watch he has not got the use of his arm fully but will I hope in the course of time Billy is a right good boy I believe, you must write again and I will answer with pleasure

yours with Due respect

Notes

  • 1. Whitman met Millis Sr.'s son and described him as "Wm H Millis co E 8th Penn Cav. Gen Gregg's old reg. Bridgeville Sussex co Del bed 33 Ward B May 8th '64 / g s w in Chest—w in left arm father living in Bridgeville Del" (NUPM 2:728). Millis Jr. became a correspondent of Whitman's. [back]
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