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Milford C. Reed to Walt Whitman, 26 May 1865

About This Item

  • Title: Milford C. Reed to Walt Whitman, 26 May 1865
  • Date: May 26, 1865
  • Creator(s): Milford C. Reed
  • Whitman Archive ID: yal.00090
  • Source: Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. 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), 172. 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 Kathryn Kruger Nick Krauter
  • Cite this page: Reed, Milford C.. "Milford C. Reed to Walt Whitman, 26 May 1865." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 04 December 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: yal.00090.xml (TEI)
Mr. Whitman Sir

I1 am in great trouble again and of course must write to you about it. I was in Washington the 2nd and I went to No 34 4 ½ Street and pawned my Watch a good American Lever, for $22.07 which I was to pay within a month but I was robbed of my pocket Book which contained a receipt which he gave me for the wach now I want you to go there if you will and see the man (I dont know his name) and if the thief has not already been there and got the wach I want you to tell him not to let any one have it on that receipt. I will soon be there myself and redeem it for I am going to be discharged within a few days when I will come and see you. You will confer a great favor on me by going at once to see about it. I would like to have the fellow arrested if he should bring the ticket for the Wach for I had another Stole from me at the same time. Write to me as soon as you find out about the Wach for I am very anxious about it. I dont want to loose both Waches I have written this in a great hurry. write to me soon from your good friend

It is No 34 4 ½ St.

Notes

  • 1. Milford C. Reed wrote to Whitman on June 1, 1889: "Do you remember the young man of the 5th U S Cavalary who you used to visit in Armory Square Hospital and the many times you used to take me into a Restaurant and give me a good square meal. I suppose you done that to so many you would hardly remember me by that. for all Soldiers know[n] to you looked upon you as their friend, for you ever wore your heart on your sleeve to Old Soldier boys. You used to call me Cody then. . . . In the years gone by I have often passed through Camden, and had I have known it was your home I should surely have stopped to see you, that I might once more have grasped you by the hand and looked into that kindly face and fought over our battles (once again) in Washington" (Charles E. Feinberg Collection, the Library of Congress). Walt Whitman's reply of June 9, 1889 is lost. [back]
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