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I always carry a stout double-pocket haversack, filled with things—also large pockets in my coat &c—I

have learnt what is appropriate—I generally carry a bottle of wine—I buy oranges by the box, & fill my

My dear Walt.

from the booksellers for the present, so I sent you today a package of such books as I could pick from my

Good-bye, my dear friend, and may the good angels help you in your good work. J. T. Trowbridge.

biography, The Ferry Boy and the Financier (Boston: Walker and Wise, 1864); he described their meetings in My

Though Trowbridge was not an idolator of Whitman, he wrote to O'Connor in 1867: "Every year confirms my

See Trowbridge, My Own Story, with recollections of noted persons (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1903), 179

yo and i was glad to here from yo i am not very well and have not ben for some time i have pain in my

head and breast i think the clorform that i have taken is the caus of it my hip is very painful to day

i was exasamend i think that i will go before the board in a day or two i may get my discharge i have

hurd that my ridgement is going home for the winter to recruit thair is only 17 men left inny more for

could get detailed in washington at some thing that i coud do i woud be very glad and would try to do my

December 28th/63 Dear brother Walt, My last letter to you was dated from Springfield Mass.

Of course I have had to keep my work up in Brooklyn just the same as if I had not been away,—had to work

a duty to our Mother for her comfort and indeed for her safty and of course I have another stake in my

That iron-clad that sunk at Charleston drownded one of my intimate friends H. W.

He was in my party on the line and was my room-mate for a year.

years  I think it would be very bad for him to be put in the lunatic assiliym...i could not find it in my

can tell you but little of the feelings of our hearts towards you for the intrest you have taken in My

we come Die both parents and children brothers and Sisters but i Shall tire your patience i was to My

biography, The Ferry Boy and the Financier (Boston: Walker and Wise, 1864); he described their meetings in My

Though Trowbridge was not an idolator of Whitman, he wrote to O'Connor in 1867: "Every year confirms my

See Trowbridge, My Own Story, with recollections of noted persons (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1903), 179

not done befor before in years i dont don't think it done me any good one or t w o nights i thought my

lunatic assiliym asylum if he had some light employment but that seems hard to get i could not find it in my

little california is splendid she s fatter than ever i hope these lines will find you well good bie my

news here we had a good dinner here to day father yo must excuse me for not writing a long letter for my

She came down on tuesday she is well though tired when she arrived she sends her love to you give my

I am glad to report that I enjoyed my Self finely and had a gay time.

I expected to be in Washington before this on my way Home to get my rights, if I dont get it I will not

play Tell Miss Felton that I never will forget theWatter cooler of Ward P. and as there are some of my

Friends that I have omited on account of names I hope you will as[k] Pardon in my behalf. tell Brown

My Love & best Wishes to all I will close Hoping to Here from you soon.

dont know as she remember me but I do her how could I forget her if you see her pleas tell her I send my

biography, The Ferry Boy and the Financier (Boston: Walker and Wise, 1864); he described their meetings in My

Though Trowbridge was not an idolator of Whitman, he wrote to O'Connor in 1867: "Every year confirms my

On October 18, 1863, Babbitt was depressed—"dark clouds seem to be lying in my pathway and I can not

remove them nor hide them from my mind"—until he mentioned his beloved, Nellie F.

now how long it will last there is some talk of braking up 4 Companies of the 2 Cav & I dont no but my

son in the army it is about 2 O Clock at night now I am on gard sitting by A big fire you must excuse my

mornin dated the 13 and was very glad to hear from yo i am not very well i have good dele of pain in my

away an then we must all sooner or later give up this world— i had a few lines from home this morning my

little girl is sick and i feeling bad to think that i cant see her now but my prays is that she may

start for elickazandry [Alexandria] to the convalesent camp if i could get to the city i could get my

discharge but i cant father i thank yo for seeing about my discriptave list for they owe me now six

I love Mat as I love my life—dearer by far—and to have this infernal pup—a perfect hell-drag to his Mother—treat

I wish to God he was ready to put along side of Andrew  There would be but few tears shed on my part

It will be a sad thing to leave her with them but I can't think I am doing my duty to my wife if I leave

. & I am not with him any more—he has moved his office to his private room—I am writing this in my room

456 Sixth st—but my letters still come to Major's care, they are to be addrest same as ever, as I can

early, went down through the market, it is quite a curiosity—I bought some butter, tea, &c—I have had my

breakfast here in my room, good tea, bread & butter &c— Mother, I think about you all more than ever

George—I have no doubt the 51st is still at Crab Orchard — Mother, I hope you will try to write—I send you my

led the explosive Jeff to exclaim in a letter to Walt from December 15, 1863: "I love Mat as I love my

There would be but few tears shed on my part I can tell you. . . .

wrote Mother abt getting Jess in the Asylum—It does not seem to meet with her wishes—when I wrote you my

Boston December 11, 1863 Walt Whitman— My dear sir— I went to the hospital in Pemberton Square yesterday

There seems a sort of hopelessness about this, and being unused to hospitals my feelings were far from

See Trowbridge, My Own Story, with recollections of noted persons (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1903), 179

On October 18, 1863, Babbitt was depressed—"dark clouds seem to be lying in my pathway and I can not

remove them nor hide them from my mind"—until he mentioned his beloved, Nellie F.

Jeff speaks of my trying for a leave of absence but I hardly think it would be of any use at present,

Give my love to all G. W.

Whitman I am in as good health as ever I was in my life George Washington Whitman to Louisa Van Velsor

not received the letter  I hope wen those few lines reach you they will find yo well i am quite well my

friday i was exazamend by the beast of dockters i would not go in the invalid corps so they send me to my

ridgement i am willing to go and try and do my duty thair and if the Rebs hit me a gen all rite i will

thair i have ben home sence i left Washington i wish yo would see dockter blis and have him to send my

write and let me know how yo are geting a long and how the boys is gets a long tel them i am going to my

magnetism human relations are capable of—I have told you how young & how American they mostly are—so on my

them suffering & dying—Doctor to the other friends that assisted me in Boston & to yourself, I send my

I enjoyed your letter very much, did I tell you so in my note?

I am better of my cough, which has been very bad, and I shall do well I have no doubt, but I get very

were—he asked if you were coming back &c. & when I told him that I had heard & should write you, he said "My

I wish that you were back here in your old room for my sake, for I miss you & shall.

noise & laughing & drinking, of a dozen young men, & I among them, I would see your face before me in my

it would be if I could leave all the fun & noise & the crowd & be with you—I don't wish to disparage my

there is something that takes down all artificial accomplishments, & that is a manly & loving soul—My

Well, it is now past midnight, pretty well on to 1 o'clock, & my sheet is most written out—so, my dear

dear loving comrade, & the blessing of God on you by night & day, my darling boy.

I do not know that I told you that both of my parents were dead but it is true and now, Walt, you will

be a second Father to me won't you. for my love for you is hardly less than my love for my natural parent

say much more of what the world calls educated & polished, & brilliant in conversation, &c, than you, my

My love to your good, noble mother, whom I shall some day know.

last night we got payed off and to day it is rainey and wet so it quite uncomfortable you must excuse my

have been moving about so I aint had time well no more this time pleas answer this soon as you can my

Dear brother, I am here in Brooklyn, New York, spending a few weeks home at my mother's.

I am well & fat, eat my rations regular, & weigh about 200—so you see I am not very delicate.

But the greatest patriot in the family is my old mother.

My room is 456 Sixth street.

But my letters are still addrest care of Major Hapgood, paymaster U S A, Washington D C.

Brooklyn Nov 17, 1863 Dear friend I suppose Nelly has received a letter from me posting you up of my

last night, Trovatore —very, very good singing & acting— I feel to devote myself more to the work of my

I shall range along the high plateau of my life & capacity for a few years now, & then swiftly descend

, & the objects, &c of most, seem to me very flippant & shallow somehow since I returned this time— My

Dear comrade, I send you my love, & to William & Nelly, & remember me to Major [Hapgood] — Walt Walt

I have told my mother & sister about you all. I send my love to William.

Tell Charles Eldridge too I send him my love.

Nelly, I am writing this from my room at my mother's house.

My sister Martha is untiring, feeding & nursing him.

My brother Jeff is well—he is a noble young man & one to love.

Now I suppose that you would like to know how I enjoy my self: Well I go out most every day but I do

Hospital at Georgetown, so we aint got so many shoulder strapes hear, but we have got enough yet for my

My leg is rather worse this morning & the Doctor sayes that I must stay in bed to day, so I suppose that

Well I think my letter is getting full long as I must begin to think about closing.

scaffold all up—I have not bin up to the Capitol for some time, but probily I will go up on Monday if my

I have neglected it so long I suppose you thought I had quit forgotten you, but I can asure you my Dear

your will I should be very happy to keep up a coraspandenc Now I will try and give you an account of my

morning changed cars there fore Pittsburg arrived there about noon I went to the Soldiers home and got my

about two months before that so in the evening I took the cars again and the next morning I arrived at my

estimated 15,000 Majority for the Union that is the home vote the copperheads are completely played out My

& did you remember to give her my love? how did little Hattie look? had she grown much?

Don't forget the three things you were to bring for my especial benefit.

Ellen O'Connor related in a letter on November 24, 1863, that the Count had said to her recently: "My

I do not know that I told you that both of my parents were dead but it is true and now Walt you will

be a second Father to me wont you, for my love for you is hardly less than my love for my natural parent

I think my papers will be in tomorrow certain.

I shall start as soon as my papers come.

My love to you and now Dear Father good by for the present.

But, my dear comrades, I will now tell you something about my own folks—home here there is quite a lot

of us—my father is not living—my dear mother is very well indeed for her age, which is 67—she is cheerful

Often they hit each other, then there is a time— My loving comrades, I am scribbling all this in my room

in my mother's house.

, & I pray God to bless you, my darling boys, & I send you all my love, & I hope it will be so ordered

My relations with the boys there in Washington had fatherly, motherly, brotherly intimations—touched

I don't seem to be able to stand it in the present condition of my body'" (3:110–111).

I have not lately made any requests of my friends for more thinking you perhaps were well supplied for

Dear friend Walt Not knowing what they were agoing to do with me until thursday last is my excuse for

Thursday I expected my dischar[g]e so that I could start Friday but on going to the office I found that

knew that they had gone up and when the truth was known he knew nothing about it thursday afternoon my

papers wer sent in to the ward for me to go before Bliss he examined me and told me I could have my

Sutler's and back (Walt it is useless for me to try to tell you how much i have missed you at night when my

Dear Walter As I am not a going out to day I thought that my time could not be better imployed than by

Sawyer to day he is well. he sayes that they have bin on the move so that he could not answer my letter

thing about your letter—he is a going to try to get a pass to come up hear this winter— Conserning my

self I am about old fassion. my leg mends slowly (about as it was when you wer hear) I have bin out

Dear Father I now take the plesure of fulfilling my promace a writing to you hoping those few lines will

find you well 1 am getting better fast i am at home now i got home after noon my famly is well i left

long to see yo and have a long talk with yo It rains here this morning and to day is lection one of my

Since I last wrote you I have continued my hospital visitations daily or nightly without intermission

My dear friend, if you should be able to go, or if not able yourself give this to your sister or some

friend who will go—it may be that my dear boy & comrade is not so very bad, but I fear he is.

I send my thanks & love to yourself, your sister, husband, & the sisters Wigglesworth.

the one you propose—to stereotype, advertise and push it—implies an expenditure that may be beyond my

soldier boys should ever call upon you, (as they are often anxious to have my address in Brooklyn,)

I was with him a good deal, & the old man & his wife have written me, & asked me my address in Brooklyn

They will make you cry—There is nothing new with my hospital doings—I was there yesterday afternoon &

, & the house smells clean, & the room too—my old room they just left every thing lay where it was, &

singers are so good—when I come home we'll all try to go — Mother, I am very well—have some cold in my

monday Monday evening My dear walt i was sorry my being so late last week with my letter caused you any

uneasiness if any thing was the matter with me more than common you would be advised of it my dear walter

to venture it rained here last night very hard) i am about as usual i have had rather bad pains in my

its fronting the north or south) not one word have i had from Jeff or matt or han or ma ry you are my

On October 18, 1863, Babbitt was depressed ("dark clouds seem to be lying in my pathway and I can not

remove them nor hide them from my mind") until he mentioned his beloved, Nellie F.

very thankful to you for the kindness you have shown and Still Show to our poor boy i cant express My

from Culpeper William Did not think of asking what it would cost to Send him on to his frinds the captain

a Coffin they buryed him as Decently as they could by pining him up in a thick woolen blanket the captain

My own opinion is that he will not recover, that he cannot last long.

do Andrew a great deal of good  In the letter that Mother received yesterday from you, you speak abt my

worries you without doing any good, and another thing it is not like you think in regard to cutting down my

Give yourself no thought abt my worring. Something that I have got entirely past.

Jim is dissatisfied unless I write pretty often, whether there is any thing to write about or not—My

to heal so that he can sit up, & then gradually move about, & so in due time be able to travel— So, my

friend, farewell for present, & I pray that God may be with you, & though we are strangers I send my

wonder how she is i think so much about her some nights i cant sleep if she wou ld only write to me) my

institutionalizing Jesse because, according to her December 25, 1863 letter, she "could not find it in my

Dear friend, My idea is a book of the time, worthy the time—something considerably beyond mere hospital

interest I surely think—in some respects somewhat a combination in handling of the Old French Memoires, & my

own personality (things seen through my eyes, & what my vision brings)—a book full enough of mosaic,

I have many hospital incidents, [that] will take with the general reader—I ventilate my general democracy

know the people generally now are too (far more than they know,) & would readily absorb & understand my

could easily publish a small Book, but the one you propose...implies an expenditure that may be beyond my

I send George papers now & then—Mother, one of your letters contains part of my letter to the Union,

It seems to be mostly as I intended it, barring a few slight misprints—was my last name signed at the

or think too deeply—So I go giving you all good advice— O Mother, I must tell you how I get along in my

of you & Hat right away)—one thing is I am quite by myself, there is no passage up there except to my

room, & right off against my side of the house is a great old yard with grass & some trees back, & the

Sims, a captain in George Washington Whitman's Fifty-first New York Volunteer Regiment, had been the

letter to his mother on December 16, 1862: "I have come out safe and sound, although I had the side of my

jaw slightly scraped with a peice of shell which burst at my feet."

On September 22, 1863, George informed Jeff that Captain Sims was in Brooklyn to recruit for the regiment

Jeff explained the situation on October 22, 1863: "It is not like you think in regard to cutting down my

I do not know but you think me rather neglectful in my writing to you but if you knew the pain that I

have in my head, the whole of the time you would not think hard of me.

Walt—I am sorry that I am as feeble, and that my friends and likewise my Doctor think that I never shall

lying in my pathway and I can not seem to remove them nor hide them from my mind, I have tried to look

I feel she has saved me, in the worst of my sickness she hardly left my room how often have I thought

V. but dont put on the Brigade, Division, or Corps, as I think perhaps the reason of my not hearing from

The whole thing in my opinion is one of the biggest of humbugs.

so much want to see you, even if only for a couple of weeks—for I feel I must return here & continue my

I wonder why he didn't send me the Union with my letter in. I am disappointed at not getting it.

I sent Han [a] N Y Times with my last letter, & one to George too.

I thought I was cooler & more used to it, but the sight of some of them brought tears into my eyes—Mother

out with a long rough journey, all dirty & torn, & many pale as ashes, & all bloody—I distributed all my

is what they have eaten with Mat and I"; and again on October 8, 1863: "There is no doubt, Walt, in my