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328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey March 31 '89 Thanks, my dear E C S, for the box of noble books with

for the loving cheering (I fear flattering) long letter, wh' has done me good, & I have read twice—My

I wish to convey my best regards to the printers, proof-readers & print-plate presser &c — I have been

next N A North American Review (June number) will have a piece A Memorandum at a Venture signed by my

name in which I ventilate my theory of sexual matters treatment & allusion in Children of Adam —I shall

reprinting Burroughs's letter of May 1, Traubel interpolated an explanation of the loan: "This was money in my

morning—thanks—Nothing very new with me—I continue well—have had the best summer for several years—My

I think Mrs Stafford is only middling—(I havn't haven't been at White Horse now for a fortnight) —My

silent thoughts of God, & death—& not at all in what he says , nor in Sunday or prayer meeting gas —My

with me—Though the rheumatism is not severe—any thing like its first attack—it still keeps its hold—my

Tuesday, (two perfect days) —& expect to be down there next Sunday— —The Staffords are all about as usual—My

Poetry in America"—(it is a Vol: Volume of Bohn's Standard Library)—It is a good collection—he gives my

third story room,—just after 4 p m—my sister down stairs sewing—it is very quiet in the house, almost

lonesome—my brother away far in Pennsylvania at his work—& no, or very few visitors lately—The weather

Street Camden New Jersey Feb 21 Dear Bee Your letter rec'd received , & we all read it with interest —my

mother yesterday forwarding the enclosed letter of Rossetti's which she wished me to post to you—So far my

Camden Sunday afternoon May 19 My dear friend I came up last night from a three days visit to White Horse

will last me a long while—got home about one o'clock, (it has now just struck four)—consequence of my

Dear Hinton, The bearer, my friend, Mr.

Camden New Jersey May 27 —I have to-day sent by mail, same address as this card, my Volume Leaves of

—The box of chocolate & cocoa came—delicious—many thanks—I had some for my breakfast this morning—Remain

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey May 8 '81 My dear Mr Osgood I write in answer to the note on the

other side from my dear friend O'Reilly —My plan is to have all my poems, down to date, comprised in

My dear Friend: As you see by the date of this, I am back again in Washington, moving around regularly

My health is pretty good, but since I was prostrated last July, I have not had that unconscious and perfect

The physician says my system has been penetrated by the malaria—it is tenacious, peculiar and somewhat

It is my first appearance in the character of a man not entirely well.

C., as I call for my letters daily at the post office. Should you have an opportunity to see Dr.

328 Mickle street Camden New Jersey U S America May 30 1886 My dear friend Yours of May 17, enclosing

which I indeed, indeed thank you, and all—We have beautiful sunshiny weather here, & I am sitting by my

I send best respects & love to my British contributor-friends—they have done me more good than they think

My satisfaction with your proposed German trans[lation] increases the more you unfold it, and I think

In the whole matter I freely trust to your intuitions and 'cuteness as to meanings, my dear friend—you

My letter to Mr Lee was also as a preface to the Russian translation.

much of the internationality element (sentiment) which I have intended as one of the leading fibres of my

Camden May 23d My dear Reid Couldn't you feel to print the above say for instance in the Bits of Criticism

It is said the government purposes something of this kind—it will throw a good many captains & lieutenants

Mother, you tell him I sent him my love, and Nancy the same, and the dear little boys the same.

I find I have to restrain myself and keep my composure—I succeed pretty well.

Give my best respects to Dr. Ruggles.

3—I have been in my room all day, so far—shall have dinner in ½ an hour, and then down to Armory.

I find them of great use in giving me ideas about my business and they are too cursed costly to buy."

Captain John Mullan (1830–1909), an army engineer, was associated with General Isaac I.

Mother, when you or Jeff writes again, tell me if my papers & MSS are all right—I should be very sorry

ground is an inch and a half deep with snow—and it is snowing & drizzling—but I feel very independent in my

I have felt quite well of my deafness and cold in my head for four days or so, but it is back again bad

Dear mother, I wrote the above, in my room—I have now come down to Major Hapgood's office.

I find a good letter from one of my New York boys, (Fifth Avenue)—a young fellow named Hugo Fritsch,

Captain John Mullan (1830–1909), an army engineer, was associated with General Isaac I.

Meantime I make about enough to pay my expenses by hacking on the press here, and copying in the paymasters

thing is favorable here, namely, pay for whatever one does is at a high rate—I have not yet presented my

letters to either Seward or Chase —I thought I would get my forces all in a body, and make one concentrated

Mother, I am quite in hopes George will get a furlough—may-be my expectations are unfounded, but I almost

On February 6, 1863, Jeff wrote: "I think I shall be able to carry through my little 'real estate' scheme

The package came safe to hand on Friday, containing my 20 purchased L. of G. and 20 to give away at discretion

Dear sister, You have heard of my fortunes and misfortunes of course, (through my letters to mother and

Since I laid my eyes on dear brother George, and saw him alive and well—and since I have spent a week

The weather is perfect—I have had that in my favor ever since leaving home—yesterday and to-day it is

I write this in the place where I have my lodging room, 394 L street, 4th door above 14th street.

My Brooklyn boys were John Lowery, shot at Fredericksburgh, and lost his left forearm, and Amos H.

As to me, I know I put in about three days of the greatest suffering I ever experienced in my life.

I wrote to Jeff how I had my pocket picked in a jam and hurry, changing cars, at Philadelphia, so that

I told you that George had been promoted to Captain —his commission arrived while I was there.

Dear mother, my love, Walt.

I send my love to dear sister Mat, and little sis—and to Andrew and all my brothers.

Moses Lane (see Whitman's letter from January 16, 1863) on the same day asked Captain James J.

Virginia.: "We have had another battle and 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" (Trent Collection of Whitmaniana,

During the battle at Antietam, George commanded his company, "as the Captain was not well although he

near Antietam, that Francis had left on a twenty-day furlough, and on November 10, 1862, he wrote: "Captain

Garaphelia Howard, | My dear friend: Accept the thanks of many sick & wounded soldiers, for the $10,

My dear friend, Your contribution of $20 for the soldiers in hospital, sick or wounded, has been received

I wish you health, my friend, in body & in spirit. Farewell.

Jenks, My dear Sir, I have rec'd your note of 30th Nov. with $3.

Please accept my special acknowledgments.

But as I am not willing you should be the loser, in such a manner, I send you my book, by same mail with

partly scornful, or occasionally put a dry remark, which only adds fuel to the flame—I do not feel it in my

find that the deeper they go in with the draft, the more trouble it is likely to make—I have changed my

family, still I feel somewhat uneasy—about Jeff, if any one, as he is more around—I have had it much on my

have no doubt I shall make a few hundred dollars by the lectures I shall certainly commence soon, (for my

hospital missionary purposes & my own, for that purpose) & I could lend that am't to Jeff to pay it

From my own personal observations I think that the newspapers would give one the most perverted kind

Dear friend, I am going to write you to ask any friends you may be in communication with for aid for my

Then I select the most needy cases & devote my time & services much to them.

hospitals, nothing but the mere hard routine, no time for tenderness or extras)—So I go round—Some of my

My brave young American soldiers—now for so many months I have gone around among them, where they lie

too near to each other, there is no time to lose, & death & anguish dissipate ceremony here between my

My honest thanks to you, Hugo, for your letter posting me up not only about yourself but about my dear

When I went up to my room that night towards 11 I took a seat by the open window in the splendid soft

moonlit night, and, there alone by myself, (as is my custom sometimes under such circumstances), I devoted

Fred's room, so pleasant, with its effect I remember of pictures, fine color, &c. to have the delight of my

"My own greatest pleasure at Pfaff's was to look on—to see, talk little, absorb," Whitman observed to

letter from Bloom yesterday—but, before responding to it (which I will do soon) I must write to you, my

Every day or night I spend four, five, or six hours, among my sick, wounded, prostrate boys.

Some of my boys get well, some die.

, good stock, often mere boys, full of sweetness & heroism—often they seem very near to me, even as my

I make no bones of petting them just as if they were—have long given up formalities & reserves in my

continues so—yesterday & last night was the hottest—still I slept sound, have good ventilation through my

when I woke up, a thing I never remember to have happened to me before, for I was not disturbed in my

own breakfast in my room & my dinner at a restaurant—I have a little spirit lamp, & always have a capital

on my hand, nor had any dressing for the last five days—Mother, I hope you get along with the heat,

it came right, & give him the men's thanks & my love— Mother, have you heard any thing from Han?

I want Han to come home, from the bottom of my heart.

I have almost made up my mind to do what I can personally, & not seek assistance from others.

I wrote to Han yesterday, (before I received this letter of Heyde's), I wrote a short letter of my own

new ones, I could not find any one to do them as I wear them, & it would have cost such a price—& so my

they were too thick & more still because they were worse gone in than any I ever yet wore I think in my

life, especially the trowsers—wearing my big boots had caused the inside of the legs just above the

same as what I always wear, (pants pretty full,) so upon the whole all looks unusually good for me, my

Dearest Mother, I am late with my letter this week—my poor, poor boys occupy my time very much—I go every

Dear brother, I wish you to say to Probasco & all the other young men on the Works, I send them my love

again—I myself do not give up Hooker yet— Dear mother, I should like to hear from Han, poor Han—I send my

would take 10 cts I send in this letter & get me ten copies of the Eagle with it in—put in 5 more of my

Give my respects to Mr. & Mrs. Brown. Tell Jeff I am going to write to Mr.

If my letters home don't show it, you don't get 'em.

Matty, I send you my best love, dear sister—how I wish I could be with you one or two good days.

Give him my love—& tell Mannahatta her Uncle Walt is living now among the sick soldiers.

Lane promised to "make an effort among my friends here to keep you supplied with funds all summer."

Cotrel, Nicholas Wyckoff, & Thomas Sullivan, for my poor men here in hospital.

My health, thank God, was never better—I feel strong & elastic—an obstinate cold & deafness some weeks

Richmond & Jeff Davis, by this short but tremendous little campaign, of 2d, 3d, 4th & 5th inst's, is in my

Love & thanks to you, dear friend, & to those who are aiding my boys.

I had certainly made up my mind that we should meet with partial success certainly, but it seems otherwise

Dear comrade, you must be assured that my heart is much with you in New York, & with my other dear friends

Dear comrade, I still live here as a hospital missionary after my own style, & on my own hook—I go every

I have cut my beard short, & hair ditto: (all my acquaintances are in anger & despair & go about wringing

My face is all tanned & red.

Then around my majestic brow, around my well-brimmed felt hat—a black & gold cord with acorns.

New York, I had to be in Washington: I was never in the one place but I was restless for the other: my

opinion that the 51st is still in Kentucky at or near where George last wrote, but of course that is only my

such a misfortune to have such sickness, & always do any thing for him that you can in reason—Mat, my

little room 394 L st., get my own breakfast there, had good tea this morning, & some nice biscuit, (

They are truly friends to me—I still get my dinner at a restaurant usually.

mind again before me— Mother, did you see my letter in the N Y Times of Sunday Oct 4?

Sq Hospital, Sunday evening Oct 4 Dear Madam, Your letter reached me this forenoon with the $30 for my

the midst of those it was sent to aid—& best by a sample of actual hospital life on the spot, & of my

in the way of thanks—is a country boy—always smiles & brightens much when I appear—looks straight in my

face & never at what I may have in my hand for him—I mention him for a specimen as he is within reach

of my hand & I can see that his eyes have been steadily fixed on me from his cot ever since I began

After Whitman gave this letter to Horace Traubel on July 27, 1888, he observed: "My main motive would

with surprises—with fancy turns of speech—with unusual, unaccustomed words—but to say them—to shoot my

stopping at one of the hospitals last night Miss Lowe just from Boston came to me & handed the letters—My

children in age yet—so good, so sweet, so brave, so decorous, I could not feel them nearer to me if 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

Curtis, and the other friends, I will briefly say, tells daily & nightly & shall tell to the best of my

power, upon my dear boys here, in hospital.

Good by, my friend. Walt Whitman to James Redpath, 12 October 1863

After this sentence Whitman deleted the following: "Do you want to print my new little volume of poetry

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.

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

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

Mother, I am feeling very well these days—my head that was stopt up so & hard of hearing seems to be

hulls on—I go down to market sometimes of a morning & buy two or three quarts, for the folks I take my

little girl, (lost a fine boy about a year ago)—they have two rooms in the same house where I hire my

will have it so—that's the way it has gone on now over five months, & as I say they won't listen to my

insisted on going to market, (it is pleasant in the cool of the morning,) and getting the things, at my

Of the O'Connors, Jeff wrote on June 13, 1863: "I am real glad, my dear Walt, that you are among such

, to the Hospital, &c. but I could not bring myself to go again—when I meet black men or boys among my

wards of a hospital, & trying to give a word of cheer, if nothing else, to every one, then confining my

had it here, as I must have a trunk—but do not wish you to send it, until I send you word—I suppose my

Mother, I have nothing particular to write about—I see & hear nothing but new & old cases of my poor

would literally sink & give up, if I did not pass a portion of the time with them—I have quite made up my

the way I shall put it in operation—you know, mother, it is to raise funds to enable me to continue my

everywhere & receive no pay — Dear, dear mother, I want much to see you & dear Matty too, I send you both [my