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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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
She came down on tuesday she is well though tired when she arrived she sends her love to you give my
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
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
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
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
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
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
leafhandwritten; A scrap of Civil War memoranda headed "51st N Y V" in which Whitman mentions the death of Captain
The entry which begins, "I find this in my notes" (see images 35, 36, and 38) was revised and used in
Kirkwood and is the money spoken of in my letter from Copake. The other $1 is from John D. Martin.
Friend Whitting, Sir, We received your kind and welcome letter inquiring for my boy Billy and in reply
Dear brother I hardly know what to say to you in this letter for it is my first one to you but it will
not be my last I should have written to you before but I am not a great hand at written and I have ben
very buisy fixing my tent for this winter and I hope you will forgive me and in the future I will do
I send you my love and best wishes. Good by from Your Brother, Sergt Thomas P Sawyer P.S.
want more than two or three days)—I want to see George, (I have his photograph on the wall, right over my
probably George will come out & see her, & that if he does you will send her word beforehand— Jeff, my
best way to enjoy a visit home, after all—When I come home again, I shall not go off gallivanting with my
& more shaky—how they can make any headway against our new, large & fresh armies next season passes my
it was made to me only as there was no one else in hearing at the moment—(he is quite an admirer of my
afterwards that he (the sick man) had not eat so much at a meal, in three months—Mother, I shall have my
My Dear Friend Walter I now take my pen to Write you a few lines to let you know that I am Well and I
opens We Will have enof to do I think that this summer is agoing to settil this War I am Willing to do my
a week —so I thought I would write you a few lines now, to let you know— Mother, I suppose you got my
want to go down in camp once more very much—& I think I shall be back in a week—I shall spend most of my
you are well & in good spirits & Jeff & Mat & all, & dear little California & Hattie—I send them all 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
Friend Walter, Sir accordain to promis I now embrace this opportunity of informing you of my Safe arrival
My Friends gave me a warm reception Such as how are you Bush got robed did you &c I told them how it
I had the pleasure of meeting my Capt G.
laugh at me for not being sharper I told them it would be all right in cours of time live & learn is my
If you dont I do and I long for to see mine very much and I think she will want to see me— give my letter
always find they like to have me very much, it seems to do them good, no doubt they soon feel that my
away some gay tunes now, though it is quite late at night—Mother, I dont know whether I mentioned in my
region, makes a good officer—Mother, I could get no pen & ink tonight—Well, dear Mother, I send you my
army as a first lieutenant in the Eighty-fourth New York Infantry on May 23, 1861, and was appointed captain
Somerville February 12, 1864 My dear Walt Whitman.
I have seen the new moon over my right shoulder to some purpose lately.
Give my love to the O'Connors. Good bye. Your friend, J. T. Trowbridge John T.
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.
Of the O'Connors, Thomas Jefferson Whitman wrote on June 13, 1863: "I am real glad, my dear Walt, that
Our captain though[t] he would run the risk and save the time (it takes some time longer to go through
gather something about his early relationship with Walt on the basis of the latter's short sketch, "My
Friend Walt, I have been setting at the foot of what I call my bed idoly speculating, on the past, and
met and called them Friends how often the word Friend, is missplace, but you have told me you were my
Friend and called me your young Friend, I thank you for that priveledge from the inmost recess of my
camp, expecting to meet you there I was sorrowfully disapointed on my arrival there to find that my
little Wife and my home, to enjoy a few of your leisure hours cheerfully.
He was promoted to full captain in the 25th New York Cavalry on 1 Jul 1864.
duty is verry hard now on our regiment especily for it is pretty small well now I will have to close my
letter by saying good by my dear friend walt Bethuel Smith to Walt Whitman, 28 February 1864
I have made up my mind that the camp hospitals are pretty well cleaned out, the worst cases are here
The more I see of them in the Army, the higher & broader my estimate of them.
So, doctor, I still remain here in Washington, occupying my time nearly altogether among the wounded
for somehow I was thinking from your letters lately whether you was as well as usual or not—write how my
army this spring, to the utmost—they are sending down many to their reg'ts that are not fit to go, in my
Washington—We have had quite a snow storm, but is clear & sunny to-day here, but sloshy, I am wearing my
On March 6, George wrote to his mother: "I found my trunk up at Fort Schuyler all right the morning I
My Dear Sir I had the honor to recive the fiew lines you addressed to me, which was delivered by my particular
In my humble opinion there is nothing so well calculated to inspire a soldier with new courage and fresh
acquaintance may ripen into a mutual attachment The preasent you sent me I received for which accept my
I found my trunk up at Fort Schuyler all right the morning I left home.
Please to remember me to Miss Lowell Brown , Benedict, Bartlett, & Chas Cate —also to all others of my
Surprised to learn that I am in Washington but here I am and will try and give you a few details of my
"Iron Co." and only returned last Monday night. since then I have been very much engaged in getting my
On my return Mat told me all about it.
My hospital ministrations are very fascinating with all of their sadness.
by him soothing him, he was wandering all the time, his talk was so affecting it kept the tears in my
I took out an agreement for Mothers and my names at $19 33 per month Did you get my letter enclosing
Mother, every thing is the same with me, I am feeling very well indeed, the old trouble of my head stopt
& my ears affected, has not troubled me any since I came back here from Brooklyn—I am writing this in
Major Hapgood's old office, cor 15th & F st., where I have my old table & window—it is dusty & chilly
seen, the arrival of the wounded after a battle, & the scenes on the field too, & I can hardly believe my