Camp near Potomac Creek, VA

Monday, February 2^nd, 1863

Is well, went to general Hospital and found Tom looking pretty good only very weak and “tickeled [sic] most to death to see me and those things from home he says he thinks he will live now he has got all his things now and them 2 dollars he has got also. Poor Lumbard Tell his wife I found him in a sad state he cant get off his bed anymore”. Tell his wife “I gave him a couple of letters sent down by me and if she thinks of coming down to see him she will find him at the general Hospital on Wind mill Point about 2 ½ miles from Acquia Creek Landing. George Wheeler is getting fat as a Pig and he feels Tip top he says he is satisfied Uncle Sam has got to pay him 13 dollars a month for doing nothing. Tom Wheeler sent a dollar by me to give to him”. He had a good excursion, was at Acquia Creek a half day and bought “some apples and Pie and Cake Cheese and warm Buiskit [sic] but mind you we had to pay for it. Besides having a Bully Ride on the Cars there and Back again I guess I was at the Hospital 2 or 3 hours and in that short space of time I saw about 20 dead bodies carried along there is about 5 thousand in the Hospital at that Place Every Thing is Comfortable Clean and Neat Every one has his own Bed to sleep on made of Iron and about 3 feet from the ground With Plenty of Blankets to Cover them. They have a Christian society meet there most every night Praying and singing for them that with to hear them. My Sargentcy [sic] commences with the first of this month so you see I am getting 17 dollars a month now oh how I did Wish when I got on the cars yesterday that they wouldent [sic] stop until [sic] they got in Utica”. Lengthy closing.