John McCoy, letter, to Martha McCoy, 1864 March 12
Date12 March, 1864
ms numberMS-605_08
Persistent Identifier
Your letter of the 29th Feb. came
to hand this day (Saturday) and I avail myself ^of^
the short time I have this evening writting a reply. the all important
news it contained of your good health gave me unspeakable satisfaction
I am very sorry to hear that my father has been feeble for some time
but I trust he will recover somewhat his usual vigor and health or at least
as much as can be expected from one so far advanced in years. I still
live in hopes that he will be spared to handle the old Cain until I
return but sometimes I take [guess (MKR): malal] malancholy fits when I think on my return I
may find the [illegible][guess (SJW): Bye] road deserted by its old occupant that has traversed it
so late and early. tell him I think now that he has got settled with
little John there can be nothing to prevent him from sending
me a letter himself it would be thankfully received and promptly answered
by me.— I am glad that Brother David is going to write me a
letter good [illegible][guess (SJW): blood] for him I will be uneasy till it comes. I take it granted
that my mother is well when she is helping to you to sew
and your mother also - and all the rest of my relations or you would inform
me to the contrary I am almost made at you or somebody for not hearing
some news from home, paper is not so costly and stamps are cheap you
send me no news at all. the papers you sent me all came safe they were
very welcome here send me all you can. I pay ten cents each for the
New York papers here and glad to get them at that. I sent you a letter
dated 28th Feb. with five dollars enclosed for
pip I suppose you have it before this time,
when mailing it I received a letter from Boston stating you were
forwarded the check for the money on the 12th
ultimo I added a note on the top of the first
page to that effect. Keep the money untill you hear from me again
leave
it with my Aunt Ann or Meredy it will be safer there than with you in case
of fire or other accidents you can tell those that want it that it is
lent I will consider what is best to do with it after some time and
inform you, you can also consult my father what is best to do with it. I
can tell you that money is not got here for nothing —I am glad
that my Aunt Ann is got better give my respects to Meredy and her and
tell the sergeant I will send him a letter soon as time will permit. I
think he might write one to me first if he can spare time from the
Buck saw. I almost forgot Sarah give my respects to her. tell her white
girls is very scarse here but darkies in thousan^ds^ there. is two dollars coming from Doctor [illegible][guess (SJW): Har]
—achy for the survey try and get it send send me word if you seen
Harvey Lighthall lately and if he done anything done about
[illegible][guess (SJW): Campbells] note
yet but I will write you a letter devoted to matters of that kind we
are allowed 25 days furlough every year by law. I will then
settle some
^account^ accounts myself you cannot do
anything of that kind correctly I will attend to it in due time
— We expect to get paid next week the money I think I will send
by express to you it is better to pay for it than risk it in a letter
I wrote two letters to Gardner he has declined to answer them for the
future I will send them all north I wrote to Brother Thomas but as yet
there is no reply send me his new address I will try again tell Cousin
John to write me a letter and I will give him the particulars of this
place. Immediately after mailing my last letter I got vaccinated for
the pox it rose beautiful the warm weather is coming on rapidly.
Typhoid Fever is very prevalent here chills fever ague and small pox
every precaution is being taken among the troops to prevent disease
Moderation in food and drink is recommended the latter I adhere to
strictly but I have a great appetite.
Jno McCoy
This postscript is written across the top of the first
page of the letter.
Be shure and write to me as often as you can your letters keeps me
from being lonesome for a little while after reading
them
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