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John McCoy, letter, to Martha McCoy, 1864 September 12
I have lost all patience
in waiting for a letter but I think
you are not to Blame as I recd
the Journals & 'Gazettes' on the 8th
inst. and I am shure the were accom
-panied by what would please me
better than all the news of the associated
Press of Canada, that is if all is right
at Home. it must have went astray in
some of the Post offices or perhaps never
forwarded from Chateaugay. the last
letter I rec.d from you was dated July
26th I was glad to hear you were all well
and may God watch over you and protect
⇑you for the future as I can do nothing for you
only in a small pecuniary way and that
you shall have as soon as have it in my
power - after reading part of your letter
all the favorable hopes & conjectures concerning
Gardener vanished like a shadow it is
in waiting for a letter but I think
you are not to Blame as I recd
the Journals & 'Gazettes' on the 8th
inst. and I am shure the were accom
-panied by what would please me
better than all the news of the associated
Press of Canada, that is if all is right
at Home. it must have went astray in
some of the Post offices or perhaps never
forwarded from Chateaugay. the last
letter I rec.d from you was dated July
26th I was glad to hear you were all well
and may God watch over you and protect
⇑you for the future as I can do nothing for you
only in a small pecuniary way and that
you shall have as soon as have it in my
power - after reading part of your letter
all the favorable hopes & conjectures concerning
Gardener vanished like a shadow it is
enough for me to say that the little time allotted
me for repose I required less ⇑for a few nights I will allude
no more at present to the sad fate of [illegible][guess (SYA): Alick] —
as I am neither physically or mentally able
to write much. Poor Billy Henderson I am
extremely sorry about him. his gentleness
civility and moral conduct commanded the
respect and admiration of all who knew
him. he was called away very young but
such is the mandate of the Devine ruler
I trust and believe he has reached the goal
of happiness, if honesty veracity morality
Charity Benevolence Gratitude and a
total abhorance of everything in the shape
of empty pride or vanity form any of the
ingredients of a good man he certainally
had them highly ⇑and practically developed
if [illegible][guess (SYA): ever] fate has decreed my safe return I
will miss sadely his ever smileing countenance
in rain as well as in sunshine were I at
home and quallified Billys decease should
appear in one of the local Journals [illegible][guess (SYA): headed]
me for repose I required less ⇑for a few nights I will allude
no more at present to the sad fate of [illegible][guess (SYA): Alick] —
as I am neither physically or mentally able
to write much. Poor Billy Henderson I am
extremely sorry about him. his gentleness
civility and moral conduct commanded the
respect and admiration of all who knew
him. he was called away very young but
such is the mandate of the Devine ruler
I trust and believe he has reached the goal
of happiness, if honesty veracity morality
Charity Benevolence Gratitude and a
total abhorance of everything in the shape
of empty pride or vanity form any of the
ingredients of a good man he certainally
had them highly ⇑and practically developed
if [illegible][guess (SYA): ever] fate has decreed my safe return I
will miss sadely his ever smileing countenance
in rain as well as in sunshine were I at
home and quallified Billys decease should
appear in one of the local Journals [illegible][guess (SYA): headed]
"Obituary" I liked him better than
any strange man I ever knew. he was
always honest Billy —
any strange man I ever knew. he was
always honest Billy —
I believe when I wrote you last I
⇑was sick about ⇑four days afterwards I was able
for duty from then up to the within
a few days of the time I write my health
was excellent but on friday evening
last (9th) I was attacked severely with the
shakes chills and fever and has contin
ued ever since at entervails. quinine
and other medicine administered by
the doctor has them partially stopped
I am in hopes I will soon be all right
again - a letter from home would
soon raise my spirits a little I trust
you will not delay on the receipt of
this in granting me the favor —
⇑was sick about ⇑four days afterwards I was able
for duty from then up to the within
a few days of the time I write my health
was excellent but on friday evening
last (9th) I was attacked severely with the
shakes chills and fever and has contin
ued ever since at entervails. quinine
and other medicine administered by
the doctor has them partially stopped
I am in hopes I will soon be all right
again - a letter from home would
soon raise my spirits a little I trust
you will not delay on the receipt of
this in granting me the favor —
At this time I will refrain from
giving you a description of matters
here one thing ⇑I must say as I am
writing. the majority of the in
giving you a description of matters
here one thing ⇑I must say as I am
writing. the majority of the in
men of the 9 Companys stationed
⇑here are marching to the front line of
pickets to relieve the 132nd ⇑& 158th N.Y.
infantry who are under marching
orders for richmond in a few days
we expect to follow our comrades to
the distance is 9 miles our pickets
are frequently shot by the guerallas
on their nightly excursions we have
been relieved by the 2 N.C. Heavy [illegible] [guess (SYA): Artlry]
(Colored) at Fort Totten the only [illegible][guess (SYA): difficulty]
there is the colored men is deficient
in reading passes at the different places
of entrance. we have rec.d between 3 & 4
hundred recruits for our Regiment
lately. the have organized 2 Company in
place of G.&.H. taken place prisioners last
spring. General Hickmans Brigade
(5 regiments or skeletons) has arrived here
from Petersburgh to recruit and we expect
to relieve us some of the officers think we
wil go to Richmond and others to Mobile
on the Mississippi River but as yet we are
not certain ⇑what we may do for the last ten days
I have been on Provost duty or City Police
write as usual the letters will follow
me may this find you and the
children enjoying good health is the
⇑here are marching to the front line of
pickets to relieve the 132nd ⇑& 158th N.Y.
infantry who are under marching
orders for richmond in a few days
we expect to follow our comrades to
the distance is 9 miles our pickets
are frequently shot by the guerallas
on their nightly excursions we have
been relieved by the 2 N.C. Heavy [illegible] [guess (SYA): Artlry]
(Colored) at Fort Totten the only [illegible][guess (SYA): difficulty]
there is the colored men is deficient
in reading passes at the different places
of entrance. we have rec.d between 3 & 4
hundred recruits for our Regiment
lately. the have organized 2 Company in
place of G.&.H. taken place prisioners last
spring. General Hickmans Brigade
(5 regiments or skeletons) has arrived here
from Petersburgh to recruit and we expect
to relieve us some of the officers think we
wil go to Richmond and others to Mobile
on the Mississippi River but as yet we are
not certain ⇑what we may do for the last ten days
I have been on Provost duty or City Police
write as usual the letters will follow
me may this find you and the
children enjoying good health is the
earnest desire of your affc.t
Husband
[illegible][guess (SYA): Jno.M.Coy]
[illegible][guess (SYA): Jno.M.Coy]
The postscript appears at the top of the second page of
the letter, 1v to 2r.
I think matters are working round to a settlement I hope so if -
For if Hell
itself was a recruiting Depot and the Devil the mustering ⇑in officer he would have no
chance with ⇑the second Mass
itself was a recruiting Depot and the Devil the mustering ⇑in officer he would have no
chance with ⇑the second Mass
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