John McCoy, letter, to Martha McCoy, 1864 September 12
Date12 September, 1864
ms numberMS-605_22
Persistent Identifier
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
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]
"Obituary" I liked him better than 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 —
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
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
earnest desire of your affc.t
Husband
[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
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