John McCoy, letter, to Martha McCoy, 1864 October 3
Date3 October, 1864
ms numberMS-605_23
Persistent Identifier
Your letter of the 30th
August only came here on the 18th
ultimo I had made up my mind it was burned when
the Rebels captured our mail Boat "[illegible][guess (SYA): Fawn]" on the Dismal swamp canal but it
came at last a large full sheet contain -ing very little news.
you made out to tell me you were all well. I consider it useless to
express my feelings so often as the never vary when I hear of your good
health, you seem to have studiously avoided domestic matters in
general and as for the children few but the ^writer^
would be led to the conclusion that any such a thing as children were
in existance, in respect to others items in your letter the
are not of much interest to me. I am extremely sorry for M. [illegible][guess (MKR): S] M Coy if
[illegible][guess (SYA): he] gets
into trouble about the Cunningham
affair but from your version of the transaction he and [illegible][guess (SYA): Duffin] seems to
be guilty at all events if ^the^ victim of
their thirst for Greenbacks should be killed we may with justice
consider them accessory in the crime of murder — however we will
let the matter rest with their own conscience —
I am glad Sister [illegible][guess (SYA): N.A.] is will I regret her [illegible][guess (SYA): irreparable] loss Alicks goodness to her
through life and the ample proviss -ion he made for her in
preparing for his sad fate shows that his love was
le real she has a right to reverence his name until she draws
her last breath. I wrote you a letter on ^the 11th^
ult which you will received ere this at that
time I was sick as I am now although the most of the time on duty I
may say I am a living skeleton reduced by medicine and no app -etite for any kind of food. I am
resigned to fate whatever it may be I would as soon go to Richmond as
stay here but the prospects are we will stay here for a while as the men is
not fit to be moved at present. I regret to state that things looks
very gloomy here. in spite of all the vigilence of the authorities to
suppress it the facts are the yellow fever (yellow jack) is raging in
the city it has not broke out in our camp yet although two men died
very suddently in our guard house the night before last the Doctor
pronounced it the cause of death Bilious fiver from eating
to much pork — I doubt - soldiers and
citzens are carried off according to accounts at from 40 to 50 per day.
to-day when [illegible: [guess (MKR): writting]] most all the Battery and garrison flags
are at half mast Meredy can tell you what it means. the yellow fever
is accompanied by the Black Vomit which carries their victim ^off^ in a few hours
from the first attack every thing is being done in to prevent disease
an on a general order says no soldier is allowed to appear out
of his [illegible: [guess (MKR): tent]]
^or quarters^ from sun set until sun rise
with out his overcoat all Buttoned whiskey rations are issued night
and morning to the men by orders of the Doctor - men are detailed
every night to make camp fires all round the th camp and in
the company streets at a proper distance the smoke from the Pitch Pine
is considered good to keep away Bad air — I would have written
sooner but I delayed on account of thinking we would be paid ere this.
Gold is down to 200 - making the GreenBack 50c.
so much for [illegible] Atlanta and our two
hectares in the Shanandoah Valley the war is drawing fast to a close
the Rebels must succumb under the power of our triumphant army, McClellan would be the choice of the soldiers -
Albert you might write to me since your mother has no time
yours as usual
Jno.Mcoy
This postscript appears at the top of the second leaf. It
starts on page 1v and runs across the fold to 2r
[illegible][guess (SYA): Vances]
company has gone to Fort [illegible][guess (MKR): emery] across the river [illegible][guess (SYA): trent] I have not seen him
since I wrote you last [illegible][guess (SYA): he is] out on Picket about of the men [illegible] you never mention if you talked to his father
or not as if he's wanted to him let me know in your next
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