John McCoy, letter, to Martha McCoy, 1865 March 18

I commenced on the 9 th inst. and partly wrote you a letter but was suddenlly stoped by the arrival of wounded officers in this division from the front, the fighting still continued for a few days which caused plenty of work in seeing to the wounded. Kingston is ours and and Gen. Palmer [illegible][guess (SJW): Tel.] this morn- -ing that Scoefield will form a Junction with Sherman this evening at Goldsboro all goes well. Bragg-claims a victory in his dispatch to Richmond ^which^ is false. you see by the date of my letter that I am still in Hos I am now waiter in

the dining room (none but officers admited to this division , I like the work will My health is not very good at times I am attacted with the chills & fever, although the pain in my chist and sides cough and shortness of breath is the worst. Some days I am hardly able to walk with the rheumiat -ic pains my back is the worst I recd friend Herdmans letter and was sorry to hear you were sick I applied for a furlough and would have got one only the the nurses are all needed at present before I got the letter I was promised one at an early day but military operations has changed my programe. on the 8 th of last month I sent you 40 dollars

which I never heard from I also sent you 40 dollars on the 8 th inst. By Adams & Co expres I hope you have got both by this time I fell uneasy to hear from you all and to know if the money went safe I hold certificates from the Co which I will send you if necessay. Give or Herdman my thanks with my best wishes for him and family - I got two months pay on the 8 th inst. and sent you forty ^dollars^ leaving my —self destitute of money and I think the least you can do is to write to me regular — if letters do not come oftener Hinchinbrooke will soon appear to me like places that I have read of in Boy hood days you had better be careful

the city is swarming with pretty girls and the most often men gone to the front there is any quantity of fine ladies here Boston New York Philiadelpha Baltimore send their full quotas a large number of the boys has got somewhat [illegible][guess (SJW): fined] not necessary in a hot climate. let me hear something of the children from Aby down to Pip. I hope you will still be able to write father is well I am always afraid of him, excuse the few disconnected sentences I have written I have written I am in a hurry it is time to go to the commisary store to draw sugar crackers &c