but Willie you must not indulge in such gloomy fancys

Letter to the Front

from Martha B and Wm W Wells

but Willie you must not indulge in such gloomy fancys

There is a small piece torn from the side of from this letter. I have interpolated most of the missing words with exception of WWW's correspondent in the matter of the release of Wm from service. The letter alluded to by Wm.'s mother is missing. PJW 5/28/99

Eckford Feb 16th 1863

My Dear Boy
How are you today I hope you are well and happy we recieved your letter last Saturday night and were very sorry to hear you had been sick again and your dream my Child was only caused by your deseased body and ancious mind you [blot] sick my Child and discourged and homesick caused by your seeing your comraids dieing so around you and you sick so much yourself and haveing no comforts of life you know my boy you were always used to have your mother to wait on you and and fix every little delicacy for you that you thought of when you were sick and now to be deprived of all the[se] [o]f course you will feel just as you do but my [Child] the time will never be in this world that you [cannot] ask eather of your Parents for anything they [ca]n get to you and they refuse you you thought you dident belong among us we never think that my dear child have you forgot what our Saviour said (can a mother forget her son) no Willie you are my own dear Child and always will be if you were to be taken from this world you wold be ours in eternity and we should love you just as well as the other children but Willie you must not indulge in such gloomy fancys I tell you my Child if you hope to live to get home you must put homesickness and all melencholy feelings from you keep up good courageand think all the time that your father is trying to get you away but you know my boy that we tried every way to keep you from going and now do think Willy how thankful you should be you have been favourd abouve your comrads many of them for your life has been preserved and do my child trust in your heavenly Father it is for some purpose he has preserved your life as he has so you should shurely not fear to ...

- end of page 1 -

detail of
marginalia

... trust in him with perfect confidence that he will bring all thingsright   and if you should get very sick your Father would come to you if he had to mortgage the farm to get money to come on    I forgot to tell you that Gabe Saunders is not dead    He sent a letter to W Roseacrans telling him that he was almost well and was agoing to you   the company again soon    now Willie dont indulge in gloomy thoughts and feelings no more    it not only ingurs your self   [it] makes me very unhappy   and your father to,
we write two letters a week to you and have all the time    no more this time from your Mother
       Martha B Wells

- marginalia -

Alexander Comming has just got home, I have not seen him yet but will soon as I can
If you get sick you must try to be sent to the general Hospital as you will have better care [WWW]

- end of marginalia -

       My Son
          I have just written to [missing]
to release you and send you home,   I will mail the letter to him at the same time I do this and you may tell him that I have sent for you to come home,   I will go and see Pratt as soon as I can,   perhaps I will go tomarrow but it is not certain as I am verry lame,
I was riding Old Kit and leading the colt, when he got frightened and jerked me off and hurt my lame knee verry badly so that it is with difficalty that I can walk,   you want me to come to you,   if it is necessary for me to come in order to get you away I will come if I can possible get the means to come with,
Pratt told Charley Doolittle that Cicero had been dead about 3 weeks,   Henry R Cook started after him before the news got here,   I did not know he was going untill he was gone    Greens folks have just had a letter from Eric    he is sick    his regiment is 12 miles from Nashville,   the Patter_[?] Boys are in the 11th reg, Co C,   they are near Nashville somewhere    I am in a hurry to take this to Homer and will close    keep your letters coming as fast as you can

From your Father

- end of letter -

previous transcription | next | next eck
Table of Contents | Wells Letters

edited by Peter J Wait, 5/8/2000