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The
Civil War Letters of Lyman Powell
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Fort
December 22, 1861
Dear Friend and friends,
It is with much pleasure that I announce to you that I am again out of that dreary lonely hospital. Your letter of the fourth was gladly received and duly perused. I was glad to hear that you were all well and I hope you will continue so. I was in the hospital thirty-five days. It seemed like an age. I left the hospital last Friday. I have a very bad cold and cough. It will be some time before I can do duty. I do not gain strength very fast but it is not because I do not eat enough. I eat from morning until night. I begin to get quite fleshy. I was nothing but a skeleton when I began to pick up my crumbs. I would like to step in and see you about Christmas and help you devour the bountys of your well filled board. We can get a plenty of good things to eat here. We can get a pass and go down to Baltimore and get what we want. Butter is what we think the most of. We lay in for that. It costs 25 cts per pound, cheese 15 cts per pound, and other things accordingly.
In my last letter I spoke about sending you some money. When I come out of the hospital, I had to [purchase] some boots and oil cloth overcoat, and several other things, but we will get our pay the first of Jan and then I can send you twenty dollars my way. I am sorry I could not send you some now but it is impossible now. I can send you some every two months. We draw twenty-six dollars and I can [spare] fifteen out of that. There is no need of spending more than ten dollars in two months after they get things for winter.
I am glad to hear that you have got so much grain for the long cold winter. You will have squashes enough I think to carry you through the winter. The boys are all well but Horace Hagadorn. He is in the hospital yet.
I have considerable many letters to write so that it keeps me pretty busy. You must write often and I will do the same.
We are in good quarters and we find it much better than tents. There is not any prospect of us seeing any more fighting as I see. We hear of their having fights every day and [yet we] lay here idle with the exception of drills. It is getting dark and I guess I shall have to close soon. Give my best respects to your mother and Louisa, and also to your brothers and sisters. No more at present. Ever your friend,
Lyman Powell