The Vault at Pfaff'sA letter to William D. O’Connor sent on July fifth, 1864, from Brooklyn. Whitman has delayed writing this response to William D. O’Connor due to a bad spell of weakness and headache. He assures O’Connor that they will meet again. He also notes that he plans to move heaven and earth to get his “Drum-Taps” published as soon as he is well.
139. To William D. O'Connor
ENDORSED: "Answ'd." ADDRESS: WM D O'Connor|
Washington|D.C. POSTMARK: [indecipherable]
Brooklyn|Tuesday even'g July 5 1864
My dear friend
I have had the misfortune to fall back a little since I wrote to you-
I have had three or four pretty bad days & nights-but I am feeling decidedly brighter this afternoon, & have no doubt I shall be myself again before long. The trouble has been as before, bad spells of weakness with heavy
aching head-I think the throat is no worse, but it is not well yet-
William, I rec'd your letter to-day, also one from Charles Eldridge,
with one in envelope--as to the future, & as to our meeting again, I have no
doubt we shall meet again & have good times-if Nelly has not gone when
this reaches you, I wish her to consider it just the same as if written to
her-I do not write much, nor do any thing hardly, but keep as quiet as
possible-my physician thinks that time, with the change of locality, & my
own latent recuperative power, will make me well, but says my system is
probably saturated with the virus of the hospitals &c which eludes ordinary treatment--&c &c &c-
I have nothing new or interesting to write you. I intend to move heaven
& earth to publish my "Drum-Taps" as soon as I am able to go around.
So Eldridge is down at Petersburgh-if I were there at Washington
& well I should want no better fun than accompanying them-When you
see Count tell him I sent him my love-also Ashton- will write should
there be any change in my condition- I
Good bye for present, my dear friend, & God bless you-
Walt