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Letter to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, June 10, 1864

Whitman, Walt. "Letter to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, June 10, 1864." Walt Whitman: The Correspondence. Ed. Edwin Haviland Miller. New York: New York University Press, 1961. 232-233.
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Type: 
manuscript
Genre: 
correspondence
Abstract: 

Whitman writes a letter to his mother from Washington. He is feeling sick, and his doctor has attributed it to his visiting the troops in the hospital too frequently.

Full Text


To Louisa Van Velsor Whitman
Washington | June 10 1864
Dearest mother
I got your letter dated last Wednesday—I do not always depend on Swinton’s accounts—I think he is apt to make things full as bad as they are, if not worse—
Mother, I was so glad to get a letter from Jeff this morning enclosing one from George dated June 1st—it was so good to see his handwriting once more—I have not heard any thing of the reg’t—there are all sorts of rumors here, among others that Burnside does not give satisfaction to Grant & Meade, & that is it expected some one else will be placed in command of 9th Corps—Another rumor, more likely, is that our base of the army is to be changed to Harrison’s Landing on James river instead of White House on Pamunky—
Mother, I have not felt well again in the last two days as I was Tuesday, but I feel a good deal better this morning, I go around, but most of the time feel very little like it—the doctor tells me I have continues too long in the hospitals, especially, in a bad place, armory building, where the worst wounds were, & have absorbed too much of the virus in my system—but I know it is nothing but what a little relief & sustenance of the right sort, will set right00
I am writing this in Major Hopgood’s office—he is very busy paying off some men whose time is out, they are going home to New York—I wrote to George yesterday—we are having very pleasant weather here just now—Mother, you didn’t mention whether Mary had come, so I suppose she had not, I should like to se her & Ansel too—
The wounded still come here in large numbers—day & night trains of ambulances—tell Jeff the $10 from Mr Lane for the soldiers came safe—I shall write to Jeff right away—I send my love to Mat & all—Mother, you must try to keep good heart—
Walt.

People who Created this Work

Whitman, Walt author

People Mentioned in this Work

Swinton, William [pages:232]

Whitman notes that he "[does] not always depend on Swinton's accounts" (232).