Whitman, Walt. "Letter to Charles W. Eldridge, July 9, 1864." Walt Whitman: The Correspondence. Ed. Edwin Haviland Miller. New York: New York University Press, 1961. 236-237.
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Abstract:
Whitman writes a letter to his friend Charles Eldridge. He has been sick but is feeling better and appreciates the letters that Eldridge has sent him. He asks Eldridge to write him back, specifically including the impressions he got in the army, and his thoughts on who will win the war.
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To Charles W. Eldridge
Brooklyn | July 8 1864
My dear friend
I rec'd the letters this afternoon, two in the envelope with a note from you. I wrote to William some five days ago-has he not rec'd it? I had grown worse, quite a good deal, & I was about making up my mind that I would have to stand a good seige-but yesterday the current changed, & I felt better all day, & in the afternoon went out riding with my brother, the first time I have been out of the house since I got home-& to-day I remain feeling better.
The doctor to-day tells me my throat is markedly better-In my letter to William I told him I had rec'd his-I have also rec'd one from Nelly-it was very welcome, & I shall try to answer it soon-When you write tell me the impressions you got in the army, & the probabilities as far as you can make them out-As to me, I still believe in Grant, & that we shall get Richmond-we have heard from my brother to July 2-tell me about Ashton-in a day or two as I get strength I shall probably go down the island-
Walt
