1861-10-16_Letter-A_Alvord-to-My-Dear

Washington Oct 16/ 61

My Dear Wife & Julia

I thought I should get a letter before this time from my daughter, but as yet am doomed to disappointment—& this morning I have no letter at all—I have left Mr Bryans—not liking to make too long a visit, & am now at the Washington House—where I am well provided for—Do not un-derstand that I was unwelcome at Mr B's. They urged me to stay & it was only because I then thought of going out of the city that I took leave of them—Louisa is very pleasant—im-proved from what she was—& has a kind husband—with a good house & lives gen[tally?]. She always sends her love to you when I see her, & when she comes north next summer will call upon you.

[sideways on left] Dr. Thompson is here and I dont know that can hardly get home next week. He is the private guest of Gen'l M^cClellan & is interesting [learning?] very much in our work. I was with him for [help?] an [home?] at [also?] Gen'ls House this morning, & expect to visit camps with him to-morrow. Yrs Truly J. W. A.

Have just been visiting the Hospital in the Patient office—About 60 patients some very sick—but most of them recovering—One of the Indiana Regts have a large number among the patients. They were very much [exboard?] in building one of the forts, for 12 days they had no tents—& after work-ing & sweating all day, had to lie down on the cold wet ground at night & often in drenching rain It is a wonder that any live through such exposure—They were very glad to see one with books & tracts & all took them eagerly—I could see them all around the large room watching my movements with pleading look wh. said "Come & see me"—"We love [to?] have any one come & talk with us", said a fine looking fellow with [hole?] but [beaming?] countenance—"Do you love cx" I [enquired?], yes I do" was his quick reply, & his face glowed with a

richer radiance,—A few words passed & a book was given—^for which he was very grateful^— In his thin hands. ^as I left I saw him^ fondly ^caressing^ I think more than half of those I [coverted?] with ^among the 60^ were professors of religion—Some had ^been^ backslidden, but all felt that sickness had been blessed to them—"So many had died & they were spared"—They seemed re-solved ^now^ to be ^more^ faithful to their comrades. near the door, as I came out, where lay those who had just been brought in & very sick—an interesting face caught my eye—He was very feeble though, as he thought, getting better [enquiring?] after his spiritual welfare I, was struck with the strength of faith which grace had given him—His utterances was [first?] ^but^ "Jesus" said he "is very precious to me," "my hope in Him is worth more to me than gold" More than a thousand worlds" "I dont know how soldier can get along without

[written on left margin] excuse my [scrabbling?] letters. I can only write in hash & with constant interruptions

lived ^are sure I could^ through this sickness if it had not been for ^[illegible?]^—& his lips quivered & his ^[eyes?]^ filled [withe?] tears as he thus gave [expression?] to the love he bore his Saviour—Dear fellow, I [wanted?] to stay & [unuse?] him back to life that he might go forth again, as he served determined, ^to be a^ soldier of the cross [This?] hospital [seems?] [are?] very touching. You must see & talk with the lonely suffering soldiers on his cot to [rallig?] ^his expressions^ He thanked me ^in [tours?] of childlike [indunces?]^ for the little books I left upon his pillow & I promised to see him again—Evening, Have been to the camp of the Batting. They have no chaplain—[yes?] there is a de-lightful slate of religious interest among them—mainly through the influence of a [single?] pious soldier—I found he was holding prayer [meeting?] & on the sabbath he preaches to them. He modestly told me how his lieutenant came to him at the close of the meeting last sabbath & [write?] [here?] in his eyes thanked him for what he had said—His Captain also [attends?] the prayer meetings. This good fellow had [worked?] on without [books?] or [track?]—He begged so earnestly for them that I gave him all I had—& promised him [My?] Bks if he would send to the Depot, Cant you get [serious?] to [furnish?] such man?