A.T. Wingfield to His Wife
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Ark. Post, Arkansas County
November the 15, 1862
Dear Wife,
I lift my pen this morning for the purpose of dropping you a few lines in
order to inform you that I am well at present (and) hoping at the same time
for these few lines to find you all well and getting along fine. McLaughlin
got here yesterday with my clothes. I was proud to see them for I was
needing them very bad especially my coat. I thank you very kind for them
till you are better paid. I am in hopes it won't be long before you are
better (paid). You wanted to see about them fitting me, they fit me very
well, as well as you had me there to cut them out by. Emily, I thought the
time very long about getting a letter from you. I don't want you to mail
till you can get a chance to, and it by hand. Send it by mail.
Emily, I don't want you to get out of (?) ... because William, poor fellow,
died. Emily, the reason why I write this I am afraid you will grieve
you(r)self thinking it will be my time next. William suffered a great deal
before he died. The Doctor gave him a dose of morphine, like Tuesday at ten
o'clock and in two hours afterward he had a fit and he suffered from that
time till he died which (was the) next day morning. I believe that (the)
morphine killed the poor fellow, for I know that just before (taking) it,
(he) was sitting up talking to me and in fifteen minutes he was speechless.
We will move in our winter quarters in a day or so and I think we will
surely have better health. If we don't we won't have much company for we
lose a heap of men. We have lost eleven or twelve men since we started from
home the last time and their health is getting worse every day. I kept one
pair of William's socks and one shirt and pair of drawers (and) as his
clothes was all dirty I had him buried in mine. I have written all the
news. I will come to a close. We are trying to make up money for Finn
McLaughlin to come back. If he does come you can send anything you want
by him. Be certain to send me a letter by him. I will come to (a close) for
this time. No more for this time but remain your affectionate husband until
death.
A.T. Wingfield
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Update 03.24.01 David Kelley 1997 CVL-0018.HTM