Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== From L. J. Ames to Henry Ames, Mount Morris, N.Y. =========================================================================== City Point VA Nov 3d 1864 My Dear Henry & Family In my letter to Howard I promised you the next - So I must tell you something about the soldiers here. - Last night it began to rain & continued all night - the wind blew & I could hear the canvas covering the tents flapping in every direction - a great many poor soldiers had to be out all night & must all have been very cold - The hospital here is com- posed of tents - some of them have stoves in them - others have fireplaces which makes them very comfortable - others have nothing by which to warm themselves by & today they seemed very cold - I have carried woolen shirts - drawers - socks &c to several of them to day - There are thirty or forty here now engaged in doing the same thing every day & doing all they can to make the poor fellows as comfortable as possible, but with all that can be done a great many suffer - especially if it is storming. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 The soldiers are constantly changing - Some that are in the hospital today may be ordered to the front tomorrow - (that is they go where they are liable constantly to be called into battle) Others have a short furlough & are gone home - Others again to their eternal home - & their bodies are soon buried - by the side of others gone before with no relative to shed a tear for them - Strangers, as a matter of every day's business, lay them in the grave & raise a mound & a head board - that enquiring friends hereafter, may be guided in their search for them. My dear boy - I want to hear from you very much - how do you get along? Do you feed the chickens every day? & do you help Howard do the chores? do you do all your mother tells you to? Are you all well? I have been hoping to hear from you before now. Write me soon Your father L. J. Ames =========================================================================== *Note: Lorin Jessie Ames served as a surgeon in a field hospital at City Point, Va. Letter is to his son Henry D. Ames.