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https://micivilwar.com/authors/burge-caroden-s/
Regiment: 2nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Pierre G. T. Beauregard
1861
Arlington Heights, Aug. 25th
Dear Mother:
I rec’d your letter
Thursday. I was sent to the
War Department, & I thought
I would see I could find
out anything about Morris.
I went to the Hospital at
Columbia College. I found that
he had been there but I
was too late. Morris Wheelock
is dead. He died on the 31
st
of July. It so happened that
I was in Washington on that
very day (sent there on business
by the officers) and had I
known it I might have
gone to him. But then I
did not know that he
was in Washington; I supposed
that he had gone home with
his regiment. But one of
of our co. is in the same
Hospital and was then all
the time that Morris was
there. From him & the physi-
cian I learned what I know
of him. He came to this
hospital on the 27
th of July,
During the four days that
he was there he was wild
most of the time. He would
talk a great deal about home,
& sometimes he would get up
from his bed and start down
stairs saying that he would
not stay here, he wanted to
go home. My fellow soldier
said that the only rational word
he heared him speak, was when
he asked him where he came
from, he asnswered, “From Jack-
son”. He died on the afternoon of
the 31
st. My informant said
that he died very easily. He
seemed to sleep himself away.
Of course I could learn nothing of the state of his mind
since he was not in his right
mind while there. He died
of remmittent fever. I took
a list of the things he left, which
his friends can get by get
ting his captain to send for
them. They are 1 Blanket,
1 Overcoat, 1 Memorandum Book
1 Pocket Knife, 1 pr. Socks,
1 Jacket, 1 Coat, 1 pr. Pants, 1 pr.
Suspenders, 1 shirt & 1 camp, 77 cts.
in
in money and a letter from
his mother. It seems hard
for one to serve his time out
& then die without seeing his
friends. I was in the room
& saw the bed on which he
died. His body is buried where his
friends can obtain it if they
wish.
We have prayer meetings on
Sunday & Thursday eves. Preaching
in the forenoon of Sunday, &
Bible Class at 3 P.M. Some are becom
ing interested in religion.
My health is very good, & my
spirits have not been better since
I enlisted.
The enemy is said to be only three
miles from us & advancing. We shall
perhaps have a battle this afternoon
or tomorrow. Pray for me, but
especially for my country. Let
no one at the north count himself
too good to take his musket in hand
for his country. All will be well in
the end if we do our duty.
Write often.
Your son
Caroden
P.S. Monday Morn. Beauregard has
not attacked. If he attacks us here you
may expect
that that the “Bully Run”
will be on his side next time.
Caroden
