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Regiment: 18th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Hospital No 1
Lexington Mar 8/63
Dear Hattie
I recd yours of 22 & 27
last Friday they probaly went to the
Regiment at Danville & then back to me
it does not Seam like very late news
when it from 8 to 12 days to get here where
they ought to come in 2 or 3 I have not
yet got an answer to the one I wrote 25 & 26
but expect to get one tomorrow or next day
I looked for one yesterday but it did not come
I guess I have it about as hard as you do looking
for letters and getting disappointed you Say in
your letter of the 22 that you have had a letter from
Charley I am glad to hear he was wel but I
have fears for him now I Saw rather bad
news from the 19th Reg in yesterdays paper but I
presume you have the Same news there I hope it
wil not prove to be as bad as is now represented
the 19 with some other troops wer out on a
reconaisance & got to far into the enemies lines & was
overpowered by greater numbers of the enemy
the paper account of it says the most of them
wer killed or taken Prisoners but we will
hope for better news try to look on the bright
Side Charley may be all right yet I will try to
get the piece that has the Statement an & Send in
this letter dont give up all hope of him while
there is a chance any better news
I am going to answer questions & as near as I
can from your letters taking them in rotation as they
come in letter the next is the weather
last Thursday morning I was crowing about our
nice pleasant morning about noon it clouded up &
I have not seen the Sun Since that time Thursday
night rained nearly all night Friday Showery
& rained hard in the night & yesterday morning in
the afternoon it did not rain but was cloudy
I went down town in the afternoon heard that
our Reg was coming back this week I hope so
for there may be Some chance of getting Paid off
Some Said the Reg was expected back last night
or this morning but I guess it is another
hoax last night we had another hard
Shower in the night this morning is
cold & cloudy as usual I shall be glad
enough when it gets Settled weather and
the grass & trees begin to look green again
for it is almost gloomy enough now to
make one commit Suicide next you say
Jo thinks of coming here & you want to
Send Something I would like right well to
get Something from hom no matter what so as it
come from home but I have no place here to
keep a box & I see by your next letter (27)
that you have got my letter Stating that Denison
is on duty again so I dont expect to se
Posy just yet next you Say you have
just come back from Church but have
to borrow company if I wer at home
again I think I would go with you myselfe
(once in a while) instead of putting you to the
trouble of depending on others all the time
Hat if I ever do get out of this alive it
wil be a good lesson for me if it is
dearly learned the old Saying is Boughten
wit is the best I think I have Some that
is Dearly paid for you did Send me
Some news in the letter Sure I think as you
do that Mary Dudley & her Shiner must be a
happy couble while I am on the Nigger
subject Lexington is the greatest place for
Negroes that I ever saw I believe there is ten
Negros to one white person & Such Style as Some
of them put on they (that is some of them) Dress as
fine as our Big Bugs at home
Rob Bailey realy been & gone &
done it Wal I Suppose he feels better
now he was rubbed out or erased after
her long rubbed out or erased ing he
could have done it It may be the worst
Speaking about dreams I dream of being
at home nearly ever night one night
I drempt of it three times the Same thing
every time I thought mother was there
one afternoon on a visit in all my
Dreams I do not have a thought of being
in or going into the army if you are good
at interpreting Dreams interpret that I Shant
attempt to tel the meaning of any of them for
I dont believe there is any meaning to them.
You Say they are having a fine time
Seating this winter well I am glad of it
If anybody can enjoy themselves at home I Say
let them do it there is not much of it for
a Soldier At least for me yet it is a pleasure
to know & hear of others having their good
times I say if you have any inclination to
to Scale go in for I think it
would do you good it is a healthy
exercise in my opinion & if the Ladies
would accustome themselves to more out
Door exercise they would be healthier and
Strong or generaly (I dont mean stronger in smell
for that is useless) now comes the letter of
the 27 I am glad it done you so much good
to know I was Still Lex instead of at Danville for as
you Say I could not have stood the march nor do
I intend to march until I am able to Stil I Shal
go to the Reg as Soon as it gets back here and gets
Settled you know why. There is considerable difference
between $20, & $105, per months there is other and better reasons
too & you must have had a nice time going through the
dark & mud to that Party Hat I like to have
you tell about all such things it gives me
Subject for thought & Stirs of old recolections
you Say the report is that Jo is married I dont
believe it, his Head is to Red anything but
a red headed man I Shall see the
Paymaster when he comes here & and have a talk
about that alottment. If our Reg is not here I wil
go to see him when he Pays the other troops
it must be Straightened
there it has comenced raining & I must Stop
& look out the window to See it we have not
had any rain in So long a time I must have forgotten
how it looks wil finish in the morning.
Monday morn the Sun has once more Shown itselfe
this morning but I presume it will cloud up again
before night as usual still it looks very pleasant now
I have just finished breakfast & made my bed
had some Beef Bread & Butter & coffee & a dish of mush & milk
I went to camp Thursday afternoon & got Some mich Butter of our
Sutter pd 35 cts a pound it is 40 in the city everything is high
you Speak of Sending papers I have not had any but once Since I
have been in the hospital I got two when I first came here
I hear this morning that the the 18 was expected here last
night or Tuesday night dont know wheather it came last night
or not I hear too that Some more troops ar to go
from here to Tenasee but I dont know what ones
I hope it is not ours for I am far enough from
home now I would much rather go the other way
just now have this minute got your letter
dated the 5 the one you Sent last Monday
has undoubedly gone to Reg as you put that on too
the last one is disided right I shal probably
get the other in a few days am Sorry to hear
Mrs Cory is Sick Give them my respects
as you Say about coming home I dont want to
come until I can do Honorably I dont wish to
do anything to leave a Stain on my name for my
family & posterity to have thrown in their faces
then Jo is realy maried Wal tell him I wish
him much Joy & a house full of Young ones
Good Bye for this time love to you & little one
from your affectionate Husband
S.R. Norton
Hosp No 1
Lex KY
