The following brief letter was written by Nelson Bradish (1803-1875) of Adrian, Lenawee county, Michigan. It pertains to the body of his 24 year-old son, Warner C. Bradish (1837-1862), who enlisted on 17 September 1861, Co. E, 6th US Cavalry, and died on 31 January 1862 in camp east of the US Capitol in Washington City.

Transcription

Adrian [Michigan]
February 24th 1862

E. R. Knapp,

Dear sir, we received a letter from you on the 7th of this month on the same day we received the body of Warner. His remains came home in a very good state of preservation and was buried the next day in the burying ground by the side of another brother and sister. We feel under obligations to you for the interest you took in his sickness and also in sending his remains back to us. Tell S. M. Hamilton we received a very kind letter from him.

I paid Dr. H. Knapp the 44 dollars on the 13th of this month. I wish to ask one or two questions whether he had any money by him, and how much there was due him at the time of his death and what time he left Adrian.

We expect you undergo many privations in camp which we know nothing about here, but the prospects seem to indicate that our war troubles will soon be over. I have a very bad cold in my head which makes me quite hard of hearing. We should be very glad to hear from you.

Yours &c., — Nelson Bradish

My respects to all the Adrian boys.