The following letter was written by Henry Parsons (1825-1913), a native of Goshen, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, who was working as a common laborer at the time of his enlistment in Co. H, 10th Massachusetts Infantry on 21 June 1861. He was wounded in the right arm at the Battle of Fair Oaks during the Peninsula Campaign where the 10th Massachusetts had 27 killed and 95 wounded—six of them mortally. Henry recovered from his wound and was mustered out of the service on 1 July 1864 after three years. He was a resident of Spruce Corner, Massachusetts, after the war.

Henry’s parents were Theodore Parsons (1791-1865) and Pamela Partridge (1796-1843). It does not appear that he ever married. He was still working as a farm hand in Ashfield township, Franklin county, Massachusetts in 1900 when he was 75 years old.

Transcription

Columbian Hospital
November 15, 1861

Friend Dwight,

I received your letter of the 3rd on the 14th and one of the 11th today and think that I shall have to answer them both in this. Well, as you will see, I am here in the hospital as yet, but do not know whether I am a going to stay or not for certain as yet. The doctor asked me about a fortnight ago if I would and I told him that I did not know; did not think that I should like it. Well the next morning he wanted to know if I had made up my mind and I told him I had not yet but the next morning he spoke to me again and finally told him I would if he he would let me stay on the ward where I am and he said that he guessed he would and he has not said anything to me since so I don’t know whether I am a going to stay here or not yet. Have not much to do now but write and plenty of that to do. If I answer all the letters that I get with some little help that I am taken care of the sick and opening those porter bottles.

Oh, but I have one wounded man in the room where I am. He had a ramrod and wiper and ball accidentally shot through the outside of his right leg but no bones broke, but rather an ugly looking gash. Have to wet it in cold water ever 15 or 20 minutes and the rest of the time am writing or down in the yard smoking as they will not let us smoke in the hospital so have too to chewing for comfort. And we have one man in the same room that cut off three of his fingers from his left hand hewing a board.

Well, I have just had my wounded man up and made his bed and now have nothing more to do but to write tonight. Have to lift him from one bed to another to make his bed. Well, I had not forgot that I had wrote to [you] since I received any letter from you for had not received any since the one that was dated October 3rd until the one that was dated November 3rd. So that as for the swearing and the nonsense, I suppose that I do not know anything about but am glad to hear that you have got pious and hope you will stick to it and I think that before you get the 40 letters I wrote that I shall answer three or four of them so that you will have to write 40 more.

Well, I suppose that you will have pretty nice times when that house gets done and I want you should ask Fran if he is not going to give me an invitation to that spree. Well, as to the brandy, should like to have you drink one or two for me as I do not get much—only when I open the bottle for the nurse and then I generally take a little sip. And I suppose that you would be glad to have Sire enlist if you thought that you would stand any better chance of getting Elno. Well, by your letter of the tenth, think that you must have lost all of your piety for I think there is d—d hard swearing in that. Well I should think that Sp[ruce] C[orner] was growing to be a city instead of a wilderness by the building that is going on there. Well, I do not see as you are a going to get better wages for your month’s work than I do and Uncle Sam does not reckon any lost time if a man is sick.

Well, I do not know as I have wrote any news or anything very interesting so I will stop here. So accept this from — H. Parsons

Friend Eliza, — Well, I always pay my debts when I know what they be, and as I had not had any letters from you since the 3rd of October and knew that I had not wrote you anything and do not want you should think that I had so far forgotten you as to not answer them when I get them and think I shall not right away so that you can hold on to your anchor for a spell yet for I will try to answer everyone that I get, and the that do not reach me I do not think I owe you for.

Well, your letter found me well, but have been a little homesick for a day or two and have had the teeth [ache] for a day or two and not courage enough to have them pulled. Well, what a hand do you think that i should make to fight the rebels with not courage enough to have a tooth pulled. Well, aside from all that, I am enjoying myself pretty well and have some pretty good ties here and should like to have you step in here. Should like to see you first rate and would show you all over the hospital—that is, if you would like to look at it. There has been three or four Massachusetts ladies been in here to see the Massachusetts boys since I have been here but none that I ever saw before had quite a long conversation with one of them.

Well, as to your knowing me, I do not think that I have altered much since I left Spruce Corner but do not think you would if you had seen me the first time that I went up to the camp. I was so poor that the boys up there did not hardly know me. Well, I do not know as I have wrote anything that will be interesting to you and as for news, have wore that all out.

This makes the fifth letter that I have wrote today so you will have to accept it as it is. From your friend, — H. Parsons