MS 484 mf - Weddell Family Papers: Transcripts (David Shanks Correspondence)

July 2, 1864

Camp Parole
July 2, 1864

Dear Cousin:

I received your kind letter and was very glad to hear from you and to know that you was well and all the rest of the folks at home. I am well at present, hoping that these few lines may find you the same but I am sorry to relate to you that we have lost one of our boys. He died last Saturday night; he had the consumption, that is what the doctors say but I guess they don't know much about it for I think that they don't know much about anything. The one that died was Austin Bassett, he has not been well ever since he left home and there has been several others that has not been able to do anything at all. Henry Barton has been in the hospital ever since he left home and I think that if he does not get home before long that he will never see home. Since I last wrote to you, John Dunipace has got back to the camp and I think that he would stand it now but I was mistaking he was awful sick this week. We thought that he would not live but he has got a good deal better now and I think that if he takes good care of himself that he well soon get well again at least I hope so but I tell you he looks rather thin at present. I never saw any person run down as fast as he did.

Since I last wrote to you we have got three more companies from the 149th Ohio Reg't and that helps to fill up the camp considerable. But we have much as much guard duty to perform as ever for they have extended the guard line all around the camp and it takes 90 privates and 8 corporals and 4 sergeants every day so we have to come on pretty often. But as long as I keep well I can stand it very well. I got a letter from Thomas the other day and he is well and all the rest of the company. He says they have a very nice place to stay. He wanted me and some of the rest of the boys to come there and stay two or three days but there is not any chance at all for I have tried to go through and there is not any chance at all so we will have to content ourselves the best way we can. I would like very well to went there and seen Thomas and all the rest of the boys. It does not cost much, it is only 18 miles and it only costs 50 cents to go through but we can't go. It has been very warm for some time but we have rain about every week and it looks like rain today and we had a good rain yesterday. We have very good times going out to the bay and washing ourselves. There is about 40 of us goes out at a time. The harvesting is all done out in this part of the country. This is all the news I can think of at present and so I will have to bring my letter to a close. So no more at present. Write as soon as you can from your affectionate cousin,

David Shanks