FAMILY HISTORY: Letter from William F. SPEICHER, August 30, 1863, Stony Creek Twp. Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: T. Marshall Hopkins tmhopkins1@comcast.net February 10, 2008, 5:52 pm Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ Camp Convalescent near Alexandria Va. August 30th, 1863 Dear Mother and Friends, I will at last write you a letter to let you know that I am still in the land of the living, although I was near death's door in the spring. I took the typhoid fever, and was reduced down to a mere skeleton. But I had good treatment in the hospital, and to that I owe my life. The doctor who attended me is from Bedford, PA (Dr. Reamer) and he took very much pains with me. I don't think that I will ever get as stout again as I was before. Although I feel as well as ever. Yet my legs and arms seem to have no strength. I hope that this letter may find you all well at home; it makes me feel almost ashamed of myself that I so long neglected to write to you, Mother, but I have so many letters to write, and the facilities for writing here are not always so convenient as at home, so I hope you will forgive my seeming coldness and neglect. I hope that sometime during the fall I shall be able to get a furlough to go home. Then I will see you all once more at that dear spot which I once called home. I am tired of this miserable, ungodly war, and the day that I can get out of it will be the happiest of my life. I will not try to tell you all the misery, sickness and death that I have seen. From the beginning of March till the 14th of June I was in the hospital at Aquia Creek, about 60 miles below Washington on the Potomac. This was about 2 miles from the steamboat landing, and when the trains went down for provisions they would bring back a load of coffins all filled with bread for the living. The very idea was horrible! But on the 14th of June we were all taken up to Washington to the hospital, only 1/2 mile from the city limits. This place is delightful, on a hill overlooking the city, The Capitol, like a mountain of snow rising in full sight. I did some writing for our doctor every day, and he gave me a free pass to go to the city whenever I wanted, and I walked in almost daily and you may be sure I took a full view of all the sights. The Capitol is truly a wonder, covering about 4 acres of ground all of shining marble and ornamented with splendid cornices. But I can't give you a full description. The President has a summer residence about 2 miles from the city where his family resides now. He passed our hospital twice every day going to and from the city. He is a very plain looking man, very careworn in appearance. He often spoke to us as he passed. He is always accompanied by a company of cavalry. The "Convalescent Camp" where I am now is about 3 miles from Washington, between it and Alexandria. There are 50 barracks here as large as a Pennsylvania bank barn all whitewashed white as snow besides numerous offices and a chapel where there is regular preaching. There is quite a revival going on now. The anxious bench is crowded every night with soldiers -- but I must soon close as the mail leaves shortly -- And now Mother, I hope you will not be uneasy on my account. I would never have went to this war if it had not been for the draft. I think I have caused you more anxiety and trouble than any of your children. But if you knew all, you would perhaps not think me as bad a man as you do now. If I live to get home again, I will be a better man than I ever was. In conclusion I wish you God's blessing and every happiness in your declining days, for you have been a good mother and never gave me a bad advice. Brother Jacob, read this letter to Mother and if she don't understand all, explain it to her. And oh, answer it immediately. Give me all the news of the neighborhood and how the draft is going on, and from this time let us write regularly. The hardest for me is that I am always out of money to buy stamps. The government owes me 9 months pay now. This moving from place to place always gives them an excuse not to pay. Your affectionate son and brother, William F. Speicher Additional Comments: This letter was written during the Civil War by William F. Speicher son of John S. Speicher and Mary "Polly" Weigle Speicher of Stony Creek Twp. Somerset Co. PA. He married Hannah Goughenour. In the letter William mentions his brother Jacob Speicher, my great grandfather. T.M.Hopkins This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/