1863 Sep 17
September 17, 1863
General Hospital
Macon, Georgia
My dear companion,
It is with pleasure that I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am not well. I have been sick at the stomach all day. I hope, however, that these lines may reach and find you and Mollie and all the rest of the family well.
The doctors would not let me go to my company. They stopped me here and commenced giving me physic. I do not know when I shall get away from here. My bowels are running off now.
I want you to write to me and give me all the news. Write to me when they get them hospitals in Griffin in operation. I want to get to come there when they get fixed up.
I met our First Corporal going home dead as I came down, namely, William Kendall. His brother was with him.
I am in the second ward, room 30, and Dr. Wishop is our doctor in this ward.
Last night when I lay down, I could not go to sleep because my thoughts were at home, and I study a heap about home.
If they send me to my company, I will try to go cheerful as I can.
I am going to try to get leave of absence to come to meeting next first Sunday, if I don’t go to my company.
I saw two more of our boys going home on a sick furlough.
I have no news from the company.
I will close.
Write to me. Give me all the news.
Yours, etc.
William H. Harden
P.S. You can write on the inside of this and send it back if you want to.