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ASHAEL SUMNER DEAN
CIVIL WAR LETTERS TO
HIS FAMILY
U.S.S. Harvest Moon, Navy Yard Washington,
Mar 21 (1864)
Dear Virginia,
I can only send you a line as I have to
write in a very cold room. We are up for repairs and can have no fires. I
have suffered more from the cold than I have anytime this season.
Yesterday two clergymen came on board to
preach but Mr. Wyatt would not allow it. The line officers are an un-godly
set of men. I went on foot three miles to attend church and on account of the
hour I was disappointed, but I was better off for trying I could not read nor
write for the cold yesterday and obligations.
I was much more uncomfortable then I
should have been in your little sitting room. We mean to have a stove up
immediately and we shall do better. Before I forget I will say that in two or
three months I shall need a pr of night shirts & I shall like to get them from
you. I shall want more better things which I will mention by and by. I
shall go today or tomorrow and shake hands with the President. I wish you
could go with me. I am having a nice walnut bookcase and study table put into
my room and then I shall spend most of my time there and only be in the ward
room to sleep & eat. I like my company better then that of the mess taken as
a whole though apparently we are on a good social footing.
Dear Virginia how kind and dear you are
to me. I never feel as I know some of the officers do about their wives. I
know your every thought is virtuous and all your love thrown upon the birds or
me and it makes me happy and to think you are trying to live for Jesus makes
me intensely happy for if we are only faithful we never can be separated you
think of that I know and it gives you as much joy as it does me. Oh Virginia
we are very dear to each other and more so for our absence from each other.
No I don't think we are more dear than when we were together for it was a
terrible thing to separate in this way. We did and our hearts will be sore
until we are together again.
(ed.-very odd, no closing , no name ,and
the "4th"page is completely blank. Was he ill, called away, forgot?), Mar 21
(1864)
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