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ASHAEL SUMNER DEAN

 CIVIL WAR LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY

 

 

 

Stono Inlet   July 19th  1864

 

My own dear Virginia,

            It is now six o'clock and as the MASSACHUSETTS lies off here.  There is a probability that I can send this.  This is the very first minute I have had of leisure.  I did not know it was Sunday until after four o'clock this afternoon.   Everything is in confusion in consequence of the departure of the Army and Fleet from the upper part of the creek.  We have been hard at work since yesterday morning.  You see, all the supply, coal, and ordinance vessels are sailing vessels and have to be towed by the steamers.  The results have not been very disastrous to either Army or Navy and I dare say all they expected to do has been done.  Some 90 or 100 have been killed in the Army, none have died belonging to the Navy.

  Last night about 2 a.m. I was called.   A tug came along side with wounded men from the Ironclad MONTAUK for me to take charge of.   That is why I had been so busy.  It seems the men were on deck thinking the fire from the batteries had slackened, but a shot came and took off one man's leg and injured one other.

  I dressed the wounds and the men are doing very well.  The shell made a deep wound in the leg so I could run my finger in under the muscles.  His leg is very painful, but the bone and large vessels are not injured.  He will not lose his leg.  The other man, poor fellow, has lost his leg already.  It was taken off up higher by the Surgeon[1] at about the time he was hit.  He was not out from the influence of chloroform when he came on board and did not know he had lost his leg. 

  I have just been on shore to get ice.  I got a bit last night.  Today I was fortunate in getting a number of cakes.  The Sanitary Commission have a shipload here.  I have no dangerously sick men although dysentery is quite troublesome disease.  Some half doz. have it slightly.  I myself am well, better than I have been for a week, yes, three weeks.

  I was happy to get your letter yesterday.  I assure you I can not tell you how much for I am writing in a hurry, but it and Mothers were so well come and comforting.  You think of Sumner don't you, and so does Nellie?  I can't stop to put hers up in the large form but will fold up a little note.  I shall send you a draft as soon as I can.  The Pay has not heard from his yet, but I am sure you will get in this month.  I had $69.71 coming to me July 1st so you will have plenty.  You can just trust a little while.  I would send you some in this, but I don't dare to.

  You must get my slippers underweigh, 8 you know, high in the instep.  I can wear 7s if they are high in the instep. Mine will last a month or two.  I shall write for some things in a month or so.

 

Again, no closing.


 

[1] Surgeon on the Montauk from 9 Sept 1863 to 29 May 1865 was Act. Asst. Surgeon George B. Todd.  He was the brother in law of 3rd Asst. Engineer William Elliott Todd of the Harvest Moon.

 

 

 

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