6 February 1863: you stated that you had not been vaccinated and dare not be you wished to know if vaccinating done me any good and if it hurt me much

Item Description: Letter of 6 February 1863  from Eli Fogelman to his wife, Lucy B. Staley Fogelman.  Discusses small pox vaccination and camp life.

[Transcription available below images.]

Item Citation: Eli Fogleman Letters #5279-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item Transcription:

N.O. 4        I send no 4 and 5 today

Camp Comfort        Feb the 6th 1863

My Dear Beloved Wife

I take my seat to answer your kind letters
which came to hand to day and they found me well
as they left you, and I hope this may find you well
I was glad to hear from you and that you was well
and harty, you stated that you had not been
vaccinated and dare not be  you wished to know
if vaccinating done me any good and if it hurt me much
I think it done me rite smart of good  it hurt me
enough to do some good  my arm was sor 4 or 5 days that
I could not chop nor hold my bridal  it was swelled
very bad from my shoulder nearly to my rist
the scab is all most ready to take off  I think I will
take it off and send it to you in this letter
you wanted to know if me and John wanted any pillows
you kneed not send me any and about John I dont know
what to say but I think you kneed not send it
I have not saw John since last monday  we left the
camp near Kinston last monday and the capt left him
between here here and kinston for a _____ as he was
not stout  the capt told him he thought it would
be the best for him  he is as well as he is for common
you sai you had unly reseived 2 letters from me
this year I rote you one, n,o, 3 Jan the 25th and I
answered the one that Father sent in ______ to me
and yours all so which was n,o, 3  I think you have got
that by this time or I would answer them a gain to day
if you get my letter, n, o, 3 I want you to be surtain
and answer it, you said Riley Jones would try and have
me detailed to work in the shop with him if I wanted  to
I would be glad if he would do so for the army is a
harable place to be in  I understand that all that goes
home on a furlow gets in to som ____ or other
you said Father said tell me that he could not come
to see me in 2 or 3 weeks  I was looking for him every
day while we was at Kinston  we left R,C,B and Wm,
Johnson at Kinston and I left a shirt a pare of
drawrs 1 pare of cotton socks and Leanards socks shirt
and pants and little thing to send home if Father
come or any one that would take them home safe
we drawed 1 suit of clothing and 89 dollars and 60 cts
I sent you 80 dollars to mothers by Samuel Hannah
you said it snowed at home the 28th and it was cold wether
about home and it is the same way here  it commensed
snowing on us last Tuesday morning before day  we had
nothing over us as it rained hailed and snowed til about
ten oclock and seased a day or 2 and then commensed
raining and rained til a bit a go and it is turning cold now
I will Keepe Leanards socks if I get to them a gain
some of our boys is gon on piket and we will have to go
about monday  we are 20 miles south of Kinston and 20
from Trenton we will stay here til about March

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