_Washington, Monday morning, June 22, 1863._ DEAR MOTHER--Jeff's letter
came informing me of the birth of the little girl,[15] and that Matty was
feeling pretty well, so far. I hope it will continue. Dear sister, I
should much like to come home and see you and the little one; I am sure
from Jeff's description it is a noble babe--and as to its being a girl, it
is all the better. (I am not sure but the Whitman breed gives better women
than men.)
Well, mother, we are generally anticipating a lively time here, or in the
neighborhood, as it is probable Lee is feeling about to strike a blow on
Washington, or perhaps right into it--and as Lee is no fool, it is perhaps
possible he may give us a good shake. He is not very far off--yesterday
was a fight to the southwest of here all day; we heard the cannons nearly
all day. The wounded are arriving in small squads every day, mostly
cavalry, a great many Ohio men; they send off to-day from the Washington
hospitals a great many to New York, Philadelphia, etc., all who are able,
to make room, which looks ominous--indeed, it is pretty certain that there
is to be some severe fighting, may-be a great battle again, the pending
week. I am getting so callous that it hardly arouses me at all. I fancy I
should take it very quietly if I found myself in the midst of a desperate
conflict here in Washington.
Mother, I have nothing particular to write about--I see and hear nothing
but new and old cases of my poor suffering boys in hospitals, and I dare
say you have had enough of such things. I have not missed a day at
hospital, I think, for more than three weeks--I get more and more wound
round. Poor young men--there are some cases that would literally sink and
give up if I did not pass a portion of the time with them. I have quite
made up my mind about the lecturing, etc., project--I have no doubt it
will succeed well enough the way I shall put it in operation. You know,
mother, it is to raise funds to enable me to continue my hospital
ministrations, on a more free-handed scale. As to the Sanitary commissions
and the like, I am sick of them all, and would not accept any of their
berths. You ought to see the way the men, as they lay helpless in bed,
turn away their faces from the sight of those agents, chaplains, etc.
(hirelings, as Elias Hicks would call them--they seem to me always a set
of foxes and wolves). They get well paid, and are always incompetent and
disagreeable; as I told you before, the only good fellows I have met are
the Christian commissioners--they go everywhere and receive no pay.
Dear, dear mother, I want much to see you, and dear Matty too; I send you
both my best love, and Jeff too. The pictures came--I have not heard from
George nor Han. I write a day earlier than usual.