Headquarters Second Brigade, Second Division,
Fifteenth Army Corps, March 1, 1863.
My Dear Wife:
I am much indebted to the Sisters of St. John for their
prayers in my behalf, and you must so tell them from me. Ask them to take good
care of our poor wounded soldiers. We have no Sisters in this army. Is not this
strange? I have seen some two or three women on the hospital boats, but they
are poor concerns. Catholic Sisters would be a mercy in ministering to our
hospital. No tongue can tell or mind conceive the anguish and neglect and
suffering of the sick and dying soldiers in camp — and their graves! such
graves! I fear from your remark of Sergeant White that he reports me as being
profane. I trust not. I sometimes do get a little mad, and they say I make the
fur fly, and swear the hair off the men's heads, but the recording angel sheds
tears so copiously in these sad times that a few must fall on my page of
errors.
I can't help being amused when I hear the officers and
orderlies ask outside my tent if the old general is in, or how is the old
general to-day. I think my heart and feelings are fresh yet, though they
are circumscribed.
SOURCE: Walter George Smith, Life and letters of
Thomas Kilby Smith, p. 278
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