On August 12, 1863, Corporal Isaiah Nelson Albertson, of Hope, wrote to his sister Ella from Tilton Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was recuperating from his leg wound which he had received near the orchard of the Smith House on Emmittsburg Road in Gettysburg. The letter was sent through the U.S. Christian Commission and Reverend E. Clark Cline, the chaplain of the 11th N.J. Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Albertson wrote, "Sister Ell: I just received a letter from you and I will write in reply now for you to get it this week. The weather is a little cooler this morning, Wednesday, than it has been for ten or twelve days past, I don't think it is much warmer here than what it is at home, although tis hot every day from morning till night and at night, too. I have a good appetite considering the weather and not much exercise. My wound is about the same, but I could soon get it worse by going out in the hot sun too much so I keep shady and keep it well wet with water. Our folks can come down just when they get ready for I am sure of not getting a furlo [furlough] for some time, as they were sent to Baltimore yesterday to be signed by Gen. Schenck, I found out that my name was not with them, although I asked the Doct. and he said we could not all go at once, so I will have to wait until the first returns and run the risk of going then. The Hospital is on the corner of Ninth and Talnall Sts. Go up Market to Ninth, then west three blocks to Talnall St.
"Ell, I am glad that there is some prospect of there getting a Melodeon at the Union, as it certainly won't make the singing any worse than it ust [used] to be and with a fair chance of improving it. We have one here, I guess, and a small choir comes in to sing, as preaching twist [twice] a week, but tis the Episcopal form, which does not seem natural, but the Melodeon does sound natural. Tell Grandmother I often think of her, and she must not be at all uneasy about me. I believe the rebellion will play out sooner or later. If the union army is managed right they can be wiped out this fall. The rebel prisoners say themselves they can't raise any more men. I suppose the harvest apples are all right about now. From your Brother, Nels."
Copyright 1999-2013: Jay C. Richards
