FEINBERG/WHITMAN LITERARY FILE Prose "In the Hospital Wards" (1863) AMS. draft. Box 32 Folder 19 1467 1863 In the Hospital Wards: prose. A.MS. (1p. 24 x 20 cm.) Written in ink on a sheet of lined paper, top part cut off through a line, about 300 words: [?] a good often, gives man [?] turn some I have to visit [for] week, (there are hundreds of young lads), of good farmers families &c brought up at home, never [?] before every day or evening while they are in critical state, pet them, cheer them, caress them give them some trifle. I always [wear] carry a [double hav good] stout double-pocket haversack, filled with things [often a bottle of wine] also [good] large pockets in my coat &c. I have articles [literally too numerous to mention] of many kinds. I have learnt what is appropriate. I generally [have] carry a bottle of wine. I buy oranges by the box, & fill my pockets with them before going into a ward they are very refreshing to feverish men this weather--I have [canned] nice preserved peaches or something [else] of the jelly sort--[ma] to many I give little [seme] sums of money-- the soldiers [very] very largely come up here without [a] one cent-- every day I find [several] cases [ super] [?] [atively] proper for small gifts of money, & where it is indeed more blest to give, than the [over] 1468 [any little] good it can do them. (You hear north there quite [altogether] too much of the rum drinking, & rowdyism &c. & thieving of the soldiers--[all] in general, that is confined to the foreign [ele] regiments, & I must say to the Philadelphia & N.Y. City [and other city] regiments--the soldiers from the states, from the country [on] especially the west & from New England and the county parts of N.Y. & Penn. are noblest specimens of young men well brought up, singularly intelligent, free from intemperance [& indeed any unknowing ?] &c--you ought to see them as I have for the last five months. ) (See Specimen Days, Thursday, Jan. 21, p. 28; Wound Dresser, Hospital Visits, N.Y. Times, Dec. 11, 1864, ADL #61 To James Redpath, #32 ALS, R.W. Emerson, West & Penn & New York #81 to W.S, Davis, haversack para.)Correspondence Manuscript draft of a page used as a form in writing to correspondents during the war years.[?] [?] good often, gives them[?] sun.[?] nose[?] to. there are hundreds of of good [farmers] farmers families &c. brought up at home. never p[?] before (your lads) turn — some I visit [for weeks]. every day or evening while they are in critical state,. pet them, cheer them, caress them give them some trifle. I always [wear] carry a [double [?]] [good] stout double pocket haversack, filled with things – [often] a [bottle] [of wine] also [good] large[?] pockets in my coat &c — I have articles [literally too numerous to mention] of many kinds, I have learnt what is appropriate. I generally [have] carry[?] a bottle of wine — I bring oranges in[?] the box & fill my pockets with them before going into a ward thy, are very refreshing to feverish men this weather — I have [canned] nice preserved peaches or something, of the jelly sort [also] — [new[?]] to many[?] I give little [some] sums of money — the soldier's [very] very largely come up here without [a] one cent — every day I find [several] cases [superatively[?]] proper for small gifts of money, & where it is indeed more blest to give, than [any little] good it can do there. (You hear north there quite[?] [altogether] too much of the rum drinks, [&] rowdyism &c. & thiery[?] of the soldiers – in general. [all] that is Confirmed to the foreign [ele] regiments, & I must say to the Philadelphia & N.Y. City [and other city] regiments — the soldiers from the states, from the country, [on] especially the West & from New England and the country parts of N. Y. & Penn, are noblest specimens of young men well brought up, intelligent singularly[?] free from intemperance &c. [& indeed any unnecessary[?]] — you ought to see them as I have for the last five months.)