Nashville Tenn.    March 5 [1863?]
Dear Sister

		I ought to
have written to you some 
time ago but I have been 
sick & today is the first 
time that I have felt able 
to write. I had the diarrea
for two months before I went 
to the surgeon, because I knew
he would give me nothing 
but opium & Quinine which
was is of no use in camp
diarrea. But finally it
took the chronic form. I
lost all appetite, & when I
went to him I had tasted
nothing for forty eight hrs.
He prescribed just what 
I expected, opium & Quinine

with extract of beef
& toasted bread & tea
for diet. I dragged along
for two weeks on this getting
no better & I came to the
conclusion that I should
soon go under if I didn’t
do something, for I was getting
so weak I could hardly stand.
I found out by accident that
Dr Duff, our 2d surgeon
had charge of Gen Hos No 1
in town, where he was on
detached service for the winter
on account of there being
so many surgeons sick.
I got permission to go & see
him: one of the boys got a carriage
& took me over. Old Duff looked
at me, Well be gawd old
fellow have they been trying

     to kill you over at the 52d
said he. I told him how
long I had been sick &
what they had been giving
me. Well said he you just
send that carriage back
& you stay here with me. I
will send a note to your Capt
& one to Gen McCook which
will make you safe. If you
go back there for two weeks
Old [Rosn?] will have your
everlasting discharge made
out, with passport, countersign
& transportation to hell 
& I know you want to whip
the grey backs before you go 
there. He is a rough old 
fellow, Dr Duff is, but a
good physician & surgeon,
and he has strengthened me

out. I am weak of course 
but am getting an appetite,
the diarrea has stopped, &
I shall be fit for duty in
a week or two. He began
on me with blue mass, gave
me four pills as large as
the largest peas, then he
gave me rhubarb & calomel
& then half a pint of salts.
Since that he has been giving 
me white powders I dont
know what it is. But I
am satisfied that but for
him I should have been
under the sod before now.
I have received letters from
Emma, George Mother &
yourself since I have written
but don’t feel able to answer
them today but will soon
direct as	Horace
 usual & write often all of you