Poe Archive

U. S. Sanitary Commission

Hospital Near Petersburg Va.
July 22, 1864

Dear Mother,

I thought I would write you a few lines and let you know how I was getting along. Although I have not heard from you for over two weeks. I have been here since July 11th. I had got quite smart and calculated to go to my Regiment yesterday, but I was taken with the Diarrhea the night before very bad and was very sick yesterday. But the Doct. Checked it last night and I feel better today. I do not sem to gain strength very fast. I went without eating so long that I got down very weak, but I think I will go to the Regt. Tomorrow or next day. The Regt. Are on the front line doing picket duty and to work on the Fort which keeps them doing something about all the time. The Fort is four hundred ft. square. They say our Brigade is going to garrison it when it is completed. Evry thing along the line remains about the same of the left of the line where our Corps is. They do not fire at all but on the right they are firing all the time. That is where Burnside is. I don’t know how this thing is coming out. It looks rather dubious on our side I think, but I cannot tell as I have not seen a paper for about a fortnight. They do not bring them in the hospital. Write me often and write all the news. I don’t know as I ever told you that Cyrene Hughes was married to a man in Georgia. I saw her marriage in the paper about four months ago. It is her for it said of Bath Marie. I am getting pretty well along toward my last year. It soon will be but a year longer and I am in hopes to get out all right, yet I don’t think they will ever get me to be a vet. It would take a large sum of money for one to reinlist . Give my respects to Sarah. I do not have a chance to write many letters since I came back this time. From your son,

John H. Frain
Co. G 16th Regt. Me. Vols.