Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
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Your welcome letter of the 15th came to hand Saturday. I hope now you have received my first letters that you will continue to receive them regularly. Did you receive the one written in pencil?
I was rather unfortunate yesterday. The adjutant was going down to Genl Casey's
Headquarters to make his morning report & wanted me to ride down with him
for company. I thought it would be a good time to ride my other horse. I had not
rode him since I came here. We started but had not gone far before my horse
showed an inclination
to go where he pleased without regard to the
bit. He bolted off down a cross street once and then made a rush for a man's
front door & I though he would smash it in, in spite of me. We got down,
however, without any serious damage. As we stopped at Casey's he run into the
Adj'ts horse & hurt the Adjt's head a little, creating some excitement.
After the Adjt. had made his report we started for home. I urged my horse into a
gallop but finding that I could not control him with the bit, and as I did not
like to be run away with in the streets of Washington Sunday morning, I wheeled
him around to stop him. I could not wheel him very short, so that he came upon
the side walk, where his feet slipped out from under
him & he came
down with his full weight upon my right foot. I sprung up at once & caught
him but I was lame. My spur went into the horse clear up to the heel. He has a
pretty bad hole in him, but nothing dangerous. My foot is very much better this
morning. No bones were broken & none displaced. My foot is pretty badly
bruised, but I shall be able to get my boot on in three days at least. Wallace
& Nelson have rubbed it thoroughly with some very good liniment that the Dr.
furnished so that the soreness is mostly out. Mr. Peach our cook made me a pair
of crutches last night, so that I am now independent. Now my dear I have told
you the worst of it & you need not worry for I am just as comfortable as I
could be at home.
I slept well last night & do not suffer any
today from my foot.
I hope Laura continues to improve & want to receive a letter from you or her three or four times a week. If you are getting short of money, write to Mr. Geo. A. Morey. Write as polite a note as you can for he is a friend of mine. Tell him that I used more money than I expected to in my outfit & it leaves me rather short.
Remember me to Mrs. Flanders & all who enquire.
It was not the horse that was given me that fell down but Wallace's horse. The other one is not hard bitted.
Write often. We had a great review by Genl Banks on Saturday - Casey's whole division -
Be careful to save the papers & letters.
Your affectionate husbandRoswell Farnham