Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
Primary tabs
Our Post Boy came in last night but did not bring any tidings from home. It has
made me feel rather sadly today, and should have been more so if I had not been
very busy. You will see by the heading of this that we have moved again. Last
Sunday morning or mind orders to move, or rather saturday night, and you cannot
convince of the bustle an order creates in camp, but troops commenced moving
about 12 Midnight. Our troops must always move in the
night and it devolved upon me to take charge of the sick in hospital and see to their proper removal, a task that
requires no small amount of care and management. It took me till 4 P.M. on
sunday to get them under way. Then I had to ride
with only one
companion for many miles [ ] a strange road in
an enemies country, till late at night where we have in sight of our camp fins,
a sight that I [ ] my eye sight for, for it was
dark as [egepk] & raining like [blazes],
and my little nag neighed with an expression of pleasure at the sight, for you
must know that our horses soon learn to become very much attached to the campt
to which they belong. My little mare is the pride of the regiment. I found my
tent pitched, but I went to bed supperless and wet and cold I wish you could see
me when equiped for a march. Let me describe my equipage. First I will tell you
what I carry behind my saddle. My beding (which I [ ] past with on no account when on a march) consisting of
my white blankets. The bra quilt our army & a rubber
blanket all of the former bring rolled up in the
latter, all of which
makes a bundle that reaches half way up my back, on the front of the saddle I
carry one army blanket two overcoats (one of which is that one I wore when I was
home from Brattleboro) all rolled up in my rubber coat. When I carry Sunday
article - and a haversack over my shoulders. Then see me galloping over fields,
jumping fences picking my way through blind paths in the woods - & over the
meanest roads that can be imagined which are called [ ] highways, having a firm seat in my saddle heath glowing
on my chuk - and [ ] in my whole frame that
actually surprise myself. Does not the picture gladen your heart? It may for it
is truthful to the letter. It was in this very way I marched last sunday night,
and the last mile was through a field a road of which was not
known to
either of us, and so dark or could see nothing. Yet my little seen footed
arrived brought me safely to camp. My Dear I feel that I am here for some wise
purpose of providing A mission I have to perform that is to result in good to
our country and ourselves. Every thing I attempt results in some good - my
success with the sick surprises me. This is not said in a vian pride - for I
feel that I am only an instrument in the hands of an
over [ ] provider for some good purpose. I do
sometimes in my mid night meditations have a thrill of pleasure when I now my
position and hurdle efforts, and only want one thing to complete my happiness;
that is that you could be with me and see and share this pleasure with me. We
all may suffer bardships before the [ ], but I think [ ] a
bright future awaits us.
We ahve a large number sick now (131) and with my share of them to look after
I have the super intending of building a large hospital. So you can
see that I cannot have much time for writing. Perhaps you think I might write
sunday [ ] my dear we have no sundays. The
sound of the axe, the saw and the hammer has been the only music that has
greeted my ears today, and you can judge of the noise when I tell you that 20
men are making it with their tools. I was put in charge of this job by our
Brigade surgeon who left the whole of the planing and everything to me, We have
been at it three days and have it now nearly completed. He visited it today and
was greatly pleased with it and the rapidity with which I was completing it. He
paid me some very high compliments said I had gain an honor, for the [ ] of my plans and task of arrangment that
would follow my through life, and went 20 far as to say that early promotion was
in waiting for me, and yet
this wonderful [stanition]was is built of nothing but logs and straw
without a hammer or nail, [ ] it is a neat tidy
affair So much for my knowledge of tools John Piper is my
head workman He is one of our most industrious men, steady as a clock and my tempirate.
We have had an accident in our Regt. John Moulton, a man that worked for Deacon
Moon last sermon on Mr Tylers horse shot all the toes off his left foot the
other day - by the accidental discharge of his gun. Tell Mrs Moon of this. I
must close up for tonight as it is late and I have got to be up and doing in the
morning. I have lost my habit of laying in bed in the morning. Tuesday 21st - I
intended to finish my letter yesterday but I did not get wound to it. I was
getting ready to go to Washington for medicines,
and expected to go
tomorrow, but as I have not got my Pass ready I shall not
go 'till thursday. I must tell you that my hospital Has been named by our
Medical director well guess what? The Rutherford Hospital
out of compliment to your humble servant. I have received two letters from you
this evening dated 14th & 15th. I fear you do not get all my letters. You
will see by this when we were ordered to. We are stationed here to guard a large
amount of Government stores. Some Millions of dollars worth of provisions. We
are 3 regiments and one batting of cannnon strong. Could make a very strong
resistance of [ ] It is thought by our Col.
That we shall winter where we are now, but we cannot
tell one day when we shall be ordered to the next. You speak of my duties bring
my [ ]. Then they occupy nearly all my time but
they are duties and should or faithfully performed let others do as they [ ]
and when I see a man needs my assistance it is my duty to attend to
him. Then we spend a great deal of time every day in examing those that pretend to be sick, and if it did
not use great judgement in should get wofully cheated. In fact it takes more
time to attend to this class of patients than to those who are really sick. I
get my patience so tired sometimes by the rascals that I cannot contain myself.
I have just come in from seeing one of this kind, who was no man sick than I am
(and you may be seen that I am in the my best of health.) and I dont think he
will send for me again to night. But you dont care to hear of my little trial. I
have been fixing up my tent to day. I sent off 4 miles to get 6 short boards to
make a floor, sent 4 ment to a canal boat and appropriated a stove, found 2
lengths of old pipe and made a chimney by standing 3 bundles on top of each
other, and am sitting by my cosey little fire writting to my loved ones