Friday, 1863 October 23, Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia: “I am getting no better . . . the doctor says I will not be fit for service again this winter”

[Letter of a Confederate Louisiana soldier from his hospital bed]

Delevan Hospital
Charlottesville, Va. October 23rd 1863
Dear Captain [William E. Moore, Company H, 1st Louisiana Infantry?]:
I received your kind letter this
evening with my two months pay for which I am
very much obliged as I am completely out of money
at the time and needed some very much.
Doigi [Lucien Doize] has not gotten over his disease
as yet[.] He is constantly passing blood at times he is
better then again he is worse he is taking “opium pills”
for to try and check it.
I am getting no better my chest
causes me a good deal of trouble. I have been blistered
twice since I have been here but to no avail, I have
had two very severe [hemorrhages] since I arrived,
and spit up [clotted] blood very often, together
with that I had cold night sweats every night
and a chill and hot fever immediately after[.] It has
reduced me a great deal both in strength and body,
the doctor says I will not be fit for service again
this winter.
Give my regards to Lieut. Moore,
Lieut. [Albert M.] Riddle, Tom Day [Thomas H. Day], Walter Irvine [Walter F. Irvine] and all
the boys and believe me
Your sincere friend
J. M. Warner
Let me know some of the news of the army.
[reverse]
Doigi [Doize] sends his humble regards to you and all of your
mess. [Editor: In military parlance a mess was a facility where or a group of soldiers who dined, lived and socialized.]
Warner
Tell Lieut. Moore I might get a furlough and to
write to me as to what I shall say to several young
ladies down south.    Warner

[Editor: The Charlottesville General Hospital was a conglomeration of several public and private homes, churches and businesses including Delevan Hospital and University of Virginia buildings. Delevan was a three-story facility near a railroad depot on Seventh and Main Streets (in December 1862 it housed 1200 patients); after the war it was converted into temporary housing for Union troops and African-Americans; it later became the all-black Jefferson School and eventually First Baptist, the city’s first black church.
Two of the named soldiers were members of the1st Regiment, Louisiana Infantry (commanded by Colonel James Nelligan): Private Day and Sergeant Irvine. A Private John M. Warner was a member of the 16th Louisiana. Second Lieutenant Albert M. Riddle and Private Lucien (H. or J.) Doize were members of Green’s Company, Louisiana Artillery (Louisiana Guard Battery); Doize recovered and returned to duty, last appearing in December 1864 records.]

MSS 9683-F