Letter written by George W. Pearl, private in the 117th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company C and F, to his parents of Clinton, New York, from U.S. Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland, September 5, 1864

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U S Hospital Point LooktUnited States Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland
Sept 5th/64 Dear Parents.

I recd yours
of the 2d this morning &
was glad to larn (learn) that
all were still in usual health.
As for my health it is also
very good. I recd the Copy Book
the 2d and am very much obliged
to you for it. I have writen (written)
in it some but not enough
to get my hand in. It is
rather difficult for me too,
as I have been out of practice
so long. I have just finished
my fornoons (forenoons) work. Just 12 oclock
This forenoon we had to cook
tomattoes (tomatoes) boiled pork & beans for
dinner and mush for breakfast
tomorrow morning. I am rather
hard up for news of importance

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to write. The weather as usual
is warm and pleasant. Ten
or fifteen of the last [350] that
came here have died. Those I
spoke of in Addie (Pearl, Adaline C.) s last letter
Where are Wm Ouston (Ouston, William) &
Oscar Dayton (Dayton, Oscar) . I promised to write
to them when thay (they) were home
last fall but have neglected
to do so therefore I know
nothing of their whereabouts.
Has Geo Mannering (Mannering, George) & Charley
Sumner (Sumner, Charley) got mustered out
of the U S Service (United States Service) yet? if
they have'nt I should think
they soon would be as they
did not reenlist. My Descriptive
list has come and I
expect to draw some clothes
next Saturday. I have not
drawn a stitch of Uncle Sams
clothing in fourteen months.
therefore I had ought to have
at least $50.00 comeing (coming) to me

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on my clothing account.
But it is good and I shall
get it if I live to get mustered
out if I dont before. By the
way how do you think (providing
I should stay here until my
time is out) it would sound
to have it said that I had
been three years in the Army,
and had never been in a
battle. And only eleven months
with the Regt. I'm afraid if
I should happen to be in
company with one of the boys
of my Regt, that had endured
all the hardships with the Regt
and should throw that in my
face, I should want to do as
a hen does when she is in
danger, (hide my head) But no
matter. Somebody has got to do
the work that I do and no criple (cripple)
or sick man can do it, for
there is a good deal of heavy

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lifting to do such as lifting
boilers of water and soup off
and on to a range
that is three feet high, and the
boilers hold from one to two
barrels each. Besides a great deal
of other work that none but a
well man can do. And I dont
see why that man can as well
be me as any body else. You say
you hope Old Abe (Lincoln, Abraham (President of the United States)) will be
reelected. Well I dont. Not that
I have any thing in particular
against Old Abe (Lincoln, Abraham (President of the United States)) ? but I think
a change of Presidents would
be bneficial (beneficial). And I would like
to have you prove to me in
what respect McClellan (McClellan, George Brinton (General)) acted
the part of a tratior (traitor). The
majority of the last squad that
came her (here) [Hanarra] fo (for) little Mac (McClellan, George Brinton (General))
and most of them are from the
Army of the Potomac (Army of the Potomac). I recollect
there was a report at the time
he was superceded (superseded) that he was
never at the front during a battle
But that is contradicted by evry (every)
soldier that I have heard say anything
about it, that was with
him in the Paninsular (Peninsular) Campaign.
That he was always on hand