The Holt Letters, Letter Ten

Hartland Oct 1862

                                      My Dear Son

I again will comply with your request
and furnish you with a few lines that
may interest you in your lonliness and
confinement. I think it must be hard
and tiresom to indure but we must look
beyound our selves in such cases at
those who are a great deal worse off than
we as there most always will be such
let ours be ever so bad. your leg reed
a verry hard shock and will take a good
while for it to get well again. But it
is not as bad as it would of ben if it had
broken the bone. We must make the
best of every thing that transpires in
these perilous times. The war has arived
at a crisis that I nor any one els ever
expected but it has come with all the
horrors that ever was visited upon a people
I think it is brought upon us for a
punishment for neglect of duty which
we owed to our country and to our God.
There has ben a great rush among people
to get rich make money if possible it
made no difference what way or how. The
best interests of the Nation wear left in
the hands of miserable dishonest men until
we are in the fix we are with war and
the fearful consequnces attending it. you
My Dear Son must know the practical
part of it but I can only know it by
history unless the time comes when men
of my age are called into service then I am
verry sure that I should enter into it with
vigor as long as I could hold out. I want you
to keep up good courage and good spirits
under your infirmities for that is the best
medicine you can use whether in health or
sickness. yours of the 5th came duly at han
you in that inquire to know about Government
pay I have reed 20 dollars and that is
all. I have made inquiry of late about it
but there had ben none payed ove at the
treasurers office it amounts to 6 months pay
or more now it will soon come probably
I was sorry to learn that you had not
got these things we sent in Cushmans box
there was a nice lot of paper in it and
other things that would be useful to you
I should not of sent them in that way
if I had of known that you were hurt
I think it a little singular that he does not
forward it to you does he lack being a man
or a good soldier or a good officer there
is the place to act well his part there
all his honor lies. I am glad you have a
good Doctor I have got nearly through with
my harvisting I had a good crop of corn
say 8 bushels shelled 2 of beans nice ones sold
1 1/2 bushels for nearly 4 dollars beans are high
I carryed on Mrs Brittons garden this year
I planted potatoes and corn thare there will
be enough for her and me through the
winter I have gethered 4 bushels of butnuts
for you to crack this winter if you come Home
I should be glad to have you come on a furlou
if you could obtain one. Crops are generally
good about here apples are plenty and nice
My shop work is not verry driveing at present
I occupy the same shop yet house
painting is dull this year my health is
good at this time hope this will find you
on the gain Mr Richardson continues much
the same Len is improveing Frank Pierce is
dooing well gains in business all the rest
about here are well and dooing well Mr
Charles Smith of 4 corners is in depo Mrs
Brown is going to south woodstock l believe
I want you to write me often I shal
always be glad to hear from you
I think of no more that will interest
you so I will close
This from your ever loveing
Friend and Father

Oliver Holt

 

Notes:

"'Furlou" (furlough): a leave of absence from military duty.

"Depo" possibly refers back to "Depo Marte/Maste" of the previous letter.

South Woodstock is a manufacturing center in Southern Ontario, Canada.