Walt Whitman letter to Louisa Whitman, 22 June 1863

WASHINGTON, Monday morning, June 22, 1863.

DEAR MOTHER Jeff's letter came informing me of the birth of the little girl, and that Matty was feeling pretty well, so far. I hope it will continue. Dear sister, I should much like to come home and see you and the little one ; I am sure from Jeff's description it is a noble babe and as to its being a girl, it is all the better. (I am not sure but the Whitman breed gives better women than men.)

Well, mother, we are generally anticipating a lively time here, or in the neighborhood, as it is probable Lee is feeling about to strike a blow on Washington, or perhaps right into it and as Lee is no fool, it is perhaps possible he may give us a good shake. He is not very far off yesterday was a fight to the southwest of here all day ; we heard the cannons nearly all day. The wounded are arriving in small squads every day, mostly cavalry, a great many Ohio men ; they send off to-day from the Washington hospitals a great many to New York, Philadelphia, etc., all who are able, to make room, which looks ominous indeed, it is pretty certain that there is to be some severe fighting, may-be a great battle again, the pending week. I am getting so callous that it hardly arouses me at all. I fancy I should take it very quietly if I found myself in the midst of a desperate conflict here in Washington.

Mother, I have nothing particular to write about I see and hear nothing but new and old cases of my poor suffering boys in hospitals, and [ dare say you have had enough of such things. I have not missed a day at hospital, I think, for more than three weeks I get more and more wound round. Poor young men there are some cases that would literally sink and give up if I did not pass a portion of the time with them. I have quite made up my mind about the lecturing, etc., project I have no doubt it will succeed well enough the way I shall put it in operation. You know, mother, it is to raise funds to enable me to continue my hospital ministrations, on a more free-handed scale. As to the Sanitary commissions and the like, I am sick of them all, and would not accept any of their berths. You ought to see the way the men, as they lay helpless in bed, turn away their faces from the sight of those agents, chaplains, etc. (hirelings, as Elias Hicks would call them they seem to me always a set of foxes and wolves). They get well paid, and are always incompetent and disagreeable ; as I told you before, the only good fellows I have met are the Christian commissioners they go everywhere and receive no pay.

Dear, dear mother, I want much to see you, and dear Matty too ; I send you both my best love, and Jeff too. The pictures came I have not heard from George nor Han. I write a day earlier than usual. WALT.

We here think Vicksburg is ours. The probability is that it has capitulated and there has been no general assault can't tell yet whether the 51st went there. We are having very fine weather here to-day rained last night.