te by leaving the letter unsealed, putting in
nothing that will offend the Secesh, and directing to Castle
Thunder, Richmond, Virginia. I want to know the private
news--how many of my friends have fallen. Also tell who has
been drafted in our neighborhood, who married, and who like
to be. Also if you have a gold dollar at hand, slip it into
the letter--not more, as it might tempt the Secesh to _hook_
it. I have tried to send word through to you several times
before, but there is now a better chance of communicating
since we came from Atlanta to Richmond. Mother, (here
referring to religious experience.) * * * * * * *

No doubt you all would like to see me again, but let us have
patience; many a better man than I am has suffered more, and
many parents are mourning for their children without the
hope of seeing them again. So keep your courage up, and do
not be uneasy about me. Write as soon as you can, and tell
all my friends to do the same.
Ever yours,
WILLIAM PITTENGER.
To THOMAS PITTENGER,
New Somerset, Jefferson county, Ohio.

We remained in this prison, reading of the victories of Southern
rebels, and the doings of Northern traitors, until the first of
February. At that time they wanted our range of rooms for a hospital.
This range was not adapted to the purpose, but was at least as good as
the garret above, where all who went were sure of death.

Disease was now making fearful havoc. The small-pox prevailed to a
frightful extent, and the whole town was alarmed. Men were dying
around us every day; none of our party was infected, but many of the
Tennesseeans were. It was no wonder that they found it necessary to
extend their hospitals, for the treatment we received was well
calculated to make the hardiest men sink beneath their trials. But
these fearful ravages of pestilence did at least the good of securing
our removal from the pen in which we had been confined. At first we
were taken to the bedlam I have described before; and even this was
better than the loneliness and _ennui_ of our strict confinement.

It seemed like freedom by contrast. We now had a fire also--a luxury
which one who has been _freezing_ for two months knows well how to
appreciate. It is true it did not warm half the people around it, and
these had not the courtesy of our brethern