Columbia, Tenn.
August 21st 1864
Dear beloved Wife
I take my pen again this rainy Sunday morning to communicate with you by writing a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I am getting pretty hearty, all but my legs and hips are quite weak yet.
I will now tell you that on Monday they transferred about 60 men from hospital No. 7 to branch No. 3 and I was one of them. It is in the Methodist Church. They tore out all the seats and put in four rows of bunks which are all furnished with new beds a coarse linen straw tick, two linen sheets and a linen pillow case and a nice cotton coverlet all new. There are forty eight bunks on the lower, (or second floor) the lower is used for kitchen and dining room. I said there were 60 men brought over here but I believe there were but 36. There are three men here very sick with the fever not expected to live.
When I first came to this hospital the Drs. gave camphor and opium pills and yesterday he changed to tincture of iron, to strengthen me. Last Wednesday our wounded men's furloughs came and they started for home. There were three of my Co., C. Benham, M. Mc Master and Leonard Winkler, Ex. Captain Gaylord came back to this town day before yesterday. I went and seen him. His health has been very poor all summer. He was much pleased to see me and I had a long chat with him. He is on recruiting service.
Well Dear Wife, it will be three weeks tomorrow since I left my Reg. and since then I have not heard from you but hope and trust you have been all well and in good spirits and pray this letter may still find you to enjoy good health. I am looking for a letter from you daily, but I will write to you once a week if I do not hear from you.
We have had wet weather for about a week and it rained all last night. Well they just brought us clean shirt and drawers, and I just changed and it makes me think of home. This is going to be a lonesome day.
Peaches are now ripe and the people are bringing them to town by loads. Sometimes we reach for some as that is the only way that we can get them without money. Melons are also plenty and cheap but I do not care much for them as they are not good for me.
Yesterday and the day before I chopped some wood for the cook room and it may be when I get my strength that I will be detailed for that work. It will not be very hard work but I do not know whether I would like it as it would be pretty confining. There would not be much leisure time. I suppose you wonder why I do not send you some of these white envelopes back which you sent me. I will tell you, that I carried Henry's paper and envelopes and he had some brown ones and wanted to change them for white ones as they suited his purpose better, as he was writing to some young lady and it would not make any difference to me.
Well, I must come to a close in hopes of hearing from you soon, so no more but remain as ever your true and affectionate
Husband
George Kryder
To Elisabeth, Lillie and Mary Kryder
Please write as soon as this comes to hand and give me the news
Direct General Hospital, Columbia, Tenn.
When I come to look in my portfolio I found a white envelope which I will send
