Augusta County: Jacob Kent Langhorne to His Mother,
November 2, 1862
Summary:
Langhorne describes his recovery and tells about students' demands for a
cessation of classes following the death of a fellow student.
Mother
November the 2nd 1862
Virginia Military Institute
My own Darling Mother
I have been intending writing you ever since I came out of the Hospital but I have had as much as I could do ever since. I have been so weak that I have not attended to any military duty yet and don't think I will be strong enough for a week yet. I am still taking medicine. I could get a furlough at any time but I would lose so much time from my class that I thought I had better stay here but if I don't gain my strength more rapidly I will apply for a furlough and come Home and stay for a week or 10 days. You have no idea dear Mama how much I want to see you all at home. It makes me almost cry to think about Home and the dear ones there. Some of the boys seem perfectly satisfied here but I will always want to see home.
I have been attending to my academic duties since Tuesday and the lessons are very hard to me indeed. I don'tknow what I made on my studies last week but I expect I made very poor ones as I lost so much time whilst I was in the Hospital. I will have to study very hard to keep up with my class. I don't know when I will stand head in my class again. I mean to devote most of my time to my Mathematics as that is the main study here. I hope you have written to sister that I was well enough to attend to my studies again. Tell brother Jim I will answer his letter the first chance I have. Tell Pa that I will write to him shortly. I forgot last time I wrote to Maurice and directed it to Papa.
Ma I want you to be sure to send me a box by the cars to Lynchburg and from there by packet. Write to Uncle D when you send it and he will have it put on the packet and then I will be sure to get it. The cloth has come for our uniforms at last and I hope we will get them soon. Sister spoke of my wearing the Jacket that Aunt Sarah gave me, the reason was that it was so narrow across the breast that I got reported too for not holding my shoulders back and I quit wearing it. The Jacket and overcoat you sent me have been quite a treat to me as it has been very cold since you sent it. You said the jacket was not nice enough there are any quantity that are 60 times worse than mine.
There is a young Fleming in the hospital that may die at any minute. If he dies here it will be the 4th cadet that has died here in 21 years. I think that very few. I hope and trust that this poor fellow may live yet but he is just as low as he can be to live. Every body has gone to church and I feel very lonesome and home sick. The sick are not allowed to go out of Barracks and to the Hospital morning & evening.
Give my love to all at Edgehill & Cousin Hues. Kiss May and Mary for me and let me know whether the [unclear: instructions ] has come or not.
This is the November 3rd.
That poor fellow that I
spoke of being so sick in the Hospital died yesterday evening about 5 o'clock. He is laid out in one of the Society Halls.
Just to think a week ago that Dr. Madison thought that I was the sickest one in
the Hospital and he poor Fellow is gone and I am yet spared. It makes the cold
chills run over me to think of it.
Tell Uncle Archer that the Druggist says he will take some copperas and said he would let me know to day how much he would take. I will write to him as soon as I hear how much to send. Ma this is all the Ink I have or I would not write with it. I wish you all would write oftener from home.
The Corps Has just been called out and all Military and Academic duty suspended for today and I reckon tomorrow as he will be buried tomorrow. In fact we had some little difficulty this morning about some of the academic duties. The First Classmen held a meeting and refused to recite and then all of the classes refused and they appointed a committee to visit the Superintendent and he suspended all duty for the day.
I will answer Brother Jim's letter in a day or two if I have time. Write me how everything is going on on the place and how the lame horses are getting along. Write me how the carriage horses look and how Nannie and Annie look. I would like to see how every thing is going on the farm now. What kind of speculation did Maurice make on his chestnuts and what does John do with himself now does he do any thing or not.
