Franklin County: Francis Pleasants to Harriet
McElheney, May 10, 1865
Summary:
Pleasants describes Sylvester McElheney's last days before dying in a
Philadelphia hospital. McElheney's mental capacity suffered at the end, and
Pleasants reassures Harriet McElheney that the hospital staff treated him very
kindly.
May 10th/ 1865
Germantown
Mrs. McElheney -
Dear Madam,
Your favor of the 1st inst has been received, the answer to
it has been delayed on account of my waiting for the Chaplain to find out the
name of the Priest who was with your husband in his last moments, but the
Chaplain having so much to attend to has neglected doing so until I feared you
would wonder why I had not answered your letter. Why my letter was so long
delayed is a mystery to me - and how we wondered why you did not come to him -
though my friend it would have been but little
satisfaction for you to have been here as he would not have known you, he being
out of his mind for
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three or four days. The first day his mind
wandered, I thought perhaps I could recall [deleted: his mond] it by
taking a pen and paper sitting beside him and letting him know I was writing to you - He knew me, I told him what I was writing
&c - he remarked, "tell her I left Philadelphia and--" I interrupted him
by saying he was still in Philadelphia, then he told me he was with you all - I
pretended he was, said, "were they all well and were they glad to see you?"
"yes, indeed" "and were the little children glad?" he smiled & said "I
bet they were," smiled again when I made mention you, said the little ones had
grown, it having been eight months since he saw them - said "the old woman was
sick" any of your friends ill?
The wound was a severe one, it being near the left thigh, and discharged a great deal of matter all the time.
When the Priest saw him he did not know anyone so that I think he cannot tell you any more than myself as I was with him most of any with the exception of his nurses who were soldiers, but very very kind to him, uncommonly so.
I do not think he was conscious of his situation as he kept telling us he was
better all the time - I did not think, it best to tell him of his situation as
we expected you every hour and wanted you to be the one, as I assure you it is a
very painful thing to tell an entire stranger that he is dying - The hospital
has closed all patients having been removed from there yesterday - perhaps by
dropping a line to the Chaplain he will find out about the Priest as he will
have more time to attend to the matter now - his address is 410 North 11th St - It was really very kind in him to get the priest -
as it
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is the first time in my recollection his doing so - but he
remarked to me he pitied him so much.
I have written to you all the particulars I know of, of your husband and though severe the trial it is to you, yet it may be a dispensation sent you from on high, for your good - I remain in much sympathy.
Your friend
Francis Pleasants
Germantown
Philadelphia
You must excuse the haste in which this is written, but have so many letters to write at this time -
