Franklin County: Lauramann Howe Russell to Serena E. Russell,
November 28, 1862
Summary:
In this letter to his daughter Serena, Lauramann Howe Russell recounts his "dull"
Thanksgiving day at the hospital. He also mentions entertainments at Sabbath School in
Chambersburg and the requests of children for pine laurel rings.
November 28th/62
Academy Hospital
Chambersburg Pennsylvania
My Dear Daughter
It is the evening after Thanksgiving and I suppose you are either finishing up the holiday or at home with the rest of the folks having a good time with Ellen and Charles I have told mother about the time we had at this hospital and you will hear all about it.
I got a letter today from uncle Eli there was one also from Charley [illeg.]
[deleted: and] Henry and Aunt Elisa. you will see that I had four letters beside
uncle Eli's & Aunt Elisa's Photographs I was glad to get them for it seemed some like
seeing them in person I shall expect your picture sometime and
Ellens too.
[page 2]
The little girls come into the hospital and sing to the soldiers sometimes and it makes me think of the class of little girls that used to sing with me you will recollect about it I presume. they sing many of the things that we used. I don't think that they sing as well for perhaps they have not had the music to learn only by wrote.
I had rather of a dull Thanksgiving the dinner was all that was good or lively and that did
not last long I had my usual work to do of pulling off old bandages and putting on new ones
making flax seed poulticeses etc.
etc. I thought of what Charles said in
his letter about being at home and having a good time. I wonder if mother had a chicken if so
did Frank eat any of it. I hope he and all the
[page 3]
of you are well Charles Otis told me
in his letter that he and his brother Henry were coming up to grandmothers to spend
Thanksgiving I hope you had a good time with them if you were up there [deleted: with
them]
The Sabbath Schools had their Anniversary at the German Reform Church last evening. I made
some inquiries about the entertainment during the meeting and
understood that it consisted in singing speaking
pieces answering questions from the bible. the last mentioned
performance is something new in the way of entertainment I was told that one little girl I
think it was that answered more than one hundred questions and a little boy that could tell the
Chapter and verse of any passage that might be read. I think there are
not many little boys that can do that he must have studied the
scriptures much of his time during life
[page 4]
Enclosed you will find a ring which I think will fit some of your fingers it is one that I made from pine laurel that come from Manassas. I think that it is quite [deleted: a] pretty some of the little girls that come to the hospital ask me to make them some but I cannot get time. I did make Ellen Bell McCellan- a little girl about two years old, a little ring and put in her middle name she was pleased with it. but it will not do to make any more for them For all the little girls in town will want one. I cannot write more this time. I hope this will find you in good health.
Write soon as you can find it convenient and as much sooner as you have a mind to
From your Father
Lauraman
to Serena E. Russell
