p.

Willie Stevens to Rachel Stevens

Douglas Hospital
Washington Aug 23, 1862

Dear Mother,

Thy letter of the 15th is before me, now and demands my attention this morning. I am
very thankful for all such news as comes from home. Letters come to me now pretty directly
and I think I have got all you have sent here and to Carver (Hospital). My health is still
improving, slowly, but my hand is worse, though not as bad as it has been, many times, at
home. It is not painful and there is no soreness about it, but the cords are contracting, so that
it is not comfortable to use the fingers much. My writing shows this plainly.

There is no necessity for putting on the Regt (in the address) when you direct to me as
the Hospital is sufficient. If I were at home, I think should use some of Dr. May's syrups, but do
not care to have them here. I do not use any stimulants now, and my appetite continues good,
without them.

I was out in the City yesterday for the second time since coming to this Hospital and find
myself much better able to endure fatigue, than when I came here, tho' walking three miles is
enough to tire me pretty well.

It is rumored that our Corps et'Armer [?] is at Alexandria today, but I do not give it
credence, yet. If I was sure this was true, I should be tempted to join the Regiment.

The movements of the Army seem very mysterious just now, and I cannot see the
policy, of some of the moves, of the Generals, but hope all is for the best. I suppose McC
{McClellan) is in very bad repute at the North and I am sorry for it, as, in my opinion, he does
not deserve this. I am still confident that History will have to record him one of the greatest of
our Generals, if not the greatest. He has been abused and almost fettered, once or twice, but
has extricated himself and his forces, by manouvers (maneuvers), showing good generalship.
The report is it [to?] supercede him in the coming battle. If so, I shall be almost mad.

[there must be a page missing. the next page picks up with...] ...in the Indian wars.

The author in speaking of the collision, which many think must occur where religion and
warfare meet, makes the following explanations, and I agree with him in the most of it. He
says, 'Here he was, a devout man, teaching righteousness - yet a prominent actor in one of the
most unjust and wicked expeditions ever set on foot and which sent more souls to their last
account than a hundred such as he could save. How he could win honors and promotions by
helping to carry out a scheme, so cursed of God, or enjoy them where won, may seem strange
to the Christian reader. But it must be remembered that if it b conceded that it be necessary
for nations to have armies, the more good men in them the better. A regiment of Christian
soldiers, however, who should assume to condemn the orders of government, and refuse to
march wherever ordered, would be guilty of mutiny. But this is not all; the men fighting in the
ranks is doing no more than the subject out of the ranks. He that works and he that pays for it,
are on precisely the same footing. The tax payer and the soldier are equally responsible.