He Died Easy and Happy - 52 Ancestors #21

The letter no wife wants to get. A fellow soldier wrote to Harriet C. (Bean) Brown to let her know her husband had died in a hospital in Louisiana. Simeon F. Brown was serving with the 12th Maine Infantry, Company D. The image quality, handwriting, and spelling leave a lot to be desired but here is my best attempt at a transcription. It is a kind note and I wonder how well Harriet knew the author. Simeon was buried first at Cypress Grove and later moved to Chalmette National Cemetery. His name is on a tombstone in the East Bethel Cemetery where his wife is buried. 

Caselton Camp Parish? 

in ?  5, 1863

Madam: 

It is with regret

that I pen you a few 

lines informing you

of your Husbands + my

Friends Misfortunes in 

Ware abroad as well as at 

home life is not but a dream

here to day + thare tomorrow

You have been aware of 

his sickness. When he 

was first sick he was 

taken to the hospittle at

Caselton only 2 miles

from our incampment.

I was often to see him 

but he had to bee removed 

to the Marine Hospittle that

being at New Orleans at

this phase they have things 

in good shape. The nurses

are all ? + are

called Sisters of Charity

+ no doubt but he had good

care. His disease was the 

Swamp Fever with the diarhierr. 

He has gone to the land of

dreames + is better off 

thare no doubt. He left ous

about 11oc P.M. Jan the 9. 

I was not thare at the

time of his death. I have 

seen the Doctor + his nurse

she (scribble) told me that he

was not in no very great

pain + died easy + also

happy. You may think that 

strange by not receiving

newes before but I have 

been waiting to get his

money to send home

but not nowing when 

we shall get paid ??

I now give you the 

response. I tride to get 

his clothes to send to you 

but owing to thare being

no recriasion (requisition?) being maid

out I could not get them. 

This was owing to the

neglance of our Officers

Thare is between $60 + $70 dollars

coming to you + I will 

be forwarding to you as soon 

as we are paid off

+ now I hope you will

excuse the neglance of 

me not riting before

my best respects

to you Madam + 

????. Write me

soon as you (get - scribbled out)

receive this + I will

give you more particulars. 

Give my respects

to Orpha + ??

my health is good

I must now go

on drill ? the

same as usual 

Your Friend, 

James K. Pinkham

Page 1

Pages 2 & 3

Page 4

Simeon is the ancestor of my grandfather, Clayton L. Blake.