New Orleans, La. July 10th, 1862
Dear Wife,
I mail you a lonq letter today, but a very poor one. I have not been able to write a half decent letter this week as I have been worrying about coming home so much. I can't write or anything else. Today is very warm in the city, although healthy. I bought 10,648 pounds of sugar today for W & C. Shall ship it to New York the first opportunity. I paid 4 cents for it (do not say anything about the price). I think we can make a hundred dollars on the total. It will help out some.
The war news is good today. Richmond is taken and 50,000 men. I only hope it is so. Vicksburg our Mortar Boats are storming now , today. They will finish it this week. I think it is only a small job, then they will go to Mobile and finish the coast.
My health is as ever very good. I have just left the table. We had fish, beef steak, sweet potatoes, fresh bread, tomatoes, butter, coffee for dinner. I eat too much. I grow fleshy every day. Going on the salt water done me good. I wish we could take a trip together on the Ocean. We will, I think, sometime as I think, love, of coming to New Orleans to stay next winter if you will come with me. As Capt. Gilbert, who has re-signed, told me if I would come with him, he would come and go into a speci-alty of buying fruit in Ohio and sending it to New Orleans. He will go home next week, I think, on the Steamer and will be down to your house when I come home to make a little visit. He lives in Hebron, is a singing master family, a very nice man but he can't keep a Hotel. His head ain't deep enough.
Lizzie, I write this for to let you know of my intentions of which I think you will be much pleased as I am. You need not mail me but one let-ter more and that on receiving this for I shall leave N.O. on the first of August for home, or as near that time as I can. I will take a Steamer that is going to leave. Mail one letter just as soon as you receive this and then not mail anymore. I will continue to write the same as always. Do not site your expectations too high about the exact time of my arriving home as it may vary from the time I now set for when I come home. I want to go on a government Steamer as it will cost but half price to go that way providing I cannot go by the way of Vicksburg which I think I can. Do not fire the sure of my arrival, but please be patient for I want to come home as much as anybody can. I expect a letter from you by tomorrow or next day as there are 2 Steamers with mail due today, but no dispatch from them yet. The 26th, a Massachusetts Regiment, arrived in the city yesterday from the Fort. All is quiet here. Take good care of yourself until I re-turn and we will both care for one another. Give my respects to all in-quiring friends and to you, as ever, my love.
Your true husband,
Henry S. Lord
Enclosed please find 10 dollars. Buy something for yourself with it.
February 16, 2001
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