Genl. Hospt
H of refuge
St Louis Mo
Jan. 15/63
Dear Father
This is now the 15 of Jan & no letters from you yet I look anxiously from day to day but as often am disapointed one month ago to day I wrote mother a letter & have no ans yet neither have I from the various letters writen to the rest of you I have wrote often as twice a week since that time & will continue to write as long as God give me health & strength sufficient & the wherewith to write

I blame you not for I know most that you write but your letters fail to reach me & it may be that my letters do not reach you Doc Hall gets letters some times from there in 3 days after they are writen Doc is geting a long fine he seems to enjoy himself well here my health I think is improving some. yet I have been sweeping some this morning so it makes me nervous so that I can hardly write not being used to exercise we are looking every day for a committee here to examine us & send us all to their regiments that are able to go I am not very particular whether they send me or not I like to stay here very well & would like very well to see the boys in the co I havent heard from Wilson since the last of last month that is direct I had a letter from Capt Dillon on the 7 they were then at Colombus but I guess from what I can learn that they have gone down the river there has been some excitement here about volunteering on board of a fleet they got about 50 out of this hospt the Idea is to give those that have been sick an easer position they are to go on transports which they wil never leave except in time of an engagement they are never to have a knapsack to carry or cooking to do good bunks to sleep in & everything handy it is undoubtedly (next three words illegible) the recruits are mustered out of service then are sworn in for 2 years I have no notion of going into it¹ John Lane is geting better as I can think of nothing more to write at present I wil bring my letter to a close write often I have the rest to write your son
my love to all Allen
remember me at the thron of grace that I may be brought into the ful covanent of grace as it is in Jesus Christ is my prayer

¹ Gary Matthews advises me "these would have been the efforts of Brig. Gen. Alfrew W. Ellet who was forming the Mississippi Marine Brigade. Each unit would be assigned to a gunboat patrolling the Mississippi and tributary rivers and would be landed to pursue isolated Confederate units." He has provided a copy of a letter from General Ellet:

Saint Louis, Mo.,
December 20, 1862

Maj. Gen.H.W. Halleck,
General-in-Chief:

I telegraphed a week ago asking if I could be allowed to enlist men from the convalescents of the hospitals, men who cannot endure the marching and yet are good soldiers for moderate labor. Great labor might thus be done and the brigade soon got ready. Recruiting is very slow. I also want some one appointed to pay the advance and bounty to my recruits. Who is to do it? I am greatly embarrassed from not being able to meet these difficulties. Please inform me immediately.

A.W. Ellet,
Brigadier-General

Other references to the Mississippi Marine Brigade are found in muster roll information about Andrew Soll, another 5th Regiment soldier who was hospitalized at this time.