Hiram Weller, 6th New York Cavalry, Letter, 10 July 1864, Confederates in North

Description

Hiram Weller, Private, Company "E", 6th New York Cavalry, letter home to his sister, 3 pages, 10 July 1864, from Lincoln Hospital, Washington, D.C. Weller writes about war news and gossip while he is being detailed to work in the hospital, talks of the Confederate invasion in the north during the Valley Campaign, Sheridan arriving in Washington, the Confederate's intention to cut the railroad and troops leaving New Orleans for Grant's Army, in full (some spelling corrected):
"
I am detailed here to dress the wounds and give out the medicine.  I am pretty busy you may believe.  I was downtown yesterday and had a pretty good time.  There is some stirring news here this morning- it is that the rebels are all around Washington and that they drove our forces into Baltimore.  General Sheridan arrived here last night with our cavalry and I think the rebels will have some fighting to do in a few days for when he gets at them with our Cavalry Corps he will make them fight and I would not be surprised if the rebels did not leave in a worse fix than they came in Maryland.
It is all quiet in the Army of the Potomac at present but in a few days there will be such a move the rebels never heard of.  There has about 30,000 troops left New Orleans for some point and I would not be surprised if they were for Grant.
There were two deaths here last night but there has been none in our ward yet.  Tell Mother that she had better not start for here now, not until the rebels are driven out of Maryland for it would not be safe.  I expect they will try and cut the railroad between Washington and Baltimore, therefore she had better not start.  I may remain here a long time and she will have a chance to come...
"
Fine condition, very small separation at end of one fold.
Hiram Weller enlisted into the 6th NY Cavalry in October of 1861, he was captured at Spottsylvania Court House on 30 April 1863 when the 6th was in Stoneman's Cavalry during the Chancellorsville Campaign, was soon paroled at City Point and rejoined his regiment.  He re-enlisted at the end of 1863, was promoted to Sergeant and in June 1865 he joined the 2nd New York Provisional Cavalry which existed briefly at the end of the war with the consolidation of the 6th and 15th Cavalry regiments.  Weller served for four years.