[CIVIL WAR]. Soldier's letter featuring graphic descriptions of dying soldiers from the US General Hospital in Hilton Head, SC. 19-23 February 1864.

4 pages, 7 11/16 x 9 3/4 in., creased, light discoloration to creases on back page.

The soldier writes to his brother and sister, updating them on his "midling (sic) good health at present," discussing news from home, and commenting on his astonishment that "so many o the old solgers (sic) have reenlisted after passing through the hardships that they have." He continues, expressing his hopes that the war ends soon: "I for one hope the war will close next summer for I am tired of it. I have hurd (sic) tell of a hell upon earth but I never knew what it was by experance (sic) till I entered this horible (sic) war and I think this is a fare (sic) spesimen (sic) of hell upon earth."

The letter takes a macabre turn in describing what happens to the dead bodies of soldiers at the hospital, writing, "I will tell you what kind of a burial the solgers (sic) get that die in the hospitle (sic) as soon as they are dead they are striped (sic) start (sic) naked and raped (sic) in their blanket and then they are carried to the dead house and left there till they can get an escort to go an bury them yesterday morning there was three dead men in the dead house." The soldier closes his letter by asking his siblings to write often and include all the news they can.

Research with letter references a group of letters collected with the one featured here, written by Wilson D. Cooper of the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Cooper sadly died of disease on 24 June 1864, only 4 months after this letter was written.