General Hospital No. 19. Ward 2,  

Nashville Tenn Oct 18/64

Bro. Sister & Mother,

I am yet in the hospital at this place & do not know when I shall be able to get away. I am gaining strength very slow, my sickness is similar to that of two years ago--I have very hard night sweats, but am able to be up all day. I have a pass to go where I please in town every afternoon from one to four o'clock. I wrote you last Friday from this place, also to Lafe at the same time. I have not heard from him yet nor from the regiment since I left them at Franklin about 20 miles south of this place, I think they can not be very far off, the next two days & nights after I left them it rained all the time & raised the streams so they probaly could not travel as Forrest had been ahead & destroyed the rail road & bridges, he made out to get south of the Tennessee River just in time to save him self as the water was riseing when he crossed. a few hours makes a great difference in an armys crossing streams. So much of the country lies edgewise that the water all runs into the valleys, & cause the streams to rise in a few hours so as to the impassible for a number of days. as for war news I do not hear any more than when I was at home, here in the hospital we get a paper about the size of the Statesman, every day with about three fourths filled with advertisements, for 10 cts.

I met Tommy Cave on the streets yesterday. he is as black & tough as ever. is doing duty at hospital No 8, in this place, said he would call & see me. I have not heard from Fletcher since Henry Winters came, before I left Lookout Mountain I sent Mother a picture & would like to know if she has got it, also if you received the money I sent from Jackson & my certifficate of credit from Indianapolis. There are about three hundred patients in this building they are going & comeing every day. to have died in this ward since I have here. it is a poor place for a person that is very sick, so many in a room & so much walking around by the nurses, which cannot be avoided,  

The U.S. Christian Commission are doing a great deal for the sick & wounded soldiers. there is either one or two ladies that come through the hospital every morning calling upon the patients (especialy those not able to be up) furnishing them either paper, envelopes, thread, wine, soups, crust coffee, or anything in the way of light diet they think they can eat,

A person must have stomach as strong as a small mule to stand full diet, for breakfast we get potatoes, bread, strong coffee, sometimes butter. dinner beans, bread pudding, meat, bread, & river water. Supper dried apple sauce Bread & what they call, tea, I have just commeced on full diet. do not know how I shall stand it but live in hopes. Write as often as you can & Oblige Yours Truly--Bro--& Son E F Alvord

sent to : Asa R. Alvord, Athens, Calhoun Co., Michigan

Postmarked: Nashville, Ten., Oct. 14, 1864