Newark Dec 13th 1864
My Dear Mother
I have
received no letters from you now for over three weeks I have writen five times I can not guess the reason, if you intend to stop all corispondance please write and tell me so. I have been examined once to go to the Front but was not sent & do not know how long I may have to remain here. The hospital is pretty full and I have a great deal to do. We are having cold wether here now and have had good Sleighing for the last few days, the river has froze up several times but owing to the tide it is broken up again almost as soon as it is frozen. I have not been to New York for several days but shall go again tomorrow I wish to go to central Park and see others skate if I can not skate my self but I guess I shall be apt to take a little myself for the benefit of my health. Well I am pretty well and do not Cough much now but am confined in the Hospital most of the time for I am kep so busy that I can hardly get 4 hours — together either night or day to be out side of the Guards. I wrote in my last letter about the Discharges and that I probably shall not get one but I may next month if I am here when the Discharges are made out. I made out 6 Discharges & when General Dix signed them he complimented the Penmanship & Dr Calhoun our Surgeon in Charge sent me a Card of thank for the compliment he received for me from Gen Dix. Well I do not know as I haw have much much more to write but if I can get no answer from you I do not see as it does much good to write. Oh I forgot to mention that me we are going to have a cource of Siantific Lectures here in the Hospital to the soldiers by several Distinguished men from N. Y. & Boston. Well Good By for this time & remember this is from your humble & Aff Son
S. F. McOmber
Curator’s Comments: Although this letter is not as expansive as Spencer’s letter of a week earlier, it still reveals a young soldier who is enjoying life working in a military hospital. Spencer does complain of a lack of letters from home and he describes the onset of winter weather. There is some talk of discharges from the hospital to return to active duty and Spencer wonders if he will soon be discharged.
Still he talks of going to New York’s Central Park to watch people ice skate and perhaps join in. He is looking forward to a series of scientific lectures that have been arranged for the soldiers. And McOmber is proud of compliments he has received for the quality of the penmanship in his reports. (Would that he had used that excellent penmanship when writing these letters home!)