_Sunday, February 4, 1866_.--Harewood Hospital again. Walk'd out this
afternoon (bright, dry, ground frozen hard) through the woods. Ward 6
is fill'd with blacks, some with wounds, some ill, two or three with
limbs frozen. The boys made quite a picture sitting round the stove.
Hardly any can read or write. I write for three or four, direct
envelopes, give some tobacco, &c.
Joseph Winder, a likely boy, aged twenty-three, belongs to 10th
Color'd Infantry (now in Texas;) is from Eastville, Virginia. Was a
slave; belong'd to Lafayette Homeston. The master was quite willing he
should leave. Join'd the army two years ago; has been in one or two
battles. Was sent to hospital with rheumatism. Has since been employ'd
as cook. His parents at Eastville; he gets letters from them, and has
letters written to them by a friend. Many black boys left that part
of Virginia and join'd the army; the 10th, in fact, was made up of
Virginia blacks from thereabouts. As soon as discharged is going back
to Eastville to his parents and home, and intends to stay there.
Thomas King, formerly 2d District Color'd Regiment, discharged
soldier, Company E, lay in a dying condition; his disease was
consumption. A Catholic priest was administering extreme unction to
him. (I have seen this kind of sight several times in the hospitals;
it is very impressive.)
_Harewood, April 29, 1866. Sunday afternoon_.--Poor Joseph Swiers,
Company H, 155th Pennsylvania, a mere lad (only eighteen years of
age;) his folks living in Reedsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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