January 26, 1865---"I resign’d myself . . . To sit by the wounded and soothe them . . . " *

JANUARY 26, 1865:                   

Walt Whitman served as a civilian male nurse during the Civil War. Now widely acknowledged to be gay, it is unknown whether Whitman had any lovers during the war, but it is known that re routinely corresponded with a select few of his former patients, openly acknowledging his affections for them. He wrote to many for decades.

Whitman, some years after the Civil War. 

On this day, Christopher and Maria Smith, the parents of Bethuel Smith Second U.S. Cavalry Company F, write to Whitman on their son’s behalf. Whitman had nursed Bethuel in late 1863. Their letter (as written) reads in part:

Mr. Walt Whitman, 

Kind Sir we have received your kind letters and perused them with much pleasure we will assure you that your letters will always be very acceptible with us your Comrad Bethuel Smith has gone . . . to work by the Day . . . [H]is health is not very good yet . . . ]H]e will rite when he gets home we have got your papers you sent and thank you for them . . .  [W]e think the war will last four long years more at least . . . [W]e have three sones here that will be liable to the draft and two in Pennsylvania . . . 

Bethuels wounds are all sound and well . . . but has not got well of the diaraee . . . he has had it ever since he was wounded . . . [I]f you [k]now of any . . . cure . . . i should like to have you write what it is [.]

[P]erhaps i have rote enough at presant we live in hopes we may see each other yet if our lives are spared 

this from Bethuels father and Mother 

* The title of the post is taken from Whitman's poem "Drum-Taps," published in 1865