"Your Son is Dangerously Wounded..."

Sunday, May 3, 1863

Surgeon Samuel A. Richardson of the Thirteenth New Hampshire drafted a letter to John S. Caverly, step-father of Nathaniel Caverly Jr. The letter read:

In the Field Near Suffolk Va.
Sabbath day, May 3rd, 1863

Mr. John S. Caverly.
Dear sir, It becomes my painful duty to write you that your Son is dangerously wounded ...

It is not likely that he will live long as his spine is injured by a musket shot.

I asked him if he had any friends to send word to ... & he said write to my father and tell him that "I die trusting in the Lord"

We then asked the Chaplain to pray for him and was sent immediately to the Methodist Church Hospital in Suffolk ...

You receive my deepest sympathy and yet I can but congratulate you that you have been the father of so noble a son who could die for his country blessing God.

I am Sir,
Very truly,
S. A. Richardson
Surgeon, 13th N.H. Reg.

[P.S.]We have had about 60 wounded in our division today. Capt. Buzzell Co. F. was shot dead¹

References:
¹Letter from Samuel A. Richardson to John S. Caverly, 3 May 1863, copy in possession of Carol Swaine-Kuzel.