Letter from Sally A. Kendrick to Jennie Reed, August 2, 1865

In this letter from August 2, 1865, Sally A. Kendrick writes to Jennie Reed, wife of Samuel Reed, discussing the war's end. She states that she is glad it ended "in the right way," with the abolishment of slavery. She also details her congregation's attempts to start a church hospital now that the military hospitals are all closed, and describes her work as a nurse during the war. Kendrick also notes that she has a nephew at Fort Laramie who is in charge of a company of former Rebels, and requests Mr. Reed make a visit if his work ever takes him out that far.

August 2nd 1865

My Dear Friend

Your letter of July 16th was received just as I was starting for Louisville, where I went and paid a short visite [sic] of a week. Yesterday, I went over to Covington to see your friend Mrs. Elwood liked her very much and have the vanity to think it mutual. I have a slight acquaintance with her son. We were together on last Christmas in getting up our Christmas tree. He assisted me in putting up the flags. When I went to find her yesterday I found that she was his mother. Had thought that he was from Chicago before that. I am slightly acquainted with the lady Mr. [Clifford] has married. She was a Miss Mitchel. Was a teacher in St. Paul Sunday School when I first went to that church but soon moved to Delaware this state. There are 4 or 5 sisters of them very fine girls all of them. I expect that she is a good deal younger than he is. I am so glad that your opinion of Mrs. Isett is the same as my own. I shall always think her a pure high minded woman, who if she had have married a good respectable man or had not have married at all would have been an ornament to any society. As it is I pitty [sic] her. So many are always ready to blame the poor woman for all things. I love Mrs. Isett, and always thought it a great pity that she ever saw him.

O [sic] Mrs. Reed I had so much rather sit dow [sic] and have a good long talk with you than to be writting [sic] . I know how much you must miss your husband and how anxious you are about him. Yet you know that he is in the hand of his Almighty Father whose hand is all powerful, that he can protect him there as well as at home, and that the same God who has brought us safely through all of our troubles can return your husband to you and he will too I feel it.

You remember that I wrote that the war would end in the right way; you see that it has, the curse of slavery has been abolished. We are at peace. Yes liberty & peace. All is as it should be. God has brought it about in his own way and in his own time. God be praised. I expect that Mr. Reed brings home many very interesting geological specimans [sic] , & would love to get hold of some of them. Here I have very little opportunity of getting any thing new, though I have by as means lost my taste for it. The weather is dreadfully warm here. Most of my friends have gone east, north, or west. Now that the war is over I have lost my employment, as the military hospitals are all closed. But we are trying to get up a church hospital to be under the controle [sic] of the Episcopal churches of this city and vacinity [sic] . I have been appointed visitor from our church. Hope that we will succeed for it is much needed here, as there are no good hospitals nowhere at all except those under the Romish Church. This should not be so. We are as capible [sic] of nursing as they are and at the military hospitals here our own beloved church sent out more good and efficient nurses than any other church. In the military hospital where I nursed in the surgical ward alone there were four vol nurses, who gave all their time dress the wounds of the good soldiers all of them members of the Episcopal Church. I myself was not even at church for 8 months, but spent the time dressing wounds and taking care of the sick. We can and must have a church hospital. Everything must not be given up to the Romanest [sic] . When do you expect Mr. Reed at home. I hope soon. I have a nephew at Fort Larama [sic] . [Decata [sic] Teratory [sic] ]. His name is Henry Anderson, is a Capt. Has charge of a company that were formerly Rebbels [sic] but were sworn in to our service. Henry expects to be commandant of the post. If Mr. Reed should go that far I hope that he will see him. Henry is about 21 years of age. Good by [sic] . God bless you.

I am your friend,
L.S. Kendrick