This is the day after the day before! And it was a joy to be with you, Bower, and Stewart again. Also, it was a happy evening at McCurdy's.
I've been going over Forsyth's accounts of the fight on the Rickaree in both The Story of the Soldier and Thrilling Days in Army Life. (I suppose you know both books). All the directions in the latter book are correct, and the changes I suggested in my poem should
not be made. I studied the landscape & lie of the land carefully, and it's all OK. I
was troubled about my line "And northward where the valley was a plain" It
is a flat of a width of about 3/4 mile, as Forsyth describes it. Beyond this strip northward are the bluffs northward as described. I was troubled also about the line "and southward there along the rising land". That too is correct. So don't change anything in
your text of the Wars, and perhaps it would be just as well to destroy my letter. In both volumes by Forsyth the dispatch to Fort Wallace, dated Sep. 19th, says: "I had two members of my company killed on the 19th — namely William Wilson and George W. Chalmers. But here is a funny thing which should make you feel good about the
whole business. In "Thrilling Days etc" Forsyth says "I herewith append the list, as copied from the original roll." He then gives the list. in order
George W. Chalmers is the 9th named, The 37th named is Chalmers Smith!! There are 52 names, including, of cours
, Beecher, Forsyth's chief officer, and Mooers the surgeon. It is hardly possible that Forsyth was mistaken about George W.
Chalmers. It is more likely that Chalmers Smith is wrong. But my guess is that
both George W. Chalmers and Chalmers Smith are correct. It would be interesting to get the roll from Washington. I wonder if it is still available. At any rate, we do seem to have a George W. Chalmers and a Mr. Smith,
both of whom were killed.
I am glad that the description in the Wars tallies with my present knowledge of the terrain about the island.
Do you have a letter of mine in which I tell of my first visit trip to Beecher's Island? I
know there is a letter I recall it, but not the year. It was several years
before the flood of 1926. Was it in 1921 or maybe '23?
I'm going to Lincoln for to do some lovely videotapes for posterity's enjoyment. Isn't this nice of me? I'll be up there Wed., Thurs., and Friday of next week — Sep 6, 7, 8. Will be at Winkelman's. I do hope I can find me a book that I can buy at a reasonable price. I'd love to have a book that I could read and read. It's so culturating for to read a book [?] Don't you?
I just heard of a young lady who is dying of cancer. She told a friend at Christian that she is "living on one of my poems". I don't have the complete report. It sounds most pitiable. My God! Wouldn't it be fun to die if by dying one could reduce the suffering of this world!
I do like you folks a little — not very much (Oh I do too!)
Jno. N.
