New Orleans May 15th 1844
Dear Father

Yours of the 21st was received yesterday
the day after my arrival at the port. I touched at
Apalachicola on my way here but found no letter
from any of my friends - Yesterday morning while
walking along the Levee on my way up in the
city and before I received your letter, who should
I see ahead walking towards me, but John, my first
impression was that it was Charles, as I saw a family
likeness and he being in my mind, having just
written a letter to him; but the smile on the
countenance soon discovered to me who it was - he is
rather thiner then I expected to find him, from
your description of him when at home. John had
heard of my arrival and had been in pursuit of
me all the morning - After making a few friendly
enquires of himself, he informed me the purpose of
his visit, to attend upon Charles who was very
sick, I was much grieved to learn this as I had
been anticipating the pleasure of meeting him here
and probably of his taking passage with me.
I immediately accompanied John to visit Charles,
who I found had been expecting me sometime.
He said he should not of known me as he expected
me to compare more with John. I can distinguish the
features in his present low and debilitated state

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and I think I should have known him had I seen
him in his usual state of health.-He is now
at stone & Kennedy" Private Hospital and has every
care and attention that can be given him.-He is
very weak & low, but John & his other friends think
his case is much better than it was some days
ago for then he was in a very dangerous state.
His tumor is gradually subsiding and I am
in hopes he will now soon be able to gain
strength, as the drain upon his system is gradually
growing less and coming rather more towards
the surface - The great draw back against him
at present is the warm weather. I hope he will
gain in the course of ten or twenty days so that
he may be taken on a steamboat and go to
Cincinnati where the weather is so much cooler, I dread
his remaining here in June and July for he is so
very low now, that then, when the weather would
be so warm he could not stand up under it.
John thinks he will not be able to remain here more
than ten or fifteen days, but it is probable I shall
remain here twenty or thirty days, as I have no
freight engaged and no immediate prospect of
obtaining any. I shall remain here as long as
I can on account of Charles in case he gets no
better - It tends to alleviate the sorrow and disappointment
of Chs. As well as that of ourselves to know we are
here to attend upon and keep his spirits. It seems
previous to John's arrival that he was very, very

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anxious to see some of his friends, though lately I
fear he has seen as many as his strength will
bear. There are quite a number of his friends from
Shongalo here viz Mr. & Mrs. Kirkwood who are very
friendly indeed and speak very highly of Chs-
and Mr Coppenal who is very kind indeed-
Chs seem to grieve to think that he now should
have been at Home in Rye, had he been well and
he had been looking forward with a great deal
of pleasure to this spring - What a great disappointment.
He says he can hardly bear to hear it spoken of.
Thomas's letter was received by Chs. yesterday but
it seems you had not received the account of
his state as you think he might go north in the
ship, he is entirely to low to think of that, and
I fear he will not be able to move even on
a steam boat for sometime to come.
Yesterday I spent the most of the day and part of
the evening with him, but John has nothing
to draw his attention from him and is with him
the most of the time. The flies and musketoes are very
troublesome and he likes to have some one with
him, as I am doing nothing at present I shall
be with Chs. all I can. It is about 1 1/2 to 2 miles
from where the ship is, to the Hospital, but John boards only
a half or quarter of a mile from it - This letter I have
scribbled off in a hurry and have not time to copy
it, if you have any trouble to make it out send it to
Thomas John encloses this to [--?] Lerey for him to forward
Your Affectionate
Son Wm H Parsons

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I shall write you
quite often as I can
have this forwarded
by John. This I may
put in the office
without seeing John
as it is quite time
for the mail to close
My love to
all
W.H.P.