Thomas Philip Hull

Private, Company K., 1st Regiment North Carolina Volunteers
Enlisted March 1847 and Discharged August 1848

Served in the Mexican War

COVER: The sheet has been folded into thirds. The top and bottom thirds are folded over such that the middle third forms the the shape and cover of the "envelope." Written on this middle third is the following text. [top left corner] U. S. A. Buena Vista, Mex Augt 16 1847 [bottom, right justified] Edwin S. Hull Esqr Marion McDowell Cty N. Carolina [The number 10 has been stamped in the top, right corner] TEXT OF THE LETTER: August 12th 1847 Buena Vista Mexico Dear Brother I once more take my pen in hand to write you a few lines. I have been very sick but I am now on the mend and think that I shall be well in a short if I have good luck. I am in hopes that this few lines may find you and family well. I have no news to write to you. I only write to let you know that I ain't dead yet. There is a heap of sickness in this regiment and they die from one to three a day though there has none died that came from Cherokee yet but I don't know how survive the many for there is some very sick. We have a great deal of news here but it is camp news and no dependence to be put in it though there came in an express to General Worell [?] yesterday that there was 20 Texans rangers killed by a party of Mexican lancers and some guards to him and this was done about 30 miles from General Taylor's camp, but I don't know what they intend to do about it. Report says that the Mexican Congress has a General and refuses to make peace on any Texan, and we are making preparations to start to San Luis Potosi, and they say that Santa Anna is at the head of thirty thousand men but I don't know how true it is. You know more about it than we do here for it is mighty little that a soldier can find out. All that we know is flying the front. I want you to write to me if you can. From that much time if anybody had of told me that if I wrote five letters to you that you would not have answered nary one, I would not have believed it but I find it is so true. I think that you must certainly have written and you've mislaid or mine was and you not of got them, though I want you to write as soon as you get this and write me all the news and write often and keep at it for I have not had a letter from the States since I left there and I have written about twenty. I have often wished to see a tactical field. My curiosity has been satisfied and when I get back to the States I think that I shall be satisfied with Mexico and a soldier's life though I never complain. There has 3 of our officers gone back there to recruit ____ [fold in letter obscures wording] out of our company. I want you to persuade all of the young men to come you can but don't come yourself nor persuade any particular friend to come, for I don't want any of my friends to come here for this climate will kill any white man. We ___ freeze of a night and burn up in the daytime and there ain't enough wood here to kindle a fire to a haystack. It is perfectly naked as a corn field but I have given you description before. Be sure you write as soon as you get this and direct your letters to Thomas P. Hull Company k first regiment NC volunteers Matamoras in care of quartermaster and then I shall get it. The quartermaster will send all letters to the regiment normal. Yours with respect, Thos P. Hull