Beverly 9 mo 14/64
My dear Julia
I went to Major
Patter last third day, having
received a message that he
might not live through the
night. I found him very
ill, the wound doing well
but absorption had already
begun & his system poisoned
thereby. Poor fellow, he thought
I could save him, with the
help of Dr Hart, and I was
afflicted that he should so
put his trust in me when
I saw there was no help.
I was with him from early
till late & the most of the
last three nights, his sufferings
I could not described, so
[sideways in left margin]
Ever my dear & dutiful daughter thy loving
Mother
[left side]
so terrible they were. In the
night he often looked into my
face with exceeding tenderness
and said, oh dear Mrs Gibbons
how good you are, he was
so grateful for all that was
done, never complaining,
and submitted patiently to all
sorts of treatment
We talked together
about the trying hour that
was fast approaching, and he sent
loving messages to friends &
near relations with good composure,
he [underlined] longed [/underlined] to live for
he said there was work for
him to do, he said all naturally
& cheerfully until the last
24 hours when his agony became
too great to say much
he knew us all to the latest
moment. His brother, Dr
[right side]
Hart (who married Rebecca Peirce)
& myself sat by him the last three
hours, helping him as we best
could, and when the moment came
how we rejoiced to let him go
His brother remained in the room
the rest of the night with a
Lieutenant Tyler whom he knew
Dr Hart took me in to Joshua
Longstalks where his wife had
a kid prepared for me. She
was kindness itself, she and
Anna Hallowell gave me each
day my bread better, and
more delicious then I could
eat, ever [brids?] nicely prepared,
and but for them,
my strength could not have
held out, as it was I kept
up bravely. The morning after
the death I had a very pleasant
talk with Dr Hart &
Rebecca & her grandfather, after
which they sent me to uncle Ed's
in their carriage. How very
kind Rebecca was, after is the
day she sent in fruit. Anna
Hallowell was with me four
days, she waited upon and
prepared my meals, and was
like a daughter to me, she
is a good & lovely girl.
I wrote to Patter's mother
the day he died, sent them
a lock of his hair & his various
messages. He was a
manly fellow & his latest days
presented a life side I had
never discovered. His
brother said he was the pride
of his mother & only sister and
that the blow would strike
them down. When I first
saw him he was perfectly
delighted, he had told the
Doctor, how he wished for me
I was glad to do what I could
[sideways along left margin]
give my love to aunt Rachel & let me know how she is
