1862-12-26 letter from Meeker Griffin to his father and mother

              Meridian Hill Dec 26th 1862
                  Camp of the 56th
                      Dear Father &
Mother I take this opportunity again
of informing you I am well & like 
the Business[.] I am at Hoping this 
Will find you all Well[.] We removed 
to this place a few Days since
from Kalorama Heights & now We 
are near our Barracks[.] Which are
nearly completed[,] we have lost
only one man out of out of our Co but 
the other Companys have lost
more[.]  Co I has lost 5 men with 
Small Pox & other Diseases[,] the first 
Artillery has lost 3 men[.] all together
we have lost about 20 men[.] I suppose 
the Boys from our place are all well
now John Summers[Somes] has been sick
John Schoonmaker has had the 
varioloid (1) but all is well at Present[.]
one man Died in the First 
Artillery last night he has been 
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(1)-varioloid: a modified mild form of smallpox occurring in persons who have been vaccinated or who have had smallpox.