Morehead City, NC
Wednesday night—1/2 past 1 o’clock, November 21st 1861
Dear Pa,
I seat myself to perform the melancholy task of informing you that I rec’d a letter from Mr. Hornaday—last night & came to this place tonight at 10 o’clock & found brother very ill indeed–& without I can give him relief soon (which I think doubtful) he can not possibly survive any considerable length of time. Hornaday wrote me that he was sick last week I came down on the 12th & spent two days with him—left him better & went home to see some important cases—since which time he has rather suddenly relapsed & his disease has assumed a violent Typhoid Type—I learn that he has been delirious almost constantly for 48 hours—sleep none at all—his bowels are in a unchecked condition too. He has been having involuntary discharges this afternoon. He knew me when I came in tonight and that was about all. He is in a little office in the lot of Mr. Granger in Morehead City. The family seem very kind & Mrs. Granger has been a mother to him—Hornaday has been with him all the time & also Siney Carter, Oran Hanner & Dr. Dunlap. They have had Drs. Street and Perkins with him since his relapse—till now. Dr. Dunlap has no medicine but has been very kind to him throughout. Hornaday has been his constant attendant and has been a Brother to him.
I left some sick patients & came with my Medicines tonight. I shall remain with him constantly till there is change—nothing shall be left undone that can possibly be done for him.
There are over 300 now in the Hospital & disease is becoming more & more fatal. Leut. Matthews died last week & Frank Siler last night. His remains go up today. I’ll send a note by his Pa Post Haste to you. If possible I shall certainly expect you to come immediately to Morehead City. Stop at Macon Hotel and enquire for Mr. Granger—there you will find me with my sick Brother if still alive—if not I shall make arrangements to have his Remains brought to Chatham immediately.
By getting to Morrisville early in the morning say 3 or 4 o’clock you can come to us the same night—Come without delay.
My little family I left in Craven in care of Mr. Biddle—all well but of course lonely left alone among strangers.
Tell Ma to give herself no unnecessary uneasiness—all shall be done for the Bro that can be done.
In haste Your Son
J.M. Hadley
Source: Original in the collections of the Chatham County Historical Association, Pittsboro.
