January 21, 1863
To Geo. K. Wheat, Rev. R. V. Dodge and others of the Soldiers' Aid Society of Wheeling, Va.
Gentlemen: - I herewith submit to you a statement of clothing and provisions entrusted to me for the benefit of our country's sick and dying soldiers in the hospitals at Cumberland, Md.
I have relieved five hundred (500) in want of clothing. One-third of them were Ohioans, one-third Virginians, and the remainder from the other States. Numbers of them were destitute of any change of clothing whatever. I found that the supply of clothing would be inadequate to the pressing demands and therefore thought it best to have the clothing belonging to the soldiers there washed, some four or five hundred were relieved in this manner at the expense of fifty dollars.
In provisions, I relieved the most pressing wants of over one thousand. 15 bbls. of potatoes, 12 of green and 5 of dried apples, 2 of onions and 1 of butter, with canned fruits of various kinds, tomatoes, also mitts, gloves, handkerchiefs, towels and many other articles so necessary to sick soldiers, these I distributed to the best advantage among them.
I also distributed for other societies and kind friends, socks, shirts, towels, handkerchiefs, canned fruit, chickens, domestic wines and many other articles.
In behalf of the suffering soldiers I thank you, for your timely aid. The warm thanks of the soldiers if you could have heard them and seen the grateful looks of those too weak to express their thanks in words, you would feel amply rewarded for your trouble, through the means furnished by you and others I have been enabled to relieve some suffering and yet there is call for more aid.
I am yours respectfully,
Jacob Hornbrook.
Wheeling, Jan. 14, 1863,
Published by order of the Executive Committee of Soldiers' Aid Society.
S. Laughlin, Sec'y.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: January 1863