From George Hector Tyndale   May 20th 1863

Philadelphia May 20^th 1863

My dear John

In my idleness here I should sooner have acknowledged yours of the 12th April.¹ Just now, however, Mrs Tyndale² hands me a letter to send you³ and this brings me to the writing. I am much obliged for your kindness and interest in me. Your pride makes me stronger, though I feel it is too high for me—this is really so. In fact I have done much less than very many others, some of whom have been deservedly well named, others not known. It is, however, natural for me, your kinsman, to speak of my own doings (even if it be vanity) as of more interest than another’s to you. And so with my wife. Indeed when a man is housed up or confined to a small society he naturally magnifies his own little circle of events. However I am sincerely glad if anything I’ve done has given you prideful pleasure.

After sending my last I was sorry to have said anything of Mr Debus, at least to have said what I did,⁴ but, in truth, I cannot, and do not desire to, speak calmly of this War, it’s causes and it’s results. It has been more than my life to me, and to all real Americans it is the same. Without claiming more than common nature I can say that I think nothing of men, individual men, comparatively, but wholly of man. My social condition, my advancement, my blood, my individuality is nothing (even to as selfish a man as myself) compared with this greatest and best of Governments. One which has ameliorated every other and which in such a country as this has blessed and cheered millions of the Juggernaut-crushed. And we too have our Juggernauts, but they are lighter and fewer than the older ones. I claim for this country a basis of the results of science and of faith in religious liberty.

Feeling this I cannot accept anything for myself if it be in the road, as an obstacle, to a love for this country and its government.

Please make my kind regards to Mr Debus, who as an earnest & truly religious seeker I greatly respect. Give my kindest love to “Tom” Hirst and tell him we, Mrs Tyndale and myself, often speak of him with the kindest remembrances. It may again happen that we shall meet, as if I get out of this war alive, I may visit Europe again, but if not, then one of the pleasantest of kindly feelings to the Earth will be to the genial, kindly face and heart and the earnest, honest soul of Tom Hirst—may his shadow never be less.

I am still awaiting orders and to be assigned to a command, but our armies are new and large and it requires time to place individuals.

We are all much interested in hearing of our distant relatives on the other side the ocean. Perhaps some day, should life continue and fortune smile on me we may see each other.

Mrs Mitchell⁵ is well as are all my brothers and sisters.⁶ Not promising quick replies, I shall always be glad to get a letter from you.

Aff[ectionate]ly yours as ever | Hector Tyndale

RI MS JT/1/T/56

RI MS JT/1/TYP/5/1655–6