Hillsboro 23rd Nov 1864

Gen Newsom

Dr Sir

I have been absent from home most of the time since the 11th of March and had no opportunity of seeing Dr. Noble formerly surgeon of the 60th till today -- He was at Gallipolis when the Reg was at New Creek & did not join us till afterwards. The ast [Assistant] surgeon resigned and left the Reg while at New Creek. I censured him severely the evening we reached New Creek for not attending to the sick men that evening and told him if he did not resign I should ask his dismissal. We can therefore gain nothing from him. My sick men were taken to the Hospital the evening we reached New Creek Station & I suppose from the date of Lamberts death he did not leave the hospital from that time. The hospital surgeon in charge at New Creek at that time is the only person that can know the disease of which he died, and give the certificate needed. If I had not myself been ill and confined to a sick room all the time the Reg was at New Creek except the brief space allowed for preparation for the march after Fremonts arrival[,] I should no doubt have followed my usual custom of visiting my sick men daily and would have known the disease of which Lambert died -- As it is I am utterly ignorant as to that part of the requirement in a certificate. I might say from the fact that he was in my Reg in the service & was taken to the Hospital at New Creek and died there, that I have no doubt of the disease of which he died being contracted in the service, but owing to the circumstances I have named[,] no one can say of what disease he died save the surgeon in attendance on the Hospital at New Creek at that time. -- I suppose the records of the medical department at Washington City will show who was the surgeon in charge. -- I see no other way of getting at this matter & regret very much that you will be compelled to resort to so usual a mode of obtaining the pension for Lamberts widow. -- If you fail in getting exactly what the law requires, and a certificate from me of the kind indicated -- That is, that Lambert was a member of my Reg That the surgeon was absent from the Reg while at New Creek, That I compelled the Ast surgeon to resign for inattention to the sick of the Reg -- and sent my sick men to the hospital at New Creek, that Lambert was one of the men and I have no doubt died of disease contracted in the service, will answer on the absence of the more direct testimony required, I will only be too happy to furnish it. --

With great res
your most obdt
Wm H Trimble

[Note on bottom of page]
Col Trimble's letter will prove that Wayman Lambert died of disease contracted in the service

A special thanks to Bob Manson for contributing this information. Wayman Lambert was his great great uncle.

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