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Chaffin’s Bluff Batteries March 3d, 1863

My dear Wife: -

To-day I fully expected to get a letter from you, & waited all day before writing, and walked up to the Bluff this evening for one, but none came. I am getting almost used to such disappointments now, but become more & more anxious every day to hear from you. I did get a letter though, a good long one from Pattie, with a copy of Bro[ther] Dick’s last letter to Mary, which I will send you in this; and, of course, the copy of Dick’s is really only for your eyes. I was so much disappointed in not getting one from you, I didn’t half enjoy Patties, - wishing all the time it was from my Darling. It is night now, after the 8 o.c[lock]. roll-call, & Jim Davis & I have come down to Perkin’s cave, to get out of the bustle & confusion which now, at all times, reign in our tent. – Jim to read, and I to write. Tom Daniel

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is still with us, (will leave to-morrow or next day) and the three [Tamys?] make in our room eleven. The Capt[ain] has given us permission to build another tent, & Jim Davis, Abe Daniel & I have de- termined to build us a small tent to ourselves, a little off from camp; one over which we can have entire control, and give up the old tent to the rest of the mess. We will take in with us either Sam Graham or Daniel Booker, or maybe both, and have a little, quiet, nice mess off to ourselves. We bought a very good log house yesterday from Mrs. Chaffin, and will set up as soon as we can get it moved down & put up, which will be in a short time. I can then be much happier, & better contented than I now am. The Capt[ain] & Mr. [Court..y?] have almost gotten their house ready to receive their wives – had furniture brought down from R[ich]mond to day – and will in a short time go regularly to house keeping.

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A short time after I got back from my furlough, L[ieutenan]t Ryland got a 30 days de- tail to beat up recruits – we heard yesterday, that he had taken advantage of it, and married a Miss Flowers of R[ich]mond], and would in a few days be back with his bride. I hope Doc, if he succeeds in getting home, will do likewise. There are a good many rumors afloat about changes in our officers at the bluff. They say that our Col[onel] Page has been ordered [by?] the Sec[retary] of Navy, [Stephen R. Mallory] to take charge of a gun-boat – where I hav’n’t heard. Also that there will soon be need of all the Naval officers which the Con- federate States can command to take gun- boats; & that they are offering $500 for [struck-through] bounty for sailors. Sam G[raham] says, Mr. How- ison told him, that in a few months we would have over fifty gun-boats com- missioned. There are so many rumors we don’t know what to believe. – I hope the half of this may be true. –

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You will see from Dick’s letter that he intends making a tobacco crop – I am afraid the articles which are continually com- ing out in the papers may influence you & Mr. Harris to plant another small crop for me this year. I hope he will attempt to make as much as possible – as much as he can manure well. Write about sowing oats, & the clover seed. This I believe, just one year since I first left my dear Home & precious ones to join the army (3d March). Oh, Darling! what an age has passed since then and now both parties seem to be putting out every effort & making every exertion, as if the miserable war was really just beginning in earnest. How long can it last! I look anxiously every day for something in the papers which will fore- shadow peace. I can’t believe that it will con- tinue another year, – even another summer. Have just finished reading “John Halifax, Gentleman.” Don’t like it, but saw much which I would enjoy with you. Didn’t like “A strange Story” well enough to send it to the girls. Have several other novels to read – Cant read anything else here. I am as well as usual – nearly over my tooth-ache. Much love to all – I must [underscored]get a letter to -morrow. This is written in great haste – I wish you could [peek?] in & see Perkin’s bed. It is a box with one side on hinges – he gets in, pulls up the side & bolts it.

[Marginalia] Y[ou]r devoted husband – N[athaniel] V. W[atkins]