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Pr. Edw April 29th 1863
My precious Hattie,
I rec'd your letter with Nina's a few days ago
but as she had just written, I have delayed answering till
now. The weather is so warm now and every thing beginning
to look so beautiful that I hope you will get rid of all
your colds and headaches and get strong and well. I am taking
bitters (a tea) made of sasparilla root, which I think will both
strengthen me to purify my blood. I can use my eyes al
most as usual now and I have finished Nina's [cloak?] sack
I cut up my old black brilliant to line it. I faced it with
old ribbon on the points and the [lesser?] part of the sleeve. It fits
as nicely as possible, but I had to take up every seam
after cutting the lining. I then cut it over before cutting the
outside and then I attached my pattern by the lining. I took
up the [front?] [part?] of the seam under the arm more than
the back, but did not make any difference in the [?].
I fear it will be a long time before we get our things from
Leesburg, as the yankees have possession of Fauquier in such
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strong force, but I reckon we will be able to get along. Nina
will have a [home?] [spun?] and R has some prospect of getting one
now. Did Mrs. T get cotton for Agnes? And will Agnes want
ball dresses? The account you gave me is indeed distressing
but such things will occur. I hope Col. T sold Henry and that
it will be a lesson to the others. [?] that this terrible war
were over and and all things calm and quiet as usual. It is no
unusual occurance here, I am told, for servants to go off
and when they come back no notice is taken of it. Nina tells me
that two of Mr. Barkers were off for 2 months, only appearing
[about?] the quarters occasionally at night to get something to
eat. One of them is off now and yet nothing is done when they
get back. The women here have been off several times. Nothing
unusual has happened here since [?] [?]. We have had no
soldiers and no visitors. Nina went over to Mrs. [?] last Fri
day evening ([Horace?] came came for her] and stayed till Sunday when
she returned from church with us. Willie got a new horse and re
turned to the army on Monday after a furlough of two weeks.
There is so much cavalry skirmishing on the Rappahannock [?]
that I quite dread to heave [?] the [?] these. Mrs. Watkin's son
Is Capt. of the company in which Willie B is. [Mr. Scott?] seems very
nice. He and Willie spent one night here last week. H [Edmund?]
[?] [?] [?] [?]. I have not had a letter from any body
since Nina wrote - not one from your Father for nearly three weeks
[?...............................................................?]
we are all together and that one letter is for all. I have
not heard from Rebecca since she left here. I [?] [?] to [?]
[?] Saturday.