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[Rome?] September 12, 1862

[?] Friday Morning

Darling Mother,

I was so glad to get your last letter which

came [of?] last mail day, it seemed a long time since I

had heard from you all, and our letters do not seem

to go straight - for it has been much more than two

weeks since I have had a letter from my sister, and I have written

to her twice since her last - except one which came a day

or two ago, dated the 26th of June. The same mail which

brought your letter brought me one from Father, saying we

had good reason to think dear Charley was safe. God be prais-

ed for that. I confess I could not greatly rejoice over our

glorious victories until I heard that. What glorious victo-

ries they were. I wonder what Gen Lee thinks of volunteers

now, in the beginning of the war don't you remember with

how much contempt Mildred used to speak of them and

said her father said they could do nothing against reg

ulars? How glorious for our gallant army to be in Maryland

now the poor oppressed people there will have a chance

to throw off the heavy yoke they have been groaning

under, and show that they can strike for freedom. I

shall be much disappointed if there is not a great rise

in Maryland, for I feel as if the state were more nearly

related to VA than any other in the confederacy. But how

is our army to be provisioned there can Maryland supply

its wants, certainly that part of VA nearest to them

will not be able to send much. Saturday morning Mrs. [F's?]

sister, Mrs. Atkinson, lost her little baby - just a year old last

Wednesday from the effect of measles, and just after I went

into school yesterday morning they sent up for me to come

down to the funeral. Mrs. F had been down there for a week

Mr. F was sick in bed, and Maria had never had the measles

so Mr. [Bowling?] took me down in a buggy, and I did not get

get back until dark and then had to go to bed with a head-

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ache so I will not get my letter ready before Monday's mail.

Father did not tell me a word about any letter from

Aunt Ann. What did she say? As to flannel, I do not expect

I can get it, at least there is none now at any of the stores, or

yarn, and Maria tells me she does not think they ever have

it for sale, everyone just weaves or has woven for their own

family use. Nor are there any goods of any kind at present

at the stores, but the merchants are now all at the south

buying. I could not get gaiters* for Nina, but got a very good

pair for Sister at 2.12 1/2 with the heels. I can get thick shoes

made in the neighborhood for about 6.00 too. But later in the

fall Mr. F is going to buy leather and have shoes made by one

of his own servants for Mrs. F and Maria and I reckon I will

have a pair made for me too and that will be cheaper. I shall want

a dress this winter, but am doubtful what to get. Sis writes me that

she wants to get a silk, but I think a less expensive one would do

for me. I thought my grey dress would do for [every?] day and if

sleeves or body gave out I would take the [?] and [renew?] it

and my bombazine** for a bit and then I would get one for be

tween. My calico is gone entirely. I shall have an opportunity to send

Sister's shoes to Richmond week after next. I will send hers and Nina's

share of the bombazine left from our dresses which I find

my trunk. I have had a good deal of trouble with Maria in

school this week. Have had to [talk her trick?] while she doesn't

speak to me as she did, I think I shall get the upper hand of her.

Willie gets on finely, gives me no trouble at all. I have taken them

rides on horseback this week, Maria, Willie, and myself. We have

no side saddles, so we put gentlemen's saddles on our horses

turn the stirrup over and gallop away as much as one can

as if we were on side saddles. Wednesday we got caught in a

drenching rain. I don't think there was a dry thread on

one of us, but we did not take any cold. I shall ride again

this evening unless it rains. I am sorry the socks are so small

and I have nearly finished the third pair the size of the large

est I sent - but will knit the fourth still larger. So the

peaches were all rotten. Mr. F went straight to Richmond but

was sick in bed four days after he got there. Mr. [Chambliss?]

the widower is very ill with typhoid fever. I have not seen

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Mr. [Ned?] since the peaches came, nor had [?] any visitors

last week. I got a letter from Sister last night. I [?] she

and Nina have been flirting with the soldiers quite exten

sively. Ask Nina who Mr. Scott is. [?] [?] she never told me

anything about him, and I tell you all of everybody I see.

Were you not distressed to hear that they had burnt so much of

dear old Winchester? I hope that we will burn Philadelphia

for it. I am emboldened to express such a wish by a conversa

tion I had yesterevening with Mr. White the Presbyterian

minister. Mary Pritchard, Pam Baird, and myself were stand

ing in the porch at Mr. A's talking of the war, when Mr. White

joined us and asked whether we were getting blood-thirsty

and as we hesitated he said if it would help us to express our

opinion he would confess that he was, that he would like

to see every man who joined the northern army killed, and

their country laid waste with fire and sword as ours had

been. He is just suffering from the death of his Brother

Captain Hugh White, killed in the last battle. You may have

seen a notice of him in the paper. I like Mr. White very

much, he is a very intelligent man and very fine preacher.

I never had any conversation with him until yesterday.

I hope Sis will get the situation at Mr. Harris's. I would

think it would be a pleasant one, and the duties light, if they

are good children. I should not be surprised if they wanted me

to take [Nannie?] Baird next year, and if they do I shall not

object - as it would I suppose increase my salary, and I think

to have a smart girl to study with Maria would be an ad-

vantage to her. Nannie judging by her Mother has been [?]

ing and heard part of a most beautiful, comforting sermon

from Mr. White from the text, "The righteous hath hope

in his death," but we did not get there until some time

after the sermon began. On the way we met Mr. John Tucker

who had come down in great haste for Mrs. Baird to go

up to Richmond to see her son who is extremely ill in the

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Hospital with typhoid fever. Col Baird is there. They wanted

to start today but Mrs. B was too sick, she is in just

such a state of health as Uncle Fred was for years.

I feel so sorry for her, she is so gentle and lovely, and this

son is the pride and stay of the family. They have only one

other son, and he is a little child and they are fearful deficient

in mind. But she has the greatest of all comforts, he has been

for many years a member of the Presbyterian church and distin

guished for his piety. Mrs. Tucker stopped to see her as we went

to church and said she seemed completely crushed by Henry's and

Mr. Chambliss's illness. She will start tomorrow if she can be

carried. Willie has come up and is chattering so I can scarce

ly write, and when I don't answer, he says, "well if you don't

talk to me I will kiss you." So you must excuse all

mistakes, and this paper bought in the neighborhood

is so horrid I can't write decently. Give much love to Nina

and Sis and unto the latter I will write to her soon. I hear cou

sin Mary Lee has gone to the hospital in Richmond

as a nurse, but I have not seen anyone from their's for

some time. We will have church on Thursday next

Thanksgiving. Write as soon as you hear anything from

Charley. Mr. [?] [?] Lee's Headquarters are at Fredericktown

[Stewart's?] in Pennsylvania, and that Lee says the country

there furnishes abundant supplies for the army, for

confederate money, and the soldiers coming in, in the

manner they had been led to expect. Write soon

to your loving daughter,

Hattie L. Powell

• I looked up "gaiters" and determined they are a type of shoe popular with women in the 1860s.
  • I looked up "bombazine" and determined it is a black silk fabric used in mourning wear.