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Winchester, July 8th 60 [but likely meant 63]
My Dear Hattie,
I have just received
your letter, (as the Dr. acknowledged
that he had kept it in his pocket
for several days) and I hasten to answer it
although we did have a most [?]
[?] [time?] [during?] the Yankees [?]
[?] dear Hattie in these days every
thing is exaggerated and it might have
been [much worse?]. Indeed it [was?] becom
ing more apprehensive every day, when God
in his mercy sent us relief and freedom
[?] [?] it [?] [?] he alone [?]
Nothing I suppose [?] him but man
aged with [greater?] military [?] than
the attack made my [?] upon our
yankee oppressors. One house on [?]
hill was burned by the yankee soldiers
in [?] [?] and mischief. In [Winchester?]
[homes?] 4 or 5 shells [burst?] but no one
hurt. 3 shells burst in Mr. [?] Wall's
[Page 3]
[?] and I do not know how many balls
[lodged?] in his house [but no one looks?]
Oh Hattie - Mr. [Bardin?] is dead, he
died last night. You know what a
loss he will be to his family, the [?]
and [?] [?] the loss. In little more
than 2 years, Maria [?]
[?], and David, and now the kind
husband and father have been carried
off by the hand of [death?]. Poor Mrs. B
is almost overwhelmed by her troubles.
The Williams have gone to N. Carolina
[?] Mary [?] the [?] are
all well again with the exception of
[Mary Beth?] who will never again I
think be [well?]. She is now in [?]
to try the effects of change of air.
[?] poor child is looking [wretchedly?]
The [?] are all well now. [Katie?]
had "the fever" but has gone to a
visit to Mattie Harrison's. Sally is as
lovely and [?] as ever. Your [cousin?]
[?] is up to her eyes in [care?] of the
[Page 4]
sick and wounded, who are now coming
in [crowds?] from the battle field at
Gettysburg. Our victory, if it is a vic
tory has been dearly bought. 4 of our
gallant generals killed and [?] [?]
[?] [estimated?] 10,000 of our men killed and
wounded. Geo Bedinger [charged?] the
[?]. Oh Hattie I have missed you
all so much and have always insisted
upon it that it would have been bet
ter if you had remained in your
home, [?] [?] [?]. We may but
hope that your [ways?] were ordered by
one who cared for you, even as a Father
for his children and who did know that
it was better you should go. I wrote
a very long letter, directed to Rebecca
but I very much fear in the [?]
[?] of my mind, I may have mis-
directed it. I hope not for in it
I mentioned many things that would
interest you all. I told you of the Woods
they are [?], all of them. but they
[Page 5]
have had to suffer as much if not
more than any family in our [?].
If my letter is lost, I will write an
other one. We have all been sick.
The Dr. was confined to the house
for five weeks. Mrs. [Conrad?] to her
bed for 3 and I to my bed for nearly
4 with "the fever" [?] by the [?]
[?] dirty state of the [?] and the
