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Prince Edward Oct 22nd 1863

Dear Nina,

I know you are scolding me for being so long writing

and I admit I deserve it, but I have been waiting till I knew

what was to become of me next year. I heard Dr. Hobson's child

is still ill so he wrote to me he would prefer my making another

arrangement if I could do so, but I can't so I shall go there the

first of Nov, shall leave here next Thursday I think. Dr. H said he

would have no objection to my stopping the 1st of July even if I did

not begin until the 1st of Nov. I have been hard at work for the

last week on my chemises have all three of the bodies done & the

band and sleeves of one almost finished. I went up to Keysville

and got my cotton gave $3.75 a yd & when I went to cut - it was

so course. Mrs B took it & gave me the same quantity of nice

fine she had gotten before the war. I am making the bands beautifully.

Now I will tell you first of the meeting at Briery, 19 joined, among

them old Mr. Scott, Mr. Overby, Landon, Lizzie, [?], [Lavalette?],

Nannie, Ginnie, Elle, [Josea?], [and Sam?], but not Ginnie Scott. Mr. Overby

and two others were baptized, it was a very solemn scene. Mrs.

B's sister Mrs. Scott & Miss Sara Reid came down & staid

several days & I liked them so much, Mrs. B, Horace, & I are

thinking of going up there Saturday evening. I shall go in to

Uncle F's Sunday & then we will come home Monday evening,

if we go, we are only talking about it now. I have not seen

much about of any of the girls lately, last week it rained

all the time & this week I have had a headache every day ex-

cept yesterday & today & it feels rather [weakish?] yet. We had a

letter from Willie on Tuesday. It was dated near Manassas

Oct 15th, he said they had had a terrible fight the Sunday before

& had been fighting ever since, the infantry had been

driving the enemy before them all day the day before he

[wrote?] all the PE troop were safe, 2 or 3 wounded, but

very slightly, only one [Armistad?] severely enough to stop.

He said he did not know when he would be able to write

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again. Dr. & Mrs. Eggleston are both sick with mysterious

developments. Mrs. E is in bed with hers it being in a most

inconvenient place for sitting down, she is afraid it is a car-

buncle. Dr's is on his ribs as big as his fist & gives him much

pain, he can't sleep except by making himself drunk by

smoking, he don't know whether it is a broken bone or a

carbuncle. As to Mr. David he has disappointed your expecta-

tions as much as Mr. John did [since?], and proved the correct-

ness of my opinion that it was you not me he was com-

ing to see. He has departed me entirely, even been here but

twice since you left and there only for a very short time

has made no more soft speeches to me but talks of you

incessantly, & I should not be at all surprised if he were to

make his appearance at Mr. [S?] some of these fine evenings.

Indeed I think if I were to give him a little encouragement

he would go in a minute, and I have a great mind to do

it too, what do you say? The mortification to me is great [?] [?]

ly, but still I stand it wonderfully well, don't think it has

affected my health or spirits much. Horace is not here this

morning to send you any message, but I must tell you

that he announced on Sunday as we jostled home in

the wagon that he did not reason to get into that old

wagon again until Miss Nina was in there, so Mrs.

B says you must make haste & come back. Mrs. B says

if she only could see you she has the greatest quantity of news to tell

you she is chock full of news, I beg her to tell me that I

may tell you on paper, but she won't, says I could not put

put it all on paper, I tell her I am very jealous, & over

flowing with curiosity but she will have no sway on

me. Miss Lizzie is still on the carpet, has not been over yet

nor succeeded in getting "Mr Davy [Maston?]" over to see her

is waiting for Mrs. Booker to get lonesome. I saw Mr. B [?]

at church two Sundays ago, enquired after you & told me

Mr. James Overby was perfectly facinated with his visit

at Mr. Bookers, much more so than he was with a visit he

& Horace had just paid at Mrs. Dupuy's, it must have been entire-

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ly with you for he was thrown that day & did not even nod his head to me.

It is very mortifying that ones younger sister should cut them out so

entirely, I don't think I will go visiting with you any more, unless you

will promise not to be so captivating. My how Mr. Bass did ask me to

send him a [?] in a letter, I don't intend to tell you though that it

was the [?] & not the letter he was anxious to get. I must stop this

nonsense. thought for I have some work to do. Ma is still at Charles

C.H. & Pa I do not know where he is. When I am gone you all ought

to write to Mrs. Booker. I send Mrs. Stringfellow the receipt for dyeing

that drat yarn & you the samples you wasted. Mr. & Mrs. [Wharry?] dined

here on Tuesday & desired much love to you, & the people at Briery are

always enquiring for you, & sending love. Lou Booker sent me a letter

to you to direct a week ago, I suppose you have gotten it, she is very

jealous of you having written to Lavalette first. Now I must stop, I be-

lieve I have told you every thing I can think of. All join me in

much love to you. Write soon & tell me if you have heard any

thing more of Mr. John, or seen any thing of Mr. David.

Ever your loving sister

Hattie

My direction will be

Care of Dr. J. V. Hobson

Ballsville

Powhatan County

[Sideways across page 2]

I have

found

your gloves

but have seen

nothing of

your hand

kerchcief.

I would

send them

& your

bands by

mail but

I think

perhaps

Ma may

go to Albe-

marles &

if so, think

it would

be safer

to drop

them at

your P.O.