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Rome November 6th 1862 Thursday Night

My darling Mother,

I received your welcome letter by noon days mail and intended answering it by yesterdays but I did not know how long [Uncle?] [?] might be in [Richmond?] and as you suggested I wrote to him and to Agnes Lee and so did not have time. I was very much shocked to hear of Annie Lee's death. I had not [observe?] the [notice?] in the paper nor heard any thing of it. It is a great grief to her family but a happy [release?] to her. When did you [pen?] a letter to Robert and where is he now? If still in the army I want to send him a cap. I am very sorry to hear that Chapman had typhoid fever and feel very anxious about him and you all; do please don't you and Pa go to getting it. I shall feel very anxious until I hear from you all. I am very sorry [?] [?] has been obliged to break up his school. This fever has entirely gone from here except for one case at the [?]. I don't think [Col F?] had it, he is now off on a four days fox hunt. I am still knitting, have finished 2 caps, one of which I sent to [?], the other I want Mrs. [F?] to send. She is so much interested in the caps she insists upon my knitting them, while she [?] all the old women about the place to knit the socks. We are enduring a spell of dark gloomy weath er and I haven't been able to walk yesterday and today, but a few days ago while Mrs. [?] had gone to the weaver I took Willie and went out into the woods and gathered a basket of the most beautiful leaves and [berries] I ever saw, had a pyramid made up in a plate of red clay [?] and [?] it with them. You can't [?] how pretty it was. I had made one of fall flowers a few days before. The foliage here is more beautiful than I ever saw it. There is a greater variety of trees than [?] have in the upper country. The holly, willow oak, sweet gum, and ma ple are particularly beautiful. I expect a very pleasant day at

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Mrs. [Bairds?]. She said the [Col?] are both away now, and all the rest of the family are coming over here tomorrow evening to stay three or four days. I quite dread it. Las Saturday we all went down to Mr. [?] and spent the day and I stayed and went to church with them on Sunday. I mightly like your mother, in this thing, I have such a feeling of satisfaction when I have been any where in thinking I won't have to go again in so long a time. I have gotten my dress. It was $22 and is considered a bargain at that. It has more white than I like, but I think it is the best I can do. I reckon Aunt [Fran?] got here some time ago [?] us in Petersburg is [?]. I have not begun to make it yet but shall cut it out on Saturday. I am now knitting a pair of gloves for cousin Dick Friday. I was so sleepy last night I did not fin ish my letter, and I wonder this morning whether you are endur ing the same snow storm. A few days ago everything look ed so bright and lovely, and now it looks like the very depth of winter. The ground and houses have about two inches on them and the [trees?] and bushes are weighed down with it. It was snowing when I first waked this morning and it is now 1 o clock and the snow is still falling and is so cold my teeth are chatter every time I go away from the fire. It falls on our loved ones but they do not feel it. Oh Mother I was so thankful to hear darling Brother's grave had not been disturbed by the yankees. I had such a dread of it, in North Carolina they went to Mrs. [Tom Pickens?] fathers place and pulled up the flowers, desolated the grave yard and were prevented from digging up the graves by the [entreaties?] and [tears?] of an old black woman who protested that her mistress had been a good, kind, mistress to her. Buck has come up for my letter to take it to the office so I must stop. Give much love to my darling Father, Uncle [Gordan?], Aunt [?] Kate and the boys. I do hope Chappy is better and [?] [?] do let me hear soon, I am very anxious about you all. Ever your loving daughter, Hattie