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Rome November 16th 1862

Sunday Morning

My dear Father,

Yours and dear Mother's letters reached

me last Wednesday while I was enduring one of my

worst colds, taken that cold snowy day, and were no

small comfort to me, for feeling badly myself, I thought

everyone else must, and was fearful you all would have

typhoid fever; I do not feel very easy about you now, but

I hope you will escape. I am glad to hear Chapman and

Powell are getting along so well. They were fortunate in hav

ing both diseases so lightly. You get tired of a rest very

soon, you see we ladies have the advantage of you we can

always find something for our hands to do though you

will not think mine have been very industrious when

I tell you I have not finished Cousin Dicks gloves yet.

I gave your message to Willie and asked him what he

thought Mr. Powell would say when I wrote him that

he had let me get sick, he was greatly disturbed, but in

sists that he did not let me get sick, God made me sick.

He always asks whether my letters said anything to him, and

always calls my hands, his hands, he asked me some days ago

to tell you he could not get his hands any day but Sunday

now, they work so hard all the week, "not even while you is say-

ing our lessons." I used to let him hold my hand while saying

his lessons, but he got to fretting when I would take it away, so

now I don't let him touch it until his lesson is finished. He

has been greatly disturbed at Mr. Ned Chamblis coming here

so often lately, and when Mr. Pritchet sent me word the other

day that he had made the acquaintance of several of

the Wincester young ladies, while there, and was coming

to see me to tell me of them, he said with a very anxious

face, "Ma I wish you would not ask so many mens to

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come to see Miss Hattie, if you don't mind some of them

will be courting her. We are very anxious here now for news

from the army. A gentleman near heres got a letter from

his brother who is in Stewart's calvary, yesterday, saying they

had been fighting for eight days, had had horrible times

and mentioned several from this county who had been killed

wounded or taken prisoners, but he can't hear where he wrote

from. The papers give us no news at all, though I see our report

that Jackson has gotten possession of Snickers Gap, which

if true I should think was a very important position

gained. I am afraid our army is suffering greatly if all

accounts are true for proper clothes and blankets, for the

weather here even is so damp, chilly, and disagreeable

I don't know what it must be among the mountains.

All our beautiful leaves are gone and the woods look

brown and [?], the wind sighs through the leafless trees

and every thing gives token of the approach of chill, cold

winter. We have had only two pleasant days since our snow

storm, I have only been out of the house once, and then I

increased my cold. Today most of the family have gone to

church, but it was so damp, and I have to have the window

open by me, so Col Tucker thought it would not be prudent

for me to go, and I had to stay. I was disappointed for Mr. Baird

was to preach for us and I like to hear him. The house has

been full of company all the week. Yesteday week all the

Baird family came over and staid until Monday evening

and Monday morning Mrs. Hardeway, and Miss Mitt

Cather friends of Mrs. Tuckers from Dinwiddie came and

are here still. Miss Mitt went to church this morning with

Mrs. T. but Mrs. Hardeway is sick in her room with a

ringing in her ear. Then on Wednesday Mr. Goode, an old

bachelor Uncle of Mr. Bollings about 65 or 70 came,

he never was known to stay, but one day before, but he is

so violently taken with Miss Mitt, that he has not gotten

off yet, though tomorrow is his court day, a court which

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he says he has never missed in his life. He is a very singular

old man but he likes to be teased and and was greatly amused

this morning at my suggestion that he should miss the

court and take the courting, he insisted upong going to

church with them, though his reason for not going to

Boyton was that the weather was too bad for him to go out

with such a cold. Miss Mitt is very much like cousin Sa

rah, has her face drawn with rhumatism in the same

way but Mr. Goode says to Mrs. Tucker, "Cousin don't you

think she is very pretty? I have a most elevated opinion of her

elevated indeed," poor old man. Don't you think our things

sold very well in Winchester? But I can't imagine when

breadstuffs are so high where people get so much mo-

ney to spend in such things, they certainly are not

necessaries, but there seems to be a greater demand for them

than ever. I am very anxious to see Mr. Pritchard. I think

he can tell me more of the real conditions of people

and things in Winchester than we can get from

[letter?]. But I don't know when I shall see him as he

was brought home sick, and is not yet out I believe.

Cousin Sarah must have worked very hard, and had

a very troublesome time. Do you think there is mail

communication in Win[chester] still. I have had no let

ter from Gettie, Mary [Tiddale?], or either of the Lloyds

since you were here. I do think they might write,

I have written to them all. Mrs. Tucker says do you

have plenty of nice apples, she very often wishes you

had some of hers, and they certainly are very nice. Mil

lie brought me a big one the other day to know if

I could not send it to my Muzzer in a letter.

[Night?]. Mrs. Tucker heard at church today that the fight

ing was calvary skirmishing, protecting the rear of our army

as it fell back from Winchester to Culpepper, but the

skirmishing must have been very heavy, and our army

[clearly?] [?], I should think we must have a

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fight there soon, and a very hard one. I should like

very much to hear from Aunt [Panes?] boys, they are

in Stewart's calvary. I am glad Bob has his appoint-

ment, it will be an advantage to him, in his prof

fession as well as easier place than that of a private.

Give much love to my darling Mother, I do want

to see you all very much, more than I can say, but

I don't let myself think of it much. Tell Ma I have

finished making my dress all except the sleeves, so

I sent her a larger sample. I was afraid to send

it before I sent the dress as I did not [?] [?]

it would hold out. Give much love to Aunt Fan

and Uncle Gordon, Kate, Chapman, and Powell. When will

Uncle Gordon think it safe to resume his school.

I suppose there is no possibility of Uncle William

[......?.....] now I see no chance of getting

situations for Aunt Mary's girls while they re

main in Leesburg, though I think they might

do so if they were out. I am very sleepy now dear

Father, and written a most uncommonly lengthy

letter for me, so I must stop. Do write to me again

soon, both you and Dear Mother. I get mightly

lonesome sometimes, and out of spirits. God bless and

keep you my own dear Father.

Ever your loving daughter,

Hattie L. Powell