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Monday Feb 2nd 1863

My darling Brother

I rec'd your letter Saturday & was thankful to hear that you were well, but you know I am disappointed & all of us are that you cannot come home, still we will not complain but trust all things to Him who ordereth all things [well?] & who never forsakes his children who trust in him. I hope you will not have to move, but if it must be so, we can but do the best we can & hope for the best. & Maybe if you had come you might have taken the small pox, it is all for the best, if we can't see it. Mr. Dick Winston died Friday night with small Pox, but they say he would in all probability have recovered if he had acted prudently. Cousin John Patterson has got it too, but had not been sick much when [?] wrote, I am so sorry for them all. None of them go in the Office where he is, but Cousin [Lam?], & he stays in there & does not go in the house at all. Mr. [Holding?] brought your things back the last time he went to Richmond & sent them home Saturday. I felt so bad to see them, we have not opened them yet, but they do not look like they have been disturbed. I wish you could get them, but you must keep a good heart, we all love you so dearly & think of you so much [Bettie?] joins us in best love to you, & says you must look out for Lonnie, he belongs to the 1st N.C. Calvary Co. H. & was some where about Culpepper C. H. last week, I wish you could hap pen to meet. All of us are well as usual. Charlie has not walked any yet, but his leg has grown together good & strong, I believe. Mr. Stone thinks of going back to his Regt.the last of this month, he is down stairs now, comes down right often. I thought of you so much during the snow & wondered how you were getting on. Mrs. Jones/ Ma's Mother/ is here, & told us of Ben's death. Cousin Robert heard he's now sick & went for him, but did not find him until the day after he was buried. We are very anxious to hear if you have moved, & how you are situated. Maybe some chances for you to come home will yet turn up, before long, I truly hope so. [Limon?] & all the children join me in love to you, we are so thankful to get your letters, & you are very good about writing, when we hear where you are, will try again to send your [clothes?]. May the Lord be your Guardian & friend, & keep you from all harm is the prayer

of your devoted Sister, Vic

Dearest Tom,

Since I finished my letter, [Tink?] has come from the Office & brought me your good & kind & most welcome letter in [closing?] the papers & envelopes, for which I thank you kindly, as well as for the precious letters, they came in very good time, for we were nearly out & there is none for sale about here, you are so good & thoughtful, when I send your letters just now I thought surely I had never loved you so dearly before & it is a continual source of gratitude & satisfaction to us to think what a brother you are. We know the temptations & trials of a soldier's life, & to know that you rise [emperious?] to them & are the same, dear, Christian brother, is a [?] of mercy to our hearts during our separations, & a never failing comfort in all trials. I will answer your letter in a few days, bur could not end this one off without breaking it open to thank you for yours, our [respects?] to your best friends, & love without measure to you.

Affectionately, Sis Vic