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Little Rock Ark. June 2nd 1864 Dear Sister Etta
Another week and not a scratch of a pen from you or any one Else. I well
know the reason though, and am sorry that none of my letters have reached you in time to allay those fears which I know must be the result of so long continued a silence on the part of the Post office for I did my duty as promptly as I could. I hope and confidently trust that Ere this you must have received some of my letters and that not many mails distant I will be again gladdened by a letter in your well known hand. Which I need not assure you will be a thousand times wel- come. You well know how hard a task it is to write a letter when one has no letter to answer and were it not that it is my imperative duty to write I would rather wait and see if the next mail does not bring me a letter to answer. but I have already waited too long and so must write at any rate, I fear though I shall lay myself open to the charge of formality which of all things I would wish to avoid.
The calm that always precedes a storm
is now upon us. No news either local or foreign gets to us. We know that movements are being made and that the destiny of our nation hangs upon them. but we know nothing further and the state of suspense which we are in is rendered none the less by our own exposed position. The last news from Grant is to dates of May 22nd and he was they fifteen miles from Spotsylvania, You of course are better posted, but not quite so well prepared to judge, and the work that has been done is all open before you long Ere this will reach you. If Grant is successful we can safely look ahead to a time of peace and count the hours which will intervene between the downfall of Richmond and the time that we can once more return to our homes in peace. Should he not be suc- cessful, hic jacet on some field of strife is our destiny. May He who holds the destinies of nations in his hand look down in mercy now upon our distracted country
All interest in Everything is for the present absorbed in
the deep feeling with which we are watching the action of those two great armies. You can feel as one only can whose whole heart is in the cause, but still you know but little what the feelings of a soldier are in such a time. And I assure you I will not attempt to describe it.
We at present know but very little in regard to
what our own situation is. The withdrawal of the troops from Red River leaves the whole Trans. Mississippi confederate army at liberty to operate on the aggressive and time alone can tell whether they will avail themselves of the opportunity or not. I have but little fears in regard to the result, though I am well satisfied that their forces are very much underrated, or rather have been.
We are fortifying and unless they come soon we
will have the place nearly as strong as Helena and we can then bid defiance to numbers. We Whipped their combined forces on open ground at Jenkins Ferry and we certainly need have no fears behind breast works. You must not cease to write to me at intervals when you do not hear from me as the letters will be respected, at all Events. You know that I am where it is hard work to help open communication Even from our Department Headquarters, and it is just impossible to do so, when out on an expedition. I don't feel very forgiving yet over that mail that the Rebels got that was sent from Camden. They did not get much out of my letter which is one satisfactio[...] I can hardly write at all to day and I am almost ashamed to send this apology for a letter but I may be too busy to write another one soon and I suppose you would rather have Even this poor scratch than none. Do write soon - will you not Etta and do not forget to pray for him who thinks ever of thee. My heart is still yours and Ever will be as long as life lasts. Do write soon and often as I am very anxious to hear from you
As Ever Your Brother John
Miss Etta Adee Barrington Yates Co. N.Y.
