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Description- December 23, 1861 letter to William Booth Taliaferro from his wife. She asks about his possible promotion to Brigadier. She is disappointed he will not be able to return home for Christmas and asks if he might arrange for her to visit him in Winchester. The Trent Affair and the reorganization of militia at Gloucester Point are mentioned. She shares news of friends, relatives and servants.

                                                                                      Dunham Massie
                                                                                      Monday Night Dec 23rd "61
                      I was delighted to hear from you on 

Saturday, my beloved Husband, through your letter from Winchester of the 16th. It did not bring the most satisfac- tory accounts of you, except that you were well- and I feel very anxious to hear from you again, hoping that Wednesday's Mail may bring the agreeable intelligence that all difficulties have been happily adjusted by giving you a Brigadier's Commission, and thus placing you out of all danger of being displaced by any Colonel. If such should not be the case however, I still cannot think that Gen. Jackson will allow you to be deprived of the Command you have had so long - especially [?] [?] whose incompetency was so fully displayed and so publicly talked about during that disastrous retreat from [?] [?]. but do not, my dear Husband, resign your present Commission, inadvisedly or lightly or be- cause you have not been promoted - however much you have deserved it. You know we claim, to be [entirely?] above such motives as personal interest in advancement and to be influenced solely by a pure and lofty patriotism - and I know you would never be willing to sit down quietly while the storm of war is going on around you and every body else fighting for our [?] and our very existence - But I am sure you will act conscientiously, and do what you think is right.

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So let me know if you got that box of socks. Cousin Harriet Sheldon who is now much better said that in her sickness it was a great comfort to think that she had knit that comfort for you, and [?] you in socks. They are in the box. This is the fourth letter I have written to you at Winches- ter. I know you [?] at Trav- ellers [Repose?] [?] from your mother too & a long[?] from Phil Arsenal any [?] [?] to Mr. Masons family. You [?] anything of Mr. Powell's [?] [?] sister - The oldest son, a young man of great prom- ise, was killed at Manassas.

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It is a very severe disappointment to me and to the children besides to your other friends to know that you will not be able to spend Christmas with us. We had anticipated with so much intensity the pleasure of hav- ing you with us at that time - the children have their [?] all ready to send off a feu de joie for your return, and I have been saving the [?] and the [?] sugar as well as Coffee, for you to enjoy. If you can't come I should like to pay you a visit, if it can be accomplished, and you must tell me how to manage it. The cars do not go all the way to Winchester, and I would not like to un- dertake such a journey alone in these times. It would be a very expensive one too, and I would not be able to take any of the children, and I should hardly know what to do with them. Your father & mother are going to Richmond the first of January - She offered very kindly, if I wanted to go to Winchester, and would start that morning to keep the children, and wait until I came back, but of course that was impossible, and as I did not accept her terms, I would not ask her to delay her trip on my account - Your father says he is going to see you from Richmond. Everybody says we are shortly to know peace, as there will certainly be a war between England and our [?] "A consummation most devoutly to be wished" but I am so afraid Seward will apologize, I was very much inter- ested in your account of Mr. Mason's family. Has he been put in the condemned cell? They certainly can not have gone so far in outrageous impertinence - I never see a paper except

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a borrowed one - Our papers all stopped more than a month ago. Supposing the subscription was out, I wrote to Mr. Tabb asking him to renew it for the Sun weekly Enquirer & dispatch, which he says he did immediately, but I have not received any yet - and it is quite a privation in these times. I met him at the [?] [?] about {two?, ten?] days ago in a very handsome "turn-out" (a sort of open carriage & pair) which he had just bought from Vice President Stephens as he said and asked him where Mrs. Tabb was - he said very quietly he had left her in Charles City. I found out after- wards that he was not married, owing to the illness of her brother, though he had come down the day appointed for the purpose - I think the proper answer to my question would have been [?] [?][?] in Richmond. Tucker Bryan was married on Thursday only his parents invited. She is to board at Culpepper. Cynthia Coleman came over. There has been quite a breaking up of the militia at G. Point. The combat of Gloucester, [?] William, K & Queen, Mathews has been combined in one Regiment which [?] not nearly all Officers. Col Gresham is the Colonel. [Tom?] I hear came back last night but it has been raining all day and I have not seen him. {Phil?] I know was the Senior sergeant and has gone with the Regiment over to York, when it was ordered or to Bethel. [?] has received a Commis- sion of Lieutenant in the Confederate Army. He writes that [?] has just spent several days with him on his way from Norfolk back to his Camp [?] expects in tomorrow. Her sister-in-law that lovely young Mrs. Park has just died. I don't know from what causes. You know her husband died a few months ago. They have several little children. We have had until yesterday, a most delightful

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spell of weather. It was impossible to realize that Christmas was so near - but it feels very much like it to-night. The child- dren wish me constantly to write letters for them to you, but I spend so much of my time in writing for myself, that I can't spare any for them. They are constantly talking about you, and your coming home. Mr. [Black?] is very anxious for you to return - He wishes very much to take the Buck Creek field with the thicket for a standing pasture and gives a great many reasons why it would be best - and to make his lots of 15 acres [?] of the rest of that field, including the old clover lot. Charles [Williams?] came down yesterday & spent the day - I wish you would send him some message - he has been very kind to me in several ways. Give my love to Uncle Alick. Cousin Rebecca is always sending you some message. She sent me this larger paper a few days to write to you on, on condition that I would send her love. Mrs [Fry?] [G. Prosser?] & all your friends especially the family at Glen Roy. The servants are all well except one or two sore throats. I have man- aged to get shoes for nearly all of them and cloth enough for all ex- cept some young children. Milly has another daughter - a week old. It promises to be another dull Christmas for both white & black. I reckon I & the children will spend it at home as we have heard nothing of being expected at B[?] and it is only one day off. They may be going to Glen Roy. They all send their best love to you. Sally is quite well and has spent several days [?] I had a very kind letter from her yesterday - We are all well. Good Night, my dear Husband I shall feel very anxious until I hear from you again. May God bless & keep you, and direct your steps. Most affectionately

                                                                                  Yours, S

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