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[Marginalia – Handwritten at top of newspaper article]

send you this because [?] [?] [good?] letter [M S W?]

COMMUNICATIONS.

FROM THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN

A Son of Consolation

Dear Brother Brown – The following letter from one of the officers of our army to his family breathes such a noble Christian spirit and expresses views so just and so [...?] of consolation in these times of trial, that I felt unwilling to have its influence confined to the little circle for whom it was intended, while there are so many wives, mothers, sisters and children who in the ab- sence of their loved ones need just such [.?..]ering words. It was written, you will see just after the fall of Fort Donelson, and has only just come into my hands. Its words are as timely however now as then. A PASTOR.

Camp -------, Feb. 20th 1862. My beloved wife, - I know you are fill [with?] gloom and dismay at the sad intelli- intelligence from Fort Donelson. My heart is filled with deep sympathy for you all, and I write mainly to tell you how it yearns over [?] all in your troubles, surrounded as you are by others whose fears and despondency [only?] help to magnify your own. I wish I could be with you to do what I could to sus- [tain?] [your?] [?] strength. Yet as this is not be, I must do what I can by writing. [...ed?] not cloak the truth. The news is cer- tainly sad enough in itself. But I see in it [...h?] to inspire hope, and to stimulate us all [?] determination that we will cheerfully do all that God calls us to do, and patiently [...r?] all that he deems it best we should [...r?]. It is now manifest that our country’s independence cannot be won without such determination on the part of all her sons and daughters. The ordeal may be hard enough to pass through, but I have confi- dence in God’s power, and willingness to [?] our people all the needed grace. Be- [...ese?] defeated it was very clear that our [...e?] did not realize their real condition. [Our?] soldiers in the field were too anxious [?] home, and those at home were too [...ing?] to leave it. This hesitation and [...ardness?] about engaging in our future [...gles?] were becoming the worst phase [of our?] national condition. Each man was in- [...g?] the fond hope that he might be [?], and this his neighbor might be the [one to?] go. These reverses were needed to [?] these delusions. They will, as you [...on?] see, accomplish this result. A [?] army organized upon the only proper [?] will at once be put in the field, and sooner or later drive back the insolent [...s?] of our homes. You may say that [?] all in the future, and my never be, [?], but such is not my faith. God will answer prayers. He will help those who help themselves. It is clear that we will [?], if we are resolved to be free. Let [?] nerve our souls. Let us put our con- [?] in God, and do the only thing that [...y?] our confidence to be sincere – let [...r?] duty.

[You?] may ask, “But, dear husband, what duty? What can this household of women,, and still feebler children do?” [?] this, to which you are clearly call- [ing?] can bear your burdens cheerfully, [?] hopefully leaning trustfully on [?] gives grace and strength and peace. [...ghs?] be hushed. Banish all fears. [...uer?] hold on Jesus. Breath in [t...?] [?] of his Spirit. Glory in his [...?] [...ng?] fellowship. [Cea...?] [?] against yourself [...?]

[..........................................] jot or little of his awful law that has not been fulfilled in your behalf, by the Lamb of God? If not, then boldly take the flow- ing cup of salvation and rejoice that it is your’s to drink as fully as your broken heart can need or desire. Sing the proud song of the prophet, so often quoted by our pastor, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Do this and though just before, like that prophet you may have trembled and your lips quivered, and yon bones have been filled with rottenness, now, like him, you will say, “the Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hind’s feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Oh, my precious wife, oh, my dearest mother, sisters all, and blessed children, how unspeakable is the peace that God giveth to his adopted and redeemed ones! Why go we mourning all our days? May we not take all there is in God our Father, Jesus Christ the Prophet, Priest and King of his people, and in the Holy Ghost, ordained to comfort, to succor and to sanctify us? With all this in us, and on our side, we have cause for joy which no disasters can interrupt or destroy. For my part, only let the prayers I have offered, and that so many have kindly offered for me be answered, that grace may be minis- tered to help me and to make [italicized ] me do my duty, and I will fear no evil. I thank God that he did not permit me to heed the ad- vice of those who thought it needless for me to enter the army. I am glad to be here, and will gladly go wherever my country may call me to go. I will face all dangers. – even die, to secure that dear country from the evils of subjugation. But I rejoice still more that in my weakness, I may lay hold on Almighty strength, and in my gloomiest hours may look up to God as my Father – to Heaven as my rest, my home, my endur- ing position. How blessed too, the reflec- tion that wife, mother, sisters and all nearest to me are partakers of the same glorious hope, sharers in the same salvation, and all wending their way to the same peaceful and joyous abode. God has given us all we have. He calls us to suffer and to struggle, that we may keep a part of his gifts. It is our duty therefore to suffer willingly, and to struggle bravely. Let us do so the more willingly, the more bravely, since for what is dearer, more precious than all else, Jesus has suffered and struggled with a willing- ness and courage which were designed to be our example and pattern. May God bless you all, and minister to your souls such consolations, and fill you with such peace and such joy, as will make you always peace- ful and happy! May Jesus the loving, ten- der hearted sympathizer, dwell in you richly by his Spirit, and hold constant intercourse with your souls.

Since writing the above I have received yours and I see that my fears as to your despondency are realized, and that every bosom in my dearest home is filled with ap- prehensions and alarms. . . . But, dear- est, you are indulging needless fears. . . . You will soon see the beneficial results of these disasters. You will see the public mind, heretofore wrapped in false security, arousing to a sense of our danger, and to the importance of doing our duty. This was most needed. How could that end have been secured otherwise than as God has seen fit

to secure it? The North may have superior numbers, but then we have numbers suffi- cient – abundant to secure our deliverance and independence, God helping us. He will help us, He is chastening us now and most mercifully leading us by the best way. So don’t be alarmed. Look to Him, who is our rock and strong tower. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in the blessed Jesus, his Son, and our Saviour. He is King. He will rule wisely. He rules for our good. . . .

All of our mess take the same views of the Tennessee disaster, that I do, and are all in good spirits. I beg you will not believe my favorable views conjured up for your special benefit. Such is not the fact. I have written you an unfeigned expression of my heart’s deepest convictions. . . . Your own loving husband.

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CENTRAL 13 RICHMOND, VA.,

Hark! ten thousand harps and voices. Just as I am – without one plea. O, happy day that fixed my choice. My faith looks up to Thee. Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve. My times are in thy hands. A charge to keep I have. Around the throne of God in heaven.

FOR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.

Read this [handwritten]

Conflicting Prayers

Quite recently I was conversing on the state of the country with an aged disciple, whose piety is unquestionable, and beyond that degree to which most have attained of whom I know anything personally.

She had read the papers, that a day of fasting and prayer had been observed in the North, for the purpose of supplicating the blessing of God [‘blessing of God’ italicized] upon the armies pre- paring to march against us.

Though she had been an “original se- essionist,” yet said she, “I have charity enough to believe there are as pious people in the North as any we have amongst us, and whose faith, tears, and prayers may be just as acceptable to God as ours, for He is no respecter of [p...ous?]. There is noth- ing that has occurred in the war which dis- turbs and perplexes me more than this op- position [‘opposition’ italicized] of prayers and supplications be- tween the truly pious North and South.”

For the benefit of this Christian lady, and others who may be perplexed as she is, I wish to print a few thoughts suggested by her difficulty. In reaching a proper conclusion, I think we ought not to compare the character [italicized] of the persons who pray for the Northern or Southern armies, and lay much stress upon the contrast, even if it would be in our favor.

The true solution of the difficulty, I ap- prehend, is found in the facts [italicized] which set forth the relative position of the parties who pray. They are these. The Southern people, af- ter many years of patient endurance, al- most inconsistent with self-respect, felt that the relationship existing between them and the North was burdensome, and would be inevitably injurious to a very serious de- gree. They were satisfied by the best of reasons that a peaceable and constitutional method of sundering this relationship, was in their power, by right. In withdrawing, no malicious desire was cherished to injure the North, no measures were used positive- ly injurious, nothing was done, but what was regarded essentially needful to self- preservation. But notwithstanding every- think done, consistent with justice and honor, to have the separation effected in a peaceable way, all was unavailing. The Federal Congress voted down compromise -a general convention of all the States was virtually defeated – and while Virginia was holding forth the olive branch, her overtures of peace were indignantly spurn- ed, and she was peremptorily ordered to draw the sword against her sister States. Our offence then was a desire to be separa- ted from those with whom we could not live in peace, and fraternal harmony, and to have a government whose interests would be identified with our own, to have rulers set over use, whose popularity would be in proportion to their love for us, and not in [  ? ] to their hatred and abuse of us, [  ? ] relations. For this of- [  ? ] strength of the North has [  ? ] our subjugation: our

homes are to be desecrated, property con- fiscated to pay the Federal debt, and our States reduced to territorial bondage.

These are the simple facts; and in view of them we can see for what each party prays. Northern Christians appeal to God for aid to crush and oppress a people strug- gling for their rights; while Southern Christians appeal to him for deliverance from invasion, and the oppression now pre= pared for us. Kneeling as Southern Chris- tians do, beneath their own vine and fig tree, praying for the defence of their homes and families, they can ask, and most reason- ably expect the aid of their Heavenly Father P.T. W.

“I Could not Go Without Jesus.”

Captain Richardson, of the Sailors’ Home, was recently speaking of a pious sailor, one of their boarders, who spends much time in trying to do good to his brother seamen in their boarding-houses and other places. One morning he noticed him coming out of his room, and going forth into the streets. Shortly after he returned to his chamber; and after remaining there some time, he again came down to go out. Capt. Rich- ardson, having observed something peculiar in his manner, inquired after the reason of his movements. He replied, “After I got out I found Jesus was not with me; I could not go without Jesus; so I went back to my closet to find him. Now he is with me, and I can go.” How simple and beautiful the lesson! How important the truth contained in the Christian philosophy of this humble sailor.

Christian preacher! Do you feel that Je- sus is with you when you issue from you study to enter the pulpit, or to visit your parishioners at their homes? If not, do you feel that you cannot go without him? “Without me ye can do nothing.” “If thy presence go not with me, carry [?]s not up hence.”

Sabbath school teacher! How is it with you when you go to meet your class? Is it ever said after such meetings with them, or with each other, “Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scrip- tures?”

Oh for more of this child-like faith in Jesus! The church may yet again learn much from pious sailors, as from the fisher= men of Galilee of old.

HOW CURED A BAD HABIT. – We once knew a good man who lived more than three miles from the house of God, and was often tempted by the “signs of the sky,” to stay at home with his family on the Sabbath; he sometimes yielded to the temptation, not without an occasional twinge of conscience, at length the resolved that he would never absent himself from God’s house on account of the weather, unless it was so bad as to prevent his going to the village where it stood, for the addition of a dollar to his purse. “Never,” said he, toward the close of his life – “never, after making this reso- lution, did any Sabbath occur so hot or so cold, so windy or stormy, that I could not attend, with my brethren, the public wor- ship of God.” This man lived to be eighty years of age, had a family of thirteen sons and daughters, all of them as regular at- tendants as himself at the village church; two of them became ministers of the Gos- pel; all of them gave themselves to the Lord in their early days; and their descendants

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Camp 6 miles from Richmond [Virginia] May 27th 1862

My dear wife –

We are still at the same place from which I sent my last letter (yesterday) To give you some idea of how things are managed I will tell how our Brigade has spent the last few days. Saturday in the rain we were ordered to keep in readiness to march at a moments notice – We buckled on our [acc...?] & were drawn out in line & remained under arms an hours & a half – in a hard rain – were then dismissed & ordered to dry out & cook three days rations – Sunday we were again drawn out, & marched some four miles down the road then rested & drawn out in line of battle through the woods, then comed back about a mile & rested again then marched down the road again then up to where [we now are?] [and then ...?] in line of battle across the woods again & ordered to be ready at a moments notice – after a short time we were culled out & advised to go to sleep early as we would have to march tomorrow (this) morning at light. This morning it was raining hard yet they waked us up at 3 o.c[lock], & drew us out in [line?] as if to march. Were kept standing for two or three hours & then marched down the road a mile through the mud – then ordered back back [struck-through] to our present place – which is the out- skirts of a large marsh, with mud & water all around & about us. In the mean time we have no tents – but manage to sleep dry & warm by such devices & in- vention as we never dreamed of before. Our boys

[Marginalia at top of letter]

I neglected to send the letter which I spoke of in my last – I send it now – tell the girls to [write?], but I cant promise an ans[w]er until I become more settled – I have letters from Millie & William [Scott?] to Doc on the same subject, have opened them both – wouldn’t M. like to see them.

[Postmarked envelope]

Mrs. Nannie V. Watkins Care Jos[eph] B. Daniel Townesville N[orth] C[arolina]

send by Sass[afras] Fork [North Carolina] mail

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have so far kept well & stood it well – and we four who still remain manage by doubling blankets to sleep com- fortably every night. I think it is more healthy than in crowded tents. There will be some hard fighting around Richmond, but I think from all I can learn the lightest fighting will be on the road on which we are stationed. The enemy seem to be making greater effort s on the turn- pikes & railroads – we are stationed on a country road which is too bad for them to bring up their ar-

        (May 28th Wednesday)

tillery without risk ^ Col[onel] Goode sent an order for three of our artillery company to join him in Rich- mond yesterday, but as it was addressed to our Capt[ain], instead of to Gen[eral] [Robert Emmett] Rodes, the Gen[eral] refused to let us go. We still hope the change will soon be made. We are now forced to do our own cooking as we left King in the old camp to take care of our things. We make the dough up & roll it in long rolls & wrap it around our ramrods & hold it to the fire until it is done. – it makes rather better bread than Henry did – though after to-day we will be fed on [ship?]-cockery which I like very much, & then we will not be compelled to cook.

Give my love to all – and especially to the negroes – tell them to try and do what they know to be right & they will certainly get on well – tell Smiley his letter gave me more information about my farm than any I have gotten & he must write again. Oh, Darling, if I could but make you a short visit, if it was only for a day, or a few hours, I feel though that I can trust you all to God & that he will again bring us together to be happy again, if he sees that it is best for us. Kiss the chil- dren for me. Your devoted husband N[athaniel] V. W[atkins]

[Marginalia at top of page]

write as often as you can sending directly to C[larks]ville [North Carolina] or Townesville when you can – You must expect short & hastily written letters

                                                   & time 

now for a time as my facilities for writing are scarce –