.NTM3.NzAz

[1]

Camp 2 miles from R[ichmond] [Virginia] Saturday June 7th 1862

My dear Wife,

We are again in our old camp. Our Bat- -tallion had so many sick & wounded & scattered after the fight, and was so much disorganized that Gen[eral] [Daniel Harvey] Hill has ordered us back here to [re...mit?]. It is a much more pleasant place than any we have occupied since leaving here, and there are a very few soldiers around us, and we are entirely, almost, from under the strict restraints of the army regulations, so that we are having a comparatively easy time. Since leaving here, about two weeks since, we have been camped almost all the time in swamps, with rain every two or three days – which made it very un- comfortable & muddy. The fight was across a swamp, & our men [charged?] fighting for an hour, in water sometimes waist deep. It was a desperate fight, and our killed & wounded cannot, I think be less than [1800?]. The Yankee loss is said to be much greater, but we have no means of ascertaining accurately what it was. Our men have been withdrawn and the enemy now occupy the same entrenchments from which they have [struck-through] were driven – and I dont know

[postmarked envelope]

Ri[chmond] Va.

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

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

[2]

any great advantage that was gained, except their commissary & tents, and 500 prisoners & some artillery. They were magnificently armed & equipped – -had nice tents, barrels of oranges, lemons, ground coffee, whiskey etc. – their haversacks, knapsacks, canteens, cooking utensils, uniforms, and all the furniture of a soldier were such as I have never seen in our army. Our men got a good many things – I drank some fine Yan-

    the morning

kee coffee ^ which I Sam Graham put in his haver- sack as he passed through their tents. Plain men however, all that I have seen, are an inferior looking set of men, and seem to have been very hardly worked. We got a great many of their letters, and I saw only one de- cently written one in all which I saw, and that was badly spelt. They were evidently written by genuine Yankees & not by foreign- ers, and confirm me in the opinion which I have always held, that the northern people are not better educated than ours, and are by no means as moral or refined. I know nothing of any of the plans of our gen[eral]s or of the Yankees, and very little of the lines which we are now occupying.

[3]

Dear darling, when I hear our men speak of the horrors of the battle field after the fight, and saw some of them sprinkled with the blood of those with whom I had been daily as- sociated for two months, I couldn’t help feeling thankful that I had been spared the [struck-through] from witnessing the sight, & been providentially kept out of it. And oh, how thankful I feel that our little home-party all came out safe – and then Capt[ain] Baskerville too – It does seem that it is a direct answer to prayers. [?] Goode [wrote?] Doc and that Aunt Nancy & Aunt [Fa..y?] Daniel had agreed that every evening just as they see the Sun set, they will unite, [hough sep- erated, in prayers for our little company. I cant help thinking frequently, how many prayers are sent up daily for us; and if the prayers of the righteous [availeth?] much, and if we have faith but as a grain of mustard seed. I do feel that I shall

                                                                        I love

be spared to be again with those whom ^ ever- more [?] my own life. But I cant help being home-sick, & feeling that I would cheerfully give any one of my limbs just to be al- lowed to come to you & again have & enjoy with you our children & home, in [peace.?]

[4]

Two of our wounded men have died since the battle – making seven killed from our little com- pany. The rest of our men are doing well, & with the exception of one or two will get entirely well. One of them who died after being wounded & having his leg taken off, was of my mess and just about my age, with a pretty wife & two lit- tle children, a girl & boy, about Charleys & Min- nies ages. He was a good fellow, & had my [sy...?]- [?] more than any man I knew - (Evening) I expected to finish this, this morning & mail it to day, but was interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Booker. You have no idea how it cheered me to see a face from home – my first thought was, why didn’t Nannie come with him to R[ich]mond – and un- til I thought of how impossible it was, I felt re- ally disappointed that you didn’t come & bring the children with you. Oh, dear! what wouldn’t I have given if you had – and yet I know you couldn’t. Daniel has been right unwell since the battle with a bad cold, & I had almost determined to write to Mr. B[ooker] to come on. He succeeded in getting Daniel a certificate to the Hospital, from which he will be transferred to Mr. Howison’s, & stay until he is well again.

[5]

Sunday Morning – I intended writing more, but [stop?] that I may send this to Mr. Booker this morn -ing Have just visited Bro[ther] Dick’s camp which is about 300 y[ar]ds from us, he was out on picket but I saw a good many friends, and hope I will see him to-day, as he will return this morning. Am very sorry I didn’t have my

[6]

likeness taken when sick in R[ichmond] as I might have sent it to you so easily by Mr. Booker. I have gotten only one letter from you for some time – our letters now are sent to Gen[eral] [Robert Emmett] Rodes’ head quarters, and our officer’s haven’t sent for them. Give much love to all – Your devoted husband Nath[anie]l V. Watkins.

[7]

[same as page 6]