.NTg4.NzU0

[1]

Friday morn[in]g Aug[ust] 22d 1862 Camp Chaffin’s Farm

My dear Precious:

After dreaming about you & Charley & Minnie all [underscored] night, I feel like having a long talk with you this morning, - but must has- ten again as the mail leaves before seven oc[lock]. [Samuel?] & Phil [Greelean?] & Frank Cooke & I suc- ceeded yesterday in getting a very snug little tent just large enough for four to sleep in comfortably & raised it, ditched around it, & had just gotten fairly in when it commenced rain- ing. You cant image, dear, how snugly we slept [struck-through] felt, & how finely we slept. There is some- thing very refreshing in the sleep a soldier gets in his tent. His bed is hard, he get e- nough fresh air, he is at rest from all his cares, & his dreams are generally of home. I make it a point of conscience never to wake a sleeping soldier, unless for duty, or necessarily – I got your letter of the 14th day

[2]

before yesterday – [C[larks]ville?], I hope get another to- day. Your letters, darling, always make me very happy while reading them; but when I go back and think over their contents, how much love and happiness there is for me at home, and how impossible it is for me to enjoy it, I am obliged to go busily about something else, that I may forget all about it. I am afraid to think too much about it. One of my Lieut[enant]s asked me yesterday, what was my age; I told him and then told him, that I could never count this as one of the years of my life – should I live ever so long, it shall ever be a blank to me: - for I am seperated from all (in this world) that I live for, & that makes life worth having. Doc was in Richmond yesterday and the day before. The first day he saw Willie Wilson, & yesterday evening before he got back, a courier from Gen[era]l [Robert?][Ransom’s?] Brigade (which was near Richmond on its way to Louisa

[3]

                                        brought

C[ourt] H[ouse]), bringing [struck-through] ^ an order from the Sec[retary] of War for Doc to report to the 25th R[written over] N[orth] C[arolina] Reg[imen]t, as ass[istan]t Sur- geon – a full appointment. Doc came so late last night that I didn’t have time to talk with him, and dont know whether or not he will accept. I know he will dislike very much to leave us and go among strangers, and we will dislike very much to give him up: I will give him no advice, but hope very much he will stay, & I think he will soon get a place in this reg[imen]t. Col[onel] Goode told me he had much rather have him than Dr. [Carter?] our pre- sent ass[istan]t Sur[geon], whose place Doc now fills. – said he would send Dr. C[arter?] if he could & keep Doc. All of our army now, except this Brigade & one on the other side of the [James] River, have gone or are on the way to the Rapidan [River]. Our Brigade is again alone. The Yankees below have all gone too. They have given up Richmond from this side, and [General George B.] McClellan has indeed changed his base.

[4]

When I wrote last, I said that I was right unwell. I am getting better now – It was a slight attack of Jaundice, and did not make me sick enough to prevent my atten- dining the sittings & dong the write of the court martial. Indeed, I preferred doing this, as I was so low-spirited (one of the effects of the [?]) the occupation did me good. The greatest convenience from it, was a temporary [disagreement?] of my stomach, which is now much better. I have gotten in the last two or three days a letter from Daniel & one from Mr. Booker. They speak of a great deal of dis- [pare?] in the country – from their accounts, as much as has been in the army. I cant say, darling, when I will get a furlough, but I can claim one of 30 days, in the winter. I will write to you again next Sunday, when I shall have some time. Don’t use such small paper your letters are too short any way.

[Marginalia]

Give much much love to all at your Pa’s – tell your [?] [?] often think of her lying on the bed, & chasing the Yankees. I can [...tily?] join her now, & go much farther than she every did. God bless you all, My darling, I write in great haste. Y[ou]r devoted husband N[athaniel] V. W[atkins]