Difference between revisions of ".NTU5.NzI2"

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Camp near Char[f]in’s Bluff July 29th 1862

My dear Wife:

I have to thank you again for a perfect [feach?] of letters, one yesterday mailed 8th & two to- day, one mailed at C[larks]ville the 10th & one at Sass[afras] Fork the 25th, coming again in four days – the rea- son why I didn’t get your letters before, was the press of letters in the Richmond P[ost] O[ffice] subsequent to, & caused by the terrible fighting around R[ichmond] during the last of June & first of July. As my letters dont come too often and are not too long for you, I cant help writing again this evening, if for nothing else, to tell you how much I love you, Darling, and how much my happiness, each hour & minute, depends on you. Sometimes when reading your accounts of Minnie’s talking & walking, I think if it were permitted me to have just a mo- ments view [‘a...view’ underscored] of one of you, I had rather see her, -then, when you tell of Charley’s little sayings, I think I would see him – but when I think of you, my dear wife, I feel [underscored] & know [underscored] that I would see you before any one, and love you more than all, (30th Morning) I was compelled again to stop –

[Marginalia] Kiss Charley & Minnie for me – tell Charley to write me a letter. I will write to him next.

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Am writing now in the morning, immediately after roll-call. All of my mess are very self-in dulgent & lazy, and invari[a]bly go to sleep again. But I cant do it – the morning is the most delightful part of the day, & is the only part of the day that I can really enjoy. Everything is so quiet and still, & the mornings here are so beautiful, I feel as if it is almost a sin to spend it in sleep. I was broken up from writing yesterday by a crowd gathering around our tent door to laugh & talk. There is nothing so unpleasant & painful to me than [struck-through] as such a promiscuous crowd. The conversation, even in our company, which is one of the most moral &

                         frequently

picked companies I have seen is ^ so immoral and profane, that I feel it pollutes and de- moralizes a person to hear it. It is almost im- possible for me to read even the most interesting novel – or to follow any train of thought on the most interesting subjects here. I feel lonely here frequently even in the largest crowd, & walk off alone for company, - but more frequently take Doc or Sam along with me. I miss Abe Daniel

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very much. [I...............................?] [struck-through] [?][struck-through] and though he was not sharing or sprightly I think him one of the best boys I know. – Just after I stopped from writing yesterday, all the field artillery of [General Henry Alexander] Wise’s Brigade, about 13 or 14 pieces with their caissons (each piece having one), marched by for target practice just below our

        the caissons are for carrying ammunition 

camp. The pieces of cannon & the caissons ^ each having from four or six horses, formed a line of nearly 1/2 mile. The practice was fine & very exciting – they fired one hundred & thirty rounds, of solid shot, shell & canister. Canister is a tin case filled with bullets & is used only in close fighting. The case holds from fifty to two hundred balls, and they are scattered over a space of forty yards, sweeping down sometimes whole companies. Grape are iron balls about the size of the largest marble, wrapped into the proper form for loading with strong twine. – In the midst of the artillery practice, the three infantry regiments were marched down for brigade drill, which was conducted in the smoke & amid the confusion of the cannon. It approached nearer a battle than

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anything I had seen & I was interested to find what affect it had on me. I cant think that many men (even cowards) go into a fight, after the first [scare?], with much concern about their safety. There is an unnatural excitement which make men reckless & regardless of danger. Before the practice of the field artillery, the heavy guns at Chaf[f]in’s Bluff, had fired some forty rounds. It sounded so much like old Glo[uce]st[er] P[oin]t. I felt like go- ing over and helping to man the guns. All of this practice was on the ground which will be [‘will be’ underscored] the battle ground should the enemy ever come up as high – but we are think[ing] the next great battle will be fought by [General “Stonewall”] Jackson & [General John] Pope west of R[ich]mond. We are still reinforcing Jackson from this army, & it is thought [General George B.] McClellan is sending his forces off to Pope. There are one or two incessant, shallow [...ated?] [?][struck-through] fellows in our camp, which always make me extremely nervous (just as Sue P used to) who have been talking around & at me all the morning & I dont know what I have written. I know I hav[e]n’t enjoyed writing – I will try & fix a way soon for you to send us a

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a box of eatables – will write & give you directions if I succeed. I wrote for my straw hat without thinking I had gave it to your Pa – dont send it for I have gotten a good hat –am sorry I mentioned it. Am glad you are not at Home alone – dont think you ought to stay at home without some one. Hope you will not allow yourself to get sick at your Pa’s for want of exercise. Do anything, Darling, rather than this. Your exercise should always be for some other end than for health – You must always have an object in view – something that will occupy your mind. A simple walk or exercise just for the sake of exercise isn’t worth much. Cultivate a bed of flowers, keep

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house, weave, spin, or something – that is, if you stay at your Pa’s. Tell your Pa that I borrowed $75 from Mr. Howison for our mess – if he will send him a check for that amount I will be very glad. It was to buy clothes after our loss before the battle of Seven Pines. I will not need any money now for a long time. Please tell Mr. H[owison] what the check is for. Wish I could write more but haven’t time. Give much love to all at your Pa’s, I wish I could be with you all a short time – Wish I could have your [Ma?] talk about the war. I cant think it will last long. I would be too unhappy if I thought so – it would drive me mad almost. I look for another letter soon the mail has gotten regular. All of your back letters have come, give my respects to Sis[ter] Martha. Your devoted husband – N[athaniel] V. W[atkins.