.MTAyOQ.MTYwNg
Williamsburg 13. Aug. 1865
I have just learned from Mr. Sydney Smith
that he will leave here for Danville tomorrow,
and I therefore write you a hurried letter my
dearest wife, as it will at least have a chance
of reaching you from that place.
I wrote to Lelia by the last mail
and have written many times to you but I
cannot say that I have felt confidence that
you received the letters, as I do not know that
the mails are as yet regular. I wrote to
you by Henry Burwell and I presume, of course
that you received that letter. I have received
three from you. One, written the day after
my leaving you and carried by Mr. Jno. Gilmer
to Washington & mailed there - one mailed in
Richmond and one brought by Wm. Fraser.
I have not much to say except what
I wrote to Lelia & as some of that was im-
-portant I think it well to repeat so much
of it, lest that letter may not reach you.
[P. 2]
I did not doubt that Judge Gilmer, with his
usual kindness, would have attended to the
matter of my pardon gratuitously as he told you
he would have done; but I did not chose to
ask him to do so and I had not money to
pay him. If he is still at the Court House
please thank him cordially in my name &
say to him that he may get assitance if he
shall think proper to do so. I sent an
application to the President as I hoped thro'
Richmond, thro' Gov. Pierpoint who signed it
and sent it on for me. It is accompanied by
the regular oaths &c. My chief trouble about
it, at present, is the delay [underlined] which is of great [underlined]
detriment. If Judge G. will use his influence
to have it acted upon soon [underlined], he will do me an
inestimable favor. If he be not at home
but in Washington, write to him to this affect &
get Mrs. Gilmer or Mr. Jno. G. to tell you how
to send it. It is of great importance to me
in my application for the complete restoration of
my land, that my application for pardon should
be favorably acted on at once.
[P. 3]
I have written to Mr. Botts upon the subject
twice, buy cannot tell whether he has recd.
or will receive my letters. I expect to
have to go to Washington about my land, and
if I do so and shall not have heard fom Mr. Botts
before, I shall go by & see him.
All this delay & suspense causes one of
course much disquietude and prevents one
from fuilly enjoying the kindness of my friends
here. I never so much longed to be
with my family & my darling grand children
as I do now. When I shall do so I cannot
now say. I must ascertain something decided before
I turn my face in that direction. My
property in town I have obained without
difficulty. There is nothing doing here,
nor is there any prospect, for some time at least,
for any one to do any thing in any depart-
-ment of human employment to support
himself. Every thing is disjointed and in a
languishing condition. No movement in any
thing. If I could get something to do which
[P. 4]
would barely support life in Pittslva. or indeed elsewhere
for the next year, I would not come down here this
year at all. If good fortune shall reveal
to you any such prospect, do not hesitate to clutch
it without waiting to hear from me.
I am happy to say that I am perfectly well;
every one remarks how well I look.
The only families that have returned here as
yet are Col. Munford's, Dr. Mercer's & Dr. Camm's.
I feel most anxious my beloved wife to
hear from you. I wrote to you some time
since to send your letters to Danville & have
them mailed there. The chances of my getting
them is just as good as if they are sent by
private hand to Richmond.
My warmest love to my dearest children
and grand children- also kindest regards to Mr. W.
and Miss Lizzie. Likewise to my friends the
Gilmers. Mr. Whittle & Miss Mary &c. &c.
Remembrance to servts Peggy's sons are all
well. John told me that he had not seen Ishmael
but had heard he would be here thwoards the end
of the year. I will write again in a day or two.
Farewell for the present & heaven bless & preserve you & all of
our dear ones.
Ever Yr. R.S.