East Texas Family Records, Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 1982 Page: 4
63 p. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Shelbyville, Tenn.
Jan. 26t 1863
My dear Cousin:
Lieut. Sanders reached here yesterday and with him came your highly appreciated
letter. I have read it time and again until it is almost worn out. If you all
could only realize how much letters from home are appreciated by us you would never
be negligent in your correspondence. I am not well and haven't been since the
Battle of Murfreesboro. I was so much exposed during and after the fight that it
knocked me out completely.
I was surprised and very sorry to hear of the death of George Roberts. I was
down in Georgia a week or two ago and could have enjoyed myself very much had I
not been sick the whole time. Tyler must be very dull. I was very anxious to go
home until I heard from there but I do not think now that I care about going. It
is true I should like to see you all but I could not spend many days with satisfaction
to myself and the pain of parting would more than counterbalance the pleasure
that a visit would give.
You are all hard pushed for "beaux" when Dock and Clarence Kirby are all the
chance. Better hang your harps on the willows at once and wait until the wars are
over and the men come home. This is the time for you to be preparing for the future.
Oh! You didn't think that I would get a peep at Ed's letter but I stole a
march on you.
Do you ever see my special pet and favorite Sue McKellar? You must kiss her for
me and tell her that I have not forgotten her sunny face and bright eyes. There
are many others among the school girls at Mr. Hand's that I should like to see. I
have a particular fondness for little girls before they have lost their original
innocence and simplicity and when I think of these it is only as such. When they
get older and begin to think of boys I am ready to drop them. The simplicity of
childhood is gone and they lose their greatest charm. No reflection on you my
gentle coz. Of course the boys never enter your head - not you; you are too childish
for that.
General Ector and Staff" are invited to a large party tonight. The general insists
that we shall all go, but I shall excuse myself on the plea of indisposition.
General Ector's wife is dead and like most old widowers he is foolishly fond of
women. He drags me out, very much against my will, to a serenade every few nights.
Some weeks since he carried us out one night five miles from the camp when the snow
and lay several inches deep on the ground. Since that time I have sworn off from
all such expeditions in the future.
We are having just now the dullest times that I have ever seen. There is nothing
doing and the mud is so deep that it is almost impossible to get anywhere. Consequently
having no books to while away the time it hangs heavily on our hands. Soldiering,
anyway, is not what it is cracked up to be. I am thoroughly sick and tired
of it. We are all very hopeful, as usual, of an early termination to the war and a
permanent return to our homes and peaceful avocations. It is useless to detail the
grounds on which we base them as the papers are full of the usual sensation items
on the subject. But I think the indications are more favorable than at any previous
time since the beginning of hostilities. If we can only hold our own until Spring
I think the Abolition Army will be pretty well played out. The only serious fear
that I have is for this army now. The enemy outnumbers us largely and unless we
are reinforced I have serious fears that we shall be compelled to relinquish Middle
Tennessee when Spring opens.
[AST TXAS W FAMILY tRLCOKDS 4- P O. 6, NO.
SPRING, VOL. 6, NO. !
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East Texas Genealogical Society. East Texas Family Records, Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 1982, periodical, Spring 1982; Tyler, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38050/m1/6/: accessed May 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting East Texas Genealogical Society.