Richmond Mills Nov 14^th 1862

Friday evening

 

Dear Brother

                        We sent you a barrel of things last monday. the express agent thought it would get to Portsmouth by thursday night so we are in hopes you are enjoying them now. Mother is so afraid you will be ordered away before you get it. You will see by Sam's letter that M^rs Paul sent part of them. her tomatoes were put up in tin. I never have used tin for any such thing, always been afraid to, but a great many do use it and say it is good if you get them sealed airtight. anyway you can easily tell by tasting whether they are spoilt or not I have another bottle but thought best not to risk only one this time. I dreamed last night, you had been in battle and was wounded. I was telling it this / morning. Sam said more like you was out stealing potatoes. I suppose what made me dream so was we heard cannons last evening till midnight We are in hopes there has been some victory gained, but have not heard of any yet, but you know we dont get the papers every day.

 

I suppose you have heard of father's death before this. We little thought when you went away that he would die so soon. He was confined to his bed three weeks, suffered dreadfully all the time, had his reason till the last, but could not speak the last day. He died at two o'clock in the afternoon. that morning Willie went into the room to see him. he opened his eyes looked at him took hold of his hand, tried to smile. He had the hicoughs three days before he died. they would stop a little while, and then begin again. He made his will, said he had no expectations of living. could not talk much, was / very poor, just like a person in consumption I suppose it was one kind of consumption We don't know how father made his will Sam is going to Canandaigua to-morrow to see about opening it. Dr. Paul staid here the last two nights that father lived Cousin Wheeler & Philip was here a great deal so was Mr. Barnard and cousin John Reed Willie throat has been badly cankered but he is well now. Dr Paul came to see him several times. I heard the doctor said he was the best child to take medicine he ever saw. We were very much alarmed about him for a few days, there is so much diphtheria about. Dr Doolittle's family have all had it. Ellen and Jennie died, two of Allie Crooks children have died, and Mr Yeomans little girl was buried yesterday at the Flats. Sam has had three men beside John husking corn to-day is going to finish to-morrow We have had a great deal of unpleasant weather this fall and two snowstorms. I got a letter from Nat this week. he inquired about you. / havent you written to him yet.

 

Willie wants I should tell you, he is learning to read. he can spell ox, fox, dog &c this afternoon he put out words to Mother so Mother spelt fox and pronounced it cat. he told her she had made a mistake. she didnt spell the word right. He thinks Uncle Charlie will laugh when he sees that barrel

 

Ellen Wimple has come to spend the winter at Wheeler's and in Canandaigua at Cyrus Dixson's Uncle Edward. Aunt Eliza, George DeLong and Aunt Susan came out to the funeral, Uncle Willis & Aunt Theodosia were here too Uncle Willis lives in Uncle Edward's house. Uncle E and wife board with them.

 

Since father died Mother, Willie and I have slept in your bedroom. We are going into Mother's room before long. We feel pretty lonely, are in hopes your health and life will be spared to come home again.

 

Sam & I are going to Dansville next week if pleasant. Mrs George Pitts died last sunday morning. George was not at home. I don't know where he is Zeke Wright is in a hospital in Washington been very sick with typhoid fever is getting better. We are in hopes we shall get a letter to-morrow night from you.      

 

Good night.

C. A. Reed.

 

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Saturday Morn. The cannons that we heard night before last was the Democrats rejoicing over their great majority. John A Reed saw George Pitts in Medina, Ohio. Nat wrote to me once to know if it was known here where he was. I guess John dont say anything about it.

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