Phil^a Feb 16^th

 

My dear Mother

                        Altho' I wrote you only a short time since yet I mean to scribble a few lines tonight because I have been hearing all about Edward from an eye witness I have had a visit this very afternoon from William Candler who left the camp only 48 hours since on furlough for that time but as he has been detained by storm on his journey he will exceed his furlough a little of course & he comes here tonight at ten o'clock he left Edward very well indeed & says he is the most popular man in the regiment he says all sorts of things that are delightful for us to hear of him and knowing that I could not give the information to anyone who would enjoy it more I hasten to give it to you as soon as possible among other things I hear his classmates at Cambridge have had a sword made & will present it to him soon it is very handsome with a gold hilt if all accounts are correct perhaps I am giving / the news prematurely as he does not know of it yet himself but you will not tell him of it I know until the appointed time is over whenever that may be. it appears he holds the admiration of General Hooker for his courage & honour and his company is the best drilled finest looking one in the regiment & will take the advance when the moment comes to call out the Brigade John Candler came here with William Candler to introduce him & it was very kind to remember me for he had other things to take his mind & attention it appears he brought Fanny Chandler on from Brookline to meet William here & as there is business in Washington for the regiment which will detain William there three or four days he takes Mrs Candler & Miss Fanny Chandler on to W— to be there with him neither of the ladies ever having seen Washington there will be much to see & enjoy Mrs Candler has been here at the Continental with Mrs Cobb ever since the little boy was so sick in Brookline & Mrs Cobb was forced to hurry on there to him she brought him back here with her & her mother has been here to she / herself has been in Washington & met Edward there but her mother has not & they all go tonight it seems quite romantic Miss Fanny coming on under such circumstances. I would have gladly sent for Ellen had I known certainly Edward could reach us but he only mentioned a probability. Ellen sent at my request her photograph she mentioned she had it taken & I consider it most miserable I hate to put it in my book opposite Edwards it is so unlike it would do almost as well for anyone else as for her I have written her one criticism she herself does not feel satisfied but says it is the best she can get. How wonderfully the private theatricals for the Sanitary Committee have succeeded in Boston Ellen wrote me that Brookline people had been very much interested in it & Hamilton was telling us all about it yesterday. Ellen wrote me too that father was going to Providence & would probably take you back to Brookline on his return therefore at this time you may be there but this letter is for you if you are in Providence & for sister Mary if you are / not as I want you all to hear the satisfactory news of Edward and feel confident Walter will be glad to know as in one of his letters to me he wrote "the dear fellows heart I always knew was in the right place". I hope you are all well at the homestead Emma is barking with a bad cold & her eyes are inflamed perhaps measles are yet to come she begs I will send her love to you & say she would indite a note if she were not so very ill the truth is I will not let her write with her eyes she has been most deeply interested in the accounts she has had of camp life from Candler this afternoon he says they are living in nice comfortable log homes with good weather proof roofs and are quite well & happy he looks in perfect health.

 

I must say goodnight with a great deal of love to you all as I wish to write to Laura & it is waxing late I could not sleep upon all the good news of Edward without letting you have it I heard all about his opening the ball with Mrs Vice P Hamlin with India rubber boots & he went to the Presidents levee in the same. Did you hear about it—Yrs most affec                                                                                                                                                

Susan

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