Head Quarters 2^nd Brigade 1^st Divⁿ

Camp at Sperryville July 12^th 1862

 

            I received two letters from you darling wife last night. They were very welcome for the mails lately have brought nothing for me. I had begun to feel very uneasy in regard to home matters and I must confess I feel so still, for from your account of your fall at Hoag's [?] it seems to me almost impossible for you to have escaped unhurt. I am afraid you have not learned to be careful enough. As you are now I know very well that you cannot be as active as before, and I am afraid that you do not fully realize this as the necessity there is for extreme caution on your part in order not to meet with an accident. In regard to your movements I cannot at this distance and with all the uncertainty which attends my own movements pretend to decide for you. I must / leave that matter for your own decision & I have no doubt your own judgment will enable you to take the most judicious course. If possible I will be with you myself wherever you may be. It would not be proper to derange all your mothers household if it can possibly be avoided, and yet I deem it very important that she should be with you whether I am there or not. You must not have any fear as to the result dear wife, for I have none if you take care of yourself. The first child is always attended with more suffering and danger than those which follow, and you will not I am sure have as much to bear as you have already borne. In this I can only help you by my sympathy which you know you have to the fullest extent. If I could in any way relieve you from this suffering I would do so, but nature arranges this matter without regard to our wishes, and we must either give up all idea of dear children to come / or else submit with patience to all the ills that attend it. I cannot doubt which would be your choice, for I believe your love is too strong to permit you even to tolerate for a moment the idea of denying ourselves of the great happiness which I believe is in store for us. I can only love you all the more on account of your suffering dear wife. I cannot share it with you, or I would most cheerfully do so. I am sorry to hear that you are short of money. As soon as the paymaster comes around I will try and apply the proper remedy with as much speed as possible, so that your wants will be supplied before very long.

 

            We arrived at this point on the 10^th ins^t and will probably remain for a day or two and it may be longer, according to the turn of events at Richmond. Our march from Luray to this point through Thorntons Gap was a very pleasant one. A part of the time it rained just enough to lay the dust and when we reached the top of the mountain / it became so cool as to make us feel very comfortable with our coats buttoned up to the chin. There was another pleasant feature about the days march which the whole army enjoyed to their hearts content. The road seemed to be lined with cherry trees of immense size and bearing fruit of a very delicious flavor in the greatest abundance that I ever saw or conceived of. The fruit was so thick that it really was worth going miles to see. The cherries hung in great clusters only a few inches apart, from the lowest branches to the very highest. The trees themselves were as large as forest trees, being some thirty or forty years old as the people said. I never saw such trees with such fruit in my life. You may partly imagine how much fruit there was when I tell you that six full brigades marched over the route and all the soldiers numbering thousands eat as many cherries as they possibly could. I myself have not had such a treat for a long / time, and never again expect to see such another sight. The men were in the highest spirits on account of the cool weather and their cherry feast, and strange to say I have not as yet heard of any bad effects resulting from an over indulgence.

 

You write of the news from Richmond. It has had a depressing effect in some degree upon the army, but we do not feel that we are atall beaten, or that the enemy have gained any strength by their movement. My own feeling is that they have lost so many men it will be very difficult for them to replace them and their army is therefore lessened in numbers and efficiency for future action, whilst ours is now being rapidly reinforced by fresh troops from all parts of the country. We have met with a terrible loss, but so have the enemy. They drove us back, but we repulsed them with great slaughter at every stand we made, and at the end of the battles we drove / them back in great confusion. By this means one was saved from the demoralization of a defeat, and I have no doubt that today M^cClellan is in a better condition to take Richmond than he has ever been before. We therefore feel encouraged, instead of depressed. What this army is to do here we cannot tell. The enemy may come out from Richmond to meet us, but if they do that will enable M^cClellan to strike them with greater prospect of success. If they do not do this we will doubtless gradually close in on Richmond in such a manner as to hem them in and in the event which will certainly come sooner or later of a grand victory on the part of the union force, this portion of the army will be able to prevent a retreat such as that made from Corinth. I have no doubt all our forces will now concentrate toward Richmond as the great end must come if that stronghold is taken after heavy resistance. I pray that this may happen soon so that our country may be restored speedily to its former state and

 

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this wicked rebellion forever crushed out. When this happens I can come home and I still hope that before the middle of August the end may be reached. Love to Lindy, Nell Charley and the children, and warm & loving kisses to darling wife

                                                                                                           

N. C. M^cLean

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