Head Quarters 2^nd Brig 1^st Div

Camp near Georgetown Sept 11^th 1862

 

            I have written a letter to your Mother darling wife and have only time to write a line or two to you before I go to duty on a Court Martial of which I am President. I can imagine what a proud little woman you now are with our dear little daughter beside you. How delighted I should be to see you both just now. You must manage to take better care of yourself than you have ever done in your life before, because the sooner you get well and strong the sooner shall we meet. Remember however that prudence now will make you strong all the sooner, and that even a slight imprudence may cause you trouble for years. I cannot in a letter explain to you / exactly what troubles will result from over exertion on your part before you really have strength enough to bear it, but you must take my word for the fact and without murmuring do as I say. Remain in your bed until you are perfectly strong, and then sit up only for a short time at first. For many weeks you must not over exert, or fatigue yourself on any account, as you will bring on some of the ailings which married woman so frequently have through life, because of their imprudence at the birth of their children. How much I wish that I could be with you to watch over and guard you from every imprudence. I feel however now very lighthearted dear wife. You are safe, and will in a few weeks be in a condition to come to me if I cannot go to you. Mr Stanton has promised me a leave of absence as soon as the immediate peril is over, and I have / such confidence in M^cClellan that I am looking every day for an account of his defeat of Jackson. If he had been in command on the 30^th of August instead of that imbecile Pope would have beaten the enemy badly. Our loss then was wholly on account of bad management. We are now rid of both Pope & M^cDowell and there is some hope for the country. My opinion of M^cDowell has entirely changed since I have personally seen him in the field. Every one here is down upon him in the fiercest way, and I have yet to hear the first word said in his favor. The soldiers under his own command it is said have insulted him as he passed them on the march. He is gone for the present to West Point, and I hope his leave will be indefinitely extended. It now wants ten minutes to the time of meeting of my court martial and the place of meeting is nearly a mile / distant, so I must say good bye with love to your Mother, Lindy and all the children, with loving kisses for darling wife & baby.

                                                                                                           

N. C. M^cLean

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