[Letterhead: Headquarters, Military Division of the Mississippi,

Office Provost Marshal General,]

                                                                        [Nashville, Tenn.,] Novr 27^th [1864.]

 

My dear brother.—

Your letter of the 15^th was permitted to remain unanswered until the receipt of the “goodies” sent by you & which I received last Friday. I thank you very much for those good Cigars,—I enjoy smoking them & ever remember that my considerate brother sent them to me. I also return my thanks to sister Lona for the bottle of Pomade, a no less wellcome gift. I used some of it this morning & my hair look the better for it. I only wish the Phillocome had to its promises “to strengthen & Preserve the hair” the additional quality of turning “white into black”, for I am getting as grayhaired as—as—my big brother John.—The Register you undoubtedly sent with the account of the “jubilee” in Rockford has not reached me yet; you certainly done yourself credit for the share you had in the illumination & your store must have looked gay.—I had a letter from Uncle Augustus last evening, who tells me that not only did he vote for Lincoln, but what is the more remarkable—Uncle Lewis did also. I do want to think & believe that Lewis done it from a sense of right and a wish to crush the Rebellion, but somehow, my ideas are mixed on that subject & I can not give him the full credit/due him. Always, hand, heart & soul with the Southeners and having a considerable amount of “promises to pay” on hand from that quarter, his interest must still lie with them & his voting so directly against them, is certainly a remarkable change.—Their families are all well, with the exception of Katie, who is very delicate;—the fruit of a “hot house” education. I trust she will rally & come out all right in the end.—

 

From Sarah I heard yesterday of date of 17^th. They are all in the enjoyment of health,—especially sis, who, as her mother writes, is quite strong & fleshy and altogether different from her former self; what a blessed change!—Charley is as usual, the same winning, loving rogue,—only a little more so; his grandpa made him a pair of Boots & the boy’s delight and pride, Sarah says, can’t be described;—the old folks fairly worship him.—One of Sarah’s sisters, who is unfortunally married to a worthless creature & left him, is also at her fathers & has a young babe;—it is a great addition to the children’s amusement & pleasure. (—In that case, they have only to wait a reasonable time after the 4^th of Septr next,—they’ll have a baby in the house, which if I am to be the judge, will be some relative of theirs!—don’t let Lona know of this.) On the 21^st, Sarah & the children were to go on a visit to the former, newly aquired sister in law and anticipate good times.—As regards my visit to them, I can only say at/present, that I have the offer of a furlough, whenever I want to go. I cannot however say anything definite, although as matters are shaping now, I may be with them before the commencement of the coming new year.—Capt. Stockdale was offered the position of Commissary of Subsistence by Genl Grant;—he accepted it & only awaits his papers to start for Washington. Of his own accord, he promised to take me along or sent for me as soon as he got there; he will get me detailed by order of Genl Grant. Nothing is certain these days, but I consider a trip to Washington as “almost” certain & in that case will endeavor to visit my family before going there. Again, should I remain where I am, it is among the possibilities, that our Head Quarters will move to some city on the Gulf, (wherever Sherman may fire upon) and if possible I will obtain leave to join the Office by way of New York, if indeed the whole company do not go that way.—I want to avoid the heavy draft on my lean purse by a visit to the East & having to pay my own travelling expenses, which to that distance are necessarily heavy. I await “developements” in good cheer & as calm as “Patience on a monument; in the mean while, every letter of Sarah’s is a continued pleading to come—come—come;—she “wants it”,—the children “crave for it”,—father & mother say, “I must come”,—brothers & sisters all send word, “to be sure/…

 

 

                                    When you see, W^m Capwell

                                    tell him, that I congratulate

                                    him on his election & only regret

                                    that I could have no vote

                                    to assist him.—

By the by, I did vote for

Lincoln & if “Tennessee’s vote”

is accepted, I shall have the

pleasure of adding one to

the Union vote.—

SOURCES