Near Culpepper C H Va Nov. 9^th, 1862

 

My dear Mother

 

                        I received your very very welcome letter the other day—I was sorry to learn that you were so uneasy in regard to Pa—I do hope you will try and make yourself easy in regard to him, it causes you a great deal of trouble and does him no good—He is in the war and liable to be killed; this every one knows but—not before his time—Were he to fall my feelings would be indescribable. Try and bear up and be prepared to hear the worst at any time. The Spartan mothers and wives when they called up their husbands and sons, buckled on their armor and bid them go forth to return with their swords or on them. Surely the women of that country were not more patriotic and self-sacrificing than the women of the South—Never has any country exhibited such an army of patriotic devotion to the South—of true and earnest zeal in behalf of the soldiers than the daughters of our beloved Confederacy—Let nothing disturb you—Always be prepared to meet anything—Feel confident of our success and you will get along and live happier—We are not half whipped yet and almost 21 months have elapsed and the boastingly declared in sixty days not a remnant of rebellion would be left in the South—They have lost more men than we and our army to day can whip them two to one—Three hundred thousand bright bayonets held by strong arms and backed by patriotic hearts are to be waded over ere they can even pass our lines—The South never can be conquered whipped or [?] as long as we employ these means God has given us—Rest content I feel that Pa came out safe from those fights—I agree with you in saying he ought to stay at home when he does come back—For I would feel much happier to know he was away from danger, and at home attending to his affairs. But if he believes it to be his duty to go and fight, let him go. If his gray hairs cannot bring out those who ought to go to the war there lies no true manhood in their bosoms—I think that Grand Pa’s plantation would [?] Pa and would be a splendid investment—I wish he would buy a good place and settle down—I expect salt is worth as much here as it is in Georgia. The soldiers dont draw enough to salt their meal—and they would be willing to pay $2.00 a pound if they could get it—The enemy is also suffering for salt—and in fact we have to buy almost everything we eat—The men are getting healthy and their rations don’t half hold out—I wrote to John to get that overcoat provided he would have Handrup to make me a pair of good army boots—I intended having a uniform made out of it but I always like to accommodate John. He has always been so good and kind to me—I wish you would make me a good Jeans vest and send to me this winter, if you can get the Jeans—Since I began writing this letter another came from you and still no news from Pa—Perhaps they are situated like we were in Maryland—Impossible to write unless some one took it by hand—I guess I have received every letter that you have written by this time—The distant roar of cannon can be distantly heard this morning—I suppose it is from our outposts—The Yankees pursued us very rapidly in our retreat from Winchester—They are at a place I learn called Washington about twenty miles from here—Col Cobb has been promoted to Brig. Genl His Legion dont like to give him up—they know his true value—He is a good man and treats his men well—There is very little excitement, no stirring news—We have been under marching orders for the last two days—Yesterday they were countermanded. This morning we again recd orders to be ready to

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