NewMarket Va

                                                                                                            May 8. 1862

 

Dear Wife

                        I have just red your letter dated May 2^d and am glad to hear that you are doing as well as you are. I am glad you opened the Barn to Mrs. Bigelow. You could not properly have done otherwise, and you must allow her any use she wishes to make of the Barn. You need not have any fears of fires on that account. You ask me to write more about myself. I supposed I did write all I knew about / myself. Your last letter from me you say was dated from Harisonburg, and that I seemed blue. I was not well, at that time but was not blue from any anticipated danger. I am now better, indeed quite well. As to the Childrens disappointment as to the reception of the pictures, I supposed I said all that could be wished. Yet I cannot say what I did say, for I write by evry mail and while marching sendom have an opertunity to write otherwise than in great haste. I usual have one or two invelops with a sheet of paper in them, placed in / my pocket, and when I get an opportunity to send I scratch off a letter. But you may say to the children that I was exceedingly delighted with their pictures. I think them very fine pictures and have shown them to many and they think they must be very pretty girls. And they would not doubt how much I value them, if they knew that I seldom look at them without sheding tears. And I look at them often. I keep them in my Memorandom Book with yours and Genl Banks.

 

            We had a celebration yesterday over the evactuation of Yorktown / several Col^s Majors &c being in company they marched through the camp of the several Regts of this Brigade called on the Col. commanding, gave him three cheers and got a speech out of him if they could. Then they came to our camp, the Col. of N. York commanding as Brigadeer and 4 other Col^s. being present with other officer, the soldiers generally gathering round, they cheered Col. Chapman and called on him to make a speech, whereupon he excused himself and called upon me. I made a short patriotic speech of about 20 minutes / being interrupted several times with cheers, and at the close receiving three hearty cheer & personal congratulations from the Col. and the Gen^l. the cavelry charge was a charge by about 150 of the Ira Harris upon about 3 or 4 hundred of Ashbys Cavelry, which they chased about three miles. The Enemy is now in Harisonburg with about 10,000. troops. We may go back to Strausburg and entrench there, as the Post must be defended. If not we shall go to Richmond.

 

                                                                                                                        As I think / of it, I would advise you to get look over the numbers of Fran Leslies illustrated paper and get those which has the pictures of our march. I have seen in it the taking of Winchester and the encampment at Strausburg. You can get Morgan to save you a paper when any picture of Banks Army is in it.

 

                                                                                                                                    I will send a few flowers which I picked up to-day in the woods. One is Boxwood, for Rosa. One a white flower for Lily, and a flower for yourself, it is from a small tree wich is / very full and many such small trees about here.

 

            George is well and says he has two letters on the way home now. My eyes are better when I do not use them but feel the effect of use at once. I seldom use my glasses.

 

I do not think you need trouble yourself about sewing for the soldiers. I was told at Washington that large quantities of things were there, but I have seen none here. After the fight, I saw some clothing at Winchester, but that the only place I have seen any. The nice eatables I think never go to the soldiers. Kiss the Children.

 

Love to All      Your

                        Horace.

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