Camp Winans near Pollard Ala

                                                                                                Sept the 29^th 1862.

 

My very dear Sisters & Brother!

                                                            I am just back from seeing Jeannie & the childers whom I found, thank God! very well & very dear to me. just the best wife & darlingest lot of young ones in the Conferacy. May the Yankees be accursed eternaly! Amen! for divorcing me from them. Of course, I found our children to me very much improved. I have five children & another expected in a few days. You see Jeannie is so heedless & thoughtless she cound’nt go to New Orleans to see me for a few days only without going & having another girl—or boy, of course it will be a boy—or a girl. most likely the latter. Well I dont care how many times she duplicates her dear self. I dont love one the less because I have four others. God love & keep their darling souls And then if I should loose one of them as you Dear Sister did & so I did my second child my first boy & it was hard. It was next to dying myself to see my bright, beautiful son pine away & writhe & suffer & die. Sister I suffer with you Few men love their children as I do, with a womans fond, yearning heart. I love my children & I too have had to stand by the dying bed of my son. I too have suffered Sister & bid you weep. it will do you good. I was a fool & was proud & rebellious against God. I am wiser now & am as humble as a little child. When I think of my wife & my Pets at home Oh God please spare them /

 

Our children are all well grown except Minnie. She is very small. Nellie Stewart is a diamon, a sun-beam, a steel-trap—a thing all life. I cant describe her so imagine a little elfish wee thing, three years old always saying smart things & astonishing you by doing cute things, and always singing or talking with a great disposition to tease & you have an idea of my Pet. Kate is very much improved & so is Leila. both have grown much in body & mind since I last saw them Kate will sing & play well if the d—n Yankees would let us alone & permit me to educate her

 

            We are still here, doing nothing & to all appearances there is no danger of any one being hurt soon any where hereabouts. If Nole will have to be conscripted, Anna you had better send him here. We will insure his hide from a Yankee bullet under Col. Tatnall. But who knows. The Yankees may be even now stealing from Pensacola upon Mobile & if so we will have hot work

 

            Bennie has been sick a little for several days, is now better. [?] very well, a good & a fine looking officer The Crescent is to be again reorganized. On every account I am pleased at this for Bennies sake I am rejoiced. They will be sent over immediately to Oppelusas to be recruited I enclose you $50 to pay for articles purchased by you for me, for which I again thank you Love to all Kisses to the girls & children & affectionate remembrances to Bro Wall, Robt Bowman Mrs Murphey, Irvin & all who care for me & dont forget the servants who hold me in remembrance. Old Uncle Toney always called me when a child by my present title.                                Your Brother truly

                                                                                                                        Winans—

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