Carlsbad, NMex. 4/7—1911

 

Dear Mr Hopkins:

                        Your book from Bull Run to Appomattox was rec'd in good shape. I read and reread it until you and I were friends.

 

I kept studying out a reply for really I wished to talk back in a friendly way. While pondering thus a wave of la grippe came this way and put me clear off duty for two months and I am still in Camp Convalescence. My getting off duty put my whole family on more than double duty. I'm doing my best to keep upon my feet so that the family can get some rest for no one of them is robust. I had been working too hard over my reminiscences and that helped prostrate me. I am just now beginning to be able to resume my neverending deferred correspondence. I do it when the fever is off & while / resting up between spells of exhaustive coughing. I thru dint of hard work had made a rough sketch of the different campaigns except that of Gettysburg from date of leaving the banks of the Rappahannock in early June until we ran against the gray scouts at Gettysburg, July 2^nd '63—about 3pm until sundown. I may start in upon the work next week if I don't get too weak. I wish I had the good sense to know just those things that will not interest present day readers so that I would not make them a part of the narration just because I observed or experienced them. You understand me & it seems to me that you must have struck a happy mean. For I know that you had a thousand or more experiences of your own that you did not relate to say nothing of the numberless things of interest that befell others. After I get my "big say" boiled down so that it can all be told in a volume the size of yours I'm going to ask / you for suggestions. I'll try, I think, and have a typewritten copy made from this rough draft. If I do and conclude to look for a publisher I'll try and mail you a copy then I know that your practical knowledge along the line of book building will be an aid to me for which service I'll try to find a way to compensate you. I sometimes think, friend Hopkins, that I am wearying myself for naught. Captain Michener of the Jeff Davis Legion has just returned from Louisiana this date hence I sent your book to him last evening. A 63d Indiana man read it while I was sick & he was pleased. I wrote to a Mr. Thomas Reed of Antelope Marion Co Kas. reared at Farmville, Va—a Va L.A. man & sent your literature also & urged him to get a copy. Your book is of worth to the present generation and I'm glad you had a good boy to punch you up and get you to write your "think"— 

 

You may be a little surprised, even if you do not feel honored upon learning that you and I slept under the same roof, so to speak. Now Hopkins, don't anticipate what you may think may be a coming and drop your eyes down the page to see—It was this way in March and April 1863 I was quartered at times in the Old Capitol Prison to perform Guard duty—So you see I slept and ate there upon those occasions. You did the same according to your story book. While I was there Lt. Col Kerrigan, I think, of the 69 NY—was there and roomed with a very gentlemanly Confederate officer. I heard it was a General Lee, but I never could satisfactorily learn that to be a fact. I once wrote W.H. L. Lee about it but he was not then [?] One of the Confederate blockade runners or news gatherers [?] of the same to Richmond—a close friend of Mr Davis—a lady, young daughter and bright little boy occupied upper rooms for a time. I don't recall her name now. /

 

Quite a lot of our guards became quite well acquainted with her. I was too much of a boy, or rather too little a boy to be placed at her door, so I did not form her acquaintance, but I did see her run the stars and bars out of her attic window and ware the emblem with a will before the faces of our boys—the 91^st PR—as we neared the prison. It a sort of tickled us—most of us—a few boiled but the officers put a quietus upon their threats. A regiment passed along in front of the Building—band a playing—The little boy heard the music and down the stairs he went and as he passed me I heard his dear sister say: "Harey, I wouldn't go down and look at those nasty Yankee soldiers"—but he went. I often thot as I stood upon that stairway what I'd do and how I'd feel if one of your boys would attempt to wrench my gun from me. I recall that I used to keep a mighty tight grip onto the Springfield which was almost as big as me then. /

 

I did not get into Upperville—but was thru Middleburg, Snickers Gap, Thoroughfare & Manassas Gap—Camped all night in '63 Nov'r 3^rd I think at L[?]ville—At L. I took off a pair of new shoes—U.S.—that I put on at Sharpsburg the day before at L. I found the soles were actually made out of heavy brown paper—cardboard—cost #2.05—one days march & one days wear. McClellan said we needed shoes so we could start after you fellows. That young Quakeress sort of got you, didn't she? Say, M. L. Genealogy says I am in direct descent from Elizabeth Penn a sister to Sir Admiral Penn father of Wm Penn. Dont you wonder now that I had any fight in me? I am also in direct descent thru Thankful Winslow who came down from a brother of Govr Edward Winslow one K[?] Winslow—a second brother of Edward of Plymouth—I'll stop else you may think me a vain old man. Write me. Kindly yours Wm C. Reiff

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