The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
[Letter from his mother in Charlottesville, Virginia, to Dr. John Watts in Texas}
August 3rd 1862
My dearest Son
Your most welcome letter was received on the 1st [unclear] I cant [can 7] tell you how
glad I was to hear from you all, oh how my heart yearns to my children. May God bless you
every one. The time seems so long from one letter to another. Vic is here. She thinks I am too
impatient but I cant [can ’f\ help it. She came two weeks ago. The Yankees were within three
miles of Capt. Burton’s, so they started off at a moments warning and got safe here. Capt. B.
returned but did not intend going entirely home, but near enough to hear from there. They were
at the C. H. and through the county in considerable numbers, and also in Culpepper in large force
and in Rappahannock and the counties around. It is said Pope has a hundred thousand men to
sweep the whole country, but he will find a force ready to meet him. They have been in
Rockingham, and in Harrisonburg twice. The first time they didn’t do anything, but the last time
committed many depredations. They went into your Cousin Catharine Gamble’s kitchen and
wanted to take the bread that had just been baked for the family. She told they should not have it.
One fellow said he had walked a long way and was hungry and he must have it. She asked him
what he came for, nobody sent for him, however she sold their bread and made about $80 while
they staid [stayed] selling to them. She asked $1.00 a loaf for bread. They paid about half in gold
and silver.
Since the battles below Richmond, of which I suppose you have heard, they have been
tolerably quiet. Stonewall Jackson is a few miles from Gordonsville largely reinforced so I
suppose there will be stirring times among them shortly.
I long for the dove of peace once more to visit our stricken country. We have a good
many wounded and sick here and it is dreadful to see the poor fellows go about the streets some
on crutches and some with their arms in a sling, some wounded in the head, neck and different
parts of the body. Hundreds have died here since the war commenced. The University grave yard
has received the body of many a poor fellow whose home is hundreds of miles off.
[Page 2]
I am mightily glad the children think of us and talk about us. We often think of, and talk
about them, and long to see them. Tell them they shall have some pretty things as soon as the war
is over and we can send them. I would like to see Johnny with his breeches on. I know he and
Mary are both just as sweet as they can be. Be very patient with them my dear Son and teach
them to be truthful and kind to each other.
I think Elisa and Effie have reason to be proud of their cloth. I am glad my dear Effie has
become so industrious. She never was lasy [lazy], but she never had much to do, to call forth her
energies. She was always ready and willing with anything I wished her to do and I feel sincerely
thankful she has a good home with you both while this disastrious [disastrous] war is raging. She
is as safe there as she would be here. I heard the Yankees had been in Louisa but I dont [don ’f]
think they were near Annie. Since I commenced writing a large Cavalry force, some hundred,
passed through on their way to Jackson. The town is always in commotion with coming and
going of soldiers and army stores.
There is a great deal of typhoid fever here both among the soldiers and others. I think it
would be better for you to remain at home than go in the army, if your health is bad you couldn’t
well stand it.
You are far ahead of us in vegetation, we have no roasting ears yet, but will in a few
days. I believe the crops are pretty good about here, but every thing is very high. We make out