Camp Adams,
Kings Mill Landing,
19th June, 1861
My dear Wife:
I have not written you for a day or two as I have nothing to communicate. We are all quiet here, but expect to have stirring news from Manassas today and hope that the Lord will be on our side and give victory and that it may be His will soon to bring peace and prosperity to our land when our rights are acknowledged and respected by our Northern friends or rather enemies. We do not know what a day may bring forth down here. The enemy may come up the river at any time. We are getting ready for them and shall look to the Lord for our defence.
I am quite well again, and no doubt my little bilious attacks will keep off some serious sickness.
I wrote David to let me know what he proposed to do. I fear my business* will suffer very much if he has to go into service, but all that must be if our rights are endangered. I also told him to place in bank to your credit an amount of money that you could check out as you wanted it.
I try to keep near the Cross, and find in the quite of camp life much time for meditation, and I hope that I improve it to my spiritual good. The present life could be to me insufferable did not I lean upon the strong arm of the Lord.
Capt. Thompson Brown is down here in charge of the artillery round about here. He expects his wife today, to stay in Williamsburg. It would be a pleasant trip to you and the children, but I fear the effect of the rotten lime stone water on them producing diarrhea, etc. Give love to friends, and remember in your prayers yours and our cause.
Yours very affectionately,
* John Stewart Walker ran a successful and award winning tobacco business.
I feel like a broken record- but again, very interesting stuff! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love to read educated men (or women) write about the war, there's nothing as interesting as reading first hand accounts- especially unpublished, personal letters such as these. You are very lucky to have these!