14 May 1862. [Pattie Watkins], Mount Pleasant, [Prince Edward County] to her sister, [Nannie V. Watkins].
Dublin Core
Title
14 May 1862. [Pattie Watkins], Mount Pleasant, [Prince Edward County] to her sister, [Nannie V. Watkins].
Subject
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Watkins family.
Authors, American--Women
Peninsular Campaign,1862.
Description
Writes of news received for Peninsula campaign including names of those wounded in their community; gives much family news regarding illnesses, gardens, etc. 4 pp. AL.
Creator
Watkins, Pattie.
Source
Nathaniel V. Watkins Family Papers, 1846-1889, Mss. 39.1 W32.020, Box 1, Folder 2
Publisher
Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary
Date
1862-05-14
Contributor
SCRC Civil War Transcription Project Volunteer
Rights
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Relation
The finding aid for the Nathaniel V. Watkins Family Papers, 1846-1889, can be found at http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=6683
Language
en
Type
Text
Identifier
Mss. 39.1 W32.020
Document Item Type Metadata
Text
This document has not been verified by Special Collections Research Center Staff. Please also consult images of the document.
Addressed Envelope
Mrs. Nannie V. Watkins
Sassafras Fork P. Office
Granville
North Carolina
Mt. Pleasant May 14th
1862
My Dear Sister,
I have been intending for a week to write
to you but Mollie came & staid several days with us
& it is such a treat to have her with us that I couldn't
write while she was here. And we felt so anxious
about our dear one in the Army after she left that
I had no heart to write but we heard sunday from
Brother Dick through Charley Redd & heard that he
was well & yesterday by light your letter & one from
Brother Nat came together. It seemed so natural
to hear from both at the same time. But yours [showed?]
that you were very anxious about him & his was fill
ed with anxiety about you. He was at Hanover C.H.
& ^all^ was well, thought that they would all come to
Richmond. I want very much to write to him but
I think it is so uncertain about his getting the letter
that I have concluded to wait a day or two & see if
I can hear where he is stationed now. We had heard
so many rumors about Gloucester Point being cut off
& then about the Troop being cut off that Ma & I almost
felt like keeping thanks giving yesterday when we heard
that they were both safe. Yesterday was Ma's 73rd birth
day. The troops came very near being cut off but Col Stewart
was with them & he told every man to follow him said
he would swim James River before he would be taken
& they all rushed down the bank & found that they
could get along on the sand bar under the bank
& so got safely away. These are certainly dark anxious times
to us. I was very glad to hear Jimmie Watkins was
at home. So many around here were wounded on the
Peninsular & near Staunton, one body was brought
home sunday & buried in this neighborhood young [Farrar?]
& the same day Tom Hines brought home his son who died with
fever several weeks ago. Branch Spencer is at home wounded
but not very badly. William Walton was slightly wounded
& Emmet [Woolten?] is wounded & at home. His father is very
low not expected to live. ^with consumption^. And there are a great many more
that I know the names of but am not acquainted with
though I have seen them very often. We can't hear a word
from the Charlotte Troop but guess that they were not in
the fight. Miss Sallie Lacy died last sunday night with
Typhoid Pneumonia. She was sick only six days but
was ill all the time was at church one Sunday & died
the next. We went to the funeral yesterday Dr. Smith
preached it, from the text For I know that my Redeem
er liveth etc. Dr. Drury Lacy & Mr. Wharey were both
there. Old Dr. Lacy looked as if he was almost ready
to shout. He raised all of the times Horace & Drury
were both at Staunton ^in the army^ didn't know that she was
sick. We were so sorry to hear of Sarah's death. It seems
as if the young & healthy at home are as liable to death
as those that go in the army. Glen Read's son of Farm
ville was killed at Williamsburg. He went for the
body but it was in the hands of the enemy & they
wouldn't let him have it.
Ma seemed almost well again but she spits a little
blood every now & then. Mr. Redd is right sick with
cold. I feel right anxious about him. Sister Sue is
very well & is all the time busy with her garden & her
baby her cloth & her fowls. She has upwards of a hundred
little turkeys & a good number of chickens 10 or 12 goslings
her peas are almost large enough to eat. The garden looks
very well. And I think the flowers are prettier this spring
than I ever saw them. Sister Sue has had two 60 yds
pieces of cloth & has another piece almost ready for the
loom she has warp & filling spun at home but has the
weaving done out. Frankie has one tooth & is right
fretful some times but when you remember that she
is the only little one & we haven't had a baby here for
so long you will expect to find her spoilt & cross. She is a
right fat sweet baby though not much like Lily. Mr. Whorey
has been home now about a fortnight he looks very well
& preaches as well as ever. He started to come here a day
or two ago but heard that Miss Sallie Lacy was dead
& went back to attend the funeral. He went to see Mollie
& tell her about Brother Dick. Mollie is very well & the
children are so sweet & pretty. But I don't think [Minnie?]
is as pretty as she was. [Savelitte?] came here with her
& they staid 4 or 5 days. Tom Daniel made us a visit while
they were here. He was very lively & told us a great many
funny things about the Dutch gals. Hal came with him.
John hasn't been home at all for a whole year. I saw [Cous?]
William Morton yesterday. All are well at his house. He says
the baby is just like me & he wants to name it after me.
Mr. [Peck?] is going as our chaplain & is going to the hospitals
we have raised nearly two hundred dollar for him &
expect to get quite two hundred. I received a letter
from Mollie Goodie a few days ago. Tell Pattie that [Tom?]
Daniel talked about her & complained that she would
not answer his letter said she only wrote a line or two
& all of that was sending her love to John. We heard from
Brother Will's Monday. All well except Mildred she
had a right sore throat. I was up there about a week ago.
Sister Kate was making a great deal of butter & sending it to Richmond
& [Wills?] [got?] 15 cts for 40lbs.
The following written upside down in top margin:
I want to come for you very much sometime this summer but advise you
not to wait for me if you can get ready before I get there come on here & I will
try to go back with you. I do want to see Charley & Hollie so much. Kiss them a hun
dred times for me. Minnie says some words very plain & trots about every where.
Cornelia Eggleston is beautiful now but she doesn't walk at all if mighty good. Maria
Dupuy has been right sick with bilious colic but is almost well again.
Ma & all join me in love to you & all at your Pa's & kisses
to Charley & Hollie.
Addressed Envelope
Mrs. Nannie V. Watkins
Sassafras Fork P. Office
Granville
North Carolina
Mt. Pleasant May 14th
1862
My Dear Sister,
I have been intending for a week to write
to you but Mollie came & staid several days with us
& it is such a treat to have her with us that I couldn't
write while she was here. And we felt so anxious
about our dear one in the Army after she left that
I had no heart to write but we heard sunday from
Brother Dick through Charley Redd & heard that he
was well & yesterday by light your letter & one from
Brother Nat came together. It seemed so natural
to hear from both at the same time. But yours [showed?]
that you were very anxious about him & his was fill
ed with anxiety about you. He was at Hanover C.H.
& ^all^ was well, thought that they would all come to
Richmond. I want very much to write to him but
I think it is so uncertain about his getting the letter
that I have concluded to wait a day or two & see if
I can hear where he is stationed now. We had heard
so many rumors about Gloucester Point being cut off
& then about the Troop being cut off that Ma & I almost
felt like keeping thanks giving yesterday when we heard
that they were both safe. Yesterday was Ma's 73rd birth
day. The troops came very near being cut off but Col Stewart
was with them & he told every man to follow him said
he would swim James River before he would be taken
& they all rushed down the bank & found that they
could get along on the sand bar under the bank
& so got safely away. These are certainly dark anxious times
to us. I was very glad to hear Jimmie Watkins was
at home. So many around here were wounded on the
Peninsular & near Staunton, one body was brought
home sunday & buried in this neighborhood young [Farrar?]
& the same day Tom Hines brought home his son who died with
fever several weeks ago. Branch Spencer is at home wounded
but not very badly. William Walton was slightly wounded
& Emmet [Woolten?] is wounded & at home. His father is very
low not expected to live. ^with consumption^. And there are a great many more
that I know the names of but am not acquainted with
though I have seen them very often. We can't hear a word
from the Charlotte Troop but guess that they were not in
the fight. Miss Sallie Lacy died last sunday night with
Typhoid Pneumonia. She was sick only six days but
was ill all the time was at church one Sunday & died
the next. We went to the funeral yesterday Dr. Smith
preached it, from the text For I know that my Redeem
er liveth etc. Dr. Drury Lacy & Mr. Wharey were both
there. Old Dr. Lacy looked as if he was almost ready
to shout. He raised all of the times Horace & Drury
were both at Staunton ^in the army^ didn't know that she was
sick. We were so sorry to hear of Sarah's death. It seems
as if the young & healthy at home are as liable to death
as those that go in the army. Glen Read's son of Farm
ville was killed at Williamsburg. He went for the
body but it was in the hands of the enemy & they
wouldn't let him have it.
Ma seemed almost well again but she spits a little
blood every now & then. Mr. Redd is right sick with
cold. I feel right anxious about him. Sister Sue is
very well & is all the time busy with her garden & her
baby her cloth & her fowls. She has upwards of a hundred
little turkeys & a good number of chickens 10 or 12 goslings
her peas are almost large enough to eat. The garden looks
very well. And I think the flowers are prettier this spring
than I ever saw them. Sister Sue has had two 60 yds
pieces of cloth & has another piece almost ready for the
loom she has warp & filling spun at home but has the
weaving done out. Frankie has one tooth & is right
fretful some times but when you remember that she
is the only little one & we haven't had a baby here for
so long you will expect to find her spoilt & cross. She is a
right fat sweet baby though not much like Lily. Mr. Whorey
has been home now about a fortnight he looks very well
& preaches as well as ever. He started to come here a day
or two ago but heard that Miss Sallie Lacy was dead
& went back to attend the funeral. He went to see Mollie
& tell her about Brother Dick. Mollie is very well & the
children are so sweet & pretty. But I don't think [Minnie?]
is as pretty as she was. [Savelitte?] came here with her
& they staid 4 or 5 days. Tom Daniel made us a visit while
they were here. He was very lively & told us a great many
funny things about the Dutch gals. Hal came with him.
John hasn't been home at all for a whole year. I saw [Cous?]
William Morton yesterday. All are well at his house. He says
the baby is just like me & he wants to name it after me.
Mr. [Peck?] is going as our chaplain & is going to the hospitals
we have raised nearly two hundred dollar for him &
expect to get quite two hundred. I received a letter
from Mollie Goodie a few days ago. Tell Pattie that [Tom?]
Daniel talked about her & complained that she would
not answer his letter said she only wrote a line or two
& all of that was sending her love to John. We heard from
Brother Will's Monday. All well except Mildred she
had a right sore throat. I was up there about a week ago.
Sister Kate was making a great deal of butter & sending it to Richmond
& [Wills?] [got?] 15 cts for 40lbs.
The following written upside down in top margin:
I want to come for you very much sometime this summer but advise you
not to wait for me if you can get ready before I get there come on here & I will
try to go back with you. I do want to see Charley & Hollie so much. Kiss them a hun
dred times for me. Minnie says some words very plain & trots about every where.
Cornelia Eggleston is beautiful now but she doesn't walk at all if mighty good. Maria
Dupuy has been right sick with bilious colic but is almost well again.
Ma & all join me in love to you & all at your Pa's & kisses
to Charley & Hollie.
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Citation
Watkins, Pattie., “14 May 1862. [Pattie Watkins], Mount Pleasant, [Prince Edward County] to her sister, [Nannie V. Watkins].,” Swem Library Digital Projects, accessed May 23, 2013, http://scrcdigital.swem.wm.edu/items/show/529.
File: Mss. 39.1 W32.020.pdf
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