Sunday night Jan’y 31st
My Dearest
Wife
Your favor of
yesterday was recd today, & it relieved me from anxiety which
your satisfaction at causing me poorly compensated. There is you well know a difference between “time to write”
where, room to yourself, pen ink & paper combined with leisure and
something to write are at your command, and a visitor always in a room full or
out of doors except when in bed.
Besides you were hearing from me every day it seems, while I heard not a
word from you, but took it for granted I would find letters here on my return,
but found none. So that the interval
between Jan’y 15th and 31st without a letter from
you has no satisfactory explanation in my conduct where in the society of
refined ladies I passed the intervals of duty, in a manner which I would have been
glad to have had you to witness.
Besides I think it might be profitable to us both for you to
inform me who keeps you so well posted in such matters. I think Dearest you ought to know me by this
time – if you do not all I can say is I have nothing to conceal and nothing to
explain.
We have enough
real cares and troubles without conjuring up imaginary ones.
There are a
few such chaps as Frank Terrill who piqued at my interfering with his
attentions to some young lady would be delighted to make you by fair or foul
means Jealous, and distrustful, & may succeed, but my conscience
will acquit me of offending in word or deed.
I wish very much you & I could look at houses together, I prefer one
a little off the street with shrubs & flowers & not too hot in summer. I saw a number which would suit me
exactly. I would if I bought prefer a
more stylish house than Dr Brewer’s present one. I cant well get over the objection of another family, Jimmy is so
obstreperous, & some people are & will be nervous – &
then a little body will be annoyed &c &c &c &c. You know the rest. Kinsfolk are very nice to visit to live near &c but living
with is another matter and before two months you will require no arguments
to convince you. I now think since
getting your letter that Richmond will suit you better than Charlottesville. Dont get too small a house & be
sure to have yard enough to move around.
The $5000 I have in St Louis would be worth here now $100,000 in C.S.
currency. I am about to send for it. I think that I can safely borrow from Alex
enough to start you on that. I expect
to enclose you $100 in this. I bought
48 lbs of butter which went by express to-day to Dr B. It may require repacking. It amounted to $228, breaking me flat. Give it all or as much as you like as you
prefer. I hope they received the
turkeys. The Dr ought to let me
know. I am very sorry you troubled
yourself about the flannel; if any one else wants them it let it
go. I can get along very well. I would like for you to take more of my
shirts for Jimmy. As for the purchases
you propose give me a list & I will try first to get them from Maryland and
if next summer will do I feel sure if I live, of getting them.
Dr Brewers pay
& commutation is more pay than mine.
I regret very much to hear of his ill-health, I am a pensioner to such
an extent on Bro Alex that it will not do to bring in our connections
also. Besides my own mother has asked
me for help. My advice to any one
similarly situated is to borrow to meet present demands as times will better
very soon for our pay will be worth double what it is. I will write to Bro Alex on the subject of a
home. I wish you would get from Doherty
two sets large black hooks & eyes for my cape in front. These little ones tear my braid so. He had some large ones on my new cape. Venable goes tomorrow to the valley to
inspect Roper’s brigade.
I ordered a
pair of slippers from Darby Read & Gentry for $25. Please send these things up by Major
Powers.
I hear the Secy
has endorsed on my application for a
military court that, “Gen Stuart’s command is not a Corps as contemplated by
the law.” So that is the reason I am
not a Lieutenant General I suppose also.
I dont see how
you make it that Dr B. & Maria have a hard time, for on the contrary I
think they are admirably fixed, & he very fortunate in being able to
persuade himself that the post of his duty is where he can spend daily half his
time with his wife & children (?)
My cold still
lingers as a recollection of Richmond.
I did not get
to church to-day for before I could start The enemy advanced which caused “to-horse”
at this ranch – but when I reached the ground he had disappeared. It was in Madison.
My staff
always send their regards. Gen Jo
Johnston wrote me a exceedingly kind & complimentary letter recd
yesterday. He is a good friend. He says Banks married & left him last
summer. Barbour has left him also. I
have recently heard from the Bower & from Shepperdstown they always send
love to you. Miss Ella Grinnan &
the Dr also. Miss Kate Dandridge says
if our army advances in the spring you must come to the Bower – What say
you? I would like you to know
them. I hope you will not be too
ceremonious with my friends.
Being a Major General’s wife, you can afford (with no household cares)
to go a little more than half way with those who have been so kind to your
husband & such a course will so much more easily melt the ice of
formality. Kisses to our Dear ones.
Yours
J.E.B.Stuart