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 Williamsburg  13.  Aug.  1865

      I have just learned from Mr. Sydney Smith

that he will leave here for Danville tomorrow,

and I therefore write you a hurried letter my

dearest wife, as it will at least have a chance

of reaching you from that place.

                     I wrote to Lelia by the last mail

and have written many times to you but I

cannot say that I have felt confidence that

you received the letters, as I do not know that

the mails are as yet regular.   I wrote to

you by Henry Burwell and I presume, of course

that you received that letter.    I have received

three from you.  One, written the day after

my leaving you and carried by Mr. Jno. Gilmer

to Washington & mailed there - one mailed in

Richmond and one brought by Wm.  Fraser.

             I have not much to say except what

I wrote to Lelia & as some of that was im-

-portant I think it well to repeat so much

of it,  lest that letter may not reach you.

 

[P. 2]

I did not doubt that Judge Gilmer, with his

usual kindness, would have attended to the

matter of my pardon gratuitously as he told you

he would have done; but I did not chose to

ask him to do so and I had not money to

pay him.      If he is still at the Court House

please thank him cordially in my name &

say to  him that he may get assitance if he

shall think proper to do so.   I sent an

application to the President as I hoped thro'

Richmond,  thro'  Gov. Pierpoint who signed it

and sent it on for me.    It is accompanied by

the regular oaths &c.  My chief trouble about

it, at present, is the delay [underlined] which is of great [underlined]

detriment.     If Judge G.  will use his influence

to have it acted upon soon [underlined],  he will do me an

inestimable favor.    If he be not at home

but in Washington,   write to him to this affect &

get Mrs. Gilmer or Mr.  Jno. G. to tell you how

 to send it.           It is of great importance to me

in my application for the complete restoration of

my land,  that my application for pardon should

be favorably acted on at once.

 

[P. 3]

    I have written to Mr. Botts upon the subject

twice, buy cannot tell whether he has  recd.

or will receive my letters.     I expect to

have to go to Washington about my land, and

if  I do so and shall not have heard fom Mr. Botts

before, I shall go by & see him.

       All  this delay & suspense causes one of

course much disquietude and prevents one

from fuilly enjoying the kindness of my friends

here.     I never so much longed to be

with my family & my darling grand children

as I do now.  When I shall do so I cannot

now say.   I must ascertain something decided before

I turn my face in that direction.       My

property in town I have obained without

difficulty.       There is nothing doing here,

nor is there any prospect, for some time at least,

for any one to do any  thing in any depart-

-ment of human employment to support

himself.  Every thing is disjointed and in a

languishing condition.    No movement in any

thing.    If I could get something to do which

 

[P. 4]

would barely support life in Pittslva.  or indeed elsewhere

for the next year, I would not come down here this

year at all.    If good fortune shall reveal

to you any such prospect, do not hesitate to clutch

it without waiting to hear from me.

     I am happy to say that I am perfectly well;

every one remarks how well I look.

     The only families that have returned here as

yet are Col. Munford's, Dr. Mercer's & Dr. Camm's.

     I feel most anxious my beloved wife to

hear from you.       I wrote to you some  time

since to send your letters to Danville & have

them mailed there.   The chances of my getting

them is just as good as if they are sent by

private hand to Richmond.

     My warmest love to my dearest children

and grand children- also kindest regards to Mr. W.

and Miss Lizzie.  Likewise  to my friends the

Gilmers.  Mr. Whittle & Miss Mary &c. &c.

    Remembrance to servts      Peggy's  sons are all

well.  John told me that he had not seen Ishmael

but had heard he would be here thwoards the end

of the year.    I will write again in a day or two.

Farewell for the present & heaven bless & preserve you & all of

our dear ones.     

                                                  Ever Yr.  R.S.