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Letter from Hattie Powell ["Rome", Brunswick Cty., Va]  to Nina Powell (Winchester, Va)

4 July 1862


Powell Papers – 65 P875, Box III, Folder 1


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Rome July 4th 1862 Friday morning


Dear Nina


I hope you will not think your last letter was not


most welcome, because I have been so long answering it, but let


ters are such expensive things now that I find I must econo-


mize in them and as you all are so close together write to


you in turn.  I suppose you like myself are all anxiety about


the great battle of Richmond.  I had a letter from Father


(which I did not get until yesterday) written on Sunday, he


seems to be satisfied with the progress of the battle & to feel


confident it will result in a great victory, but it is much


longer in duration than I expected, and we have to fight


very hard.  Father mentions Col Allen, Wood McDonald, Frank


Sherrard, and Eugene Webster of our acquaintance among the


killed; and Mr. Frank Jones as wounded, he said too it was


feared Mr J who had had his leg amputated, would sink


from exhaustion.  Poor Mrs Jones, and his little children.  I


see in the list of wounded in the 44th regt the name of


Adjt C. G. _______, no doubt the Mr _______ who taught at Mrs


Carters, it does not say how severely.  These are all the names I


yet see that I know, but I dread to see the full lists.  Pa said


Hugh & Frank Powell were safe up to that time, and that some of


our near relations were engaged.  Pa does not mention Charley


atall, I suppose he does not think he is in the battle but I cant


help being very uneasy about him, for if he was at Uncle Gordons


when Jacksons army passed by on their way down to the battle


I think nine chances in ten he went with them.  If you


know any thing of him do let me know.  I had a letter from Willie


McGuire on Monday, he said Charley had been up to Greenwood Depot


to see Mr Fauntleroy.  I reckon a few days before he wrote.  Willie said


all the family except himself went back to Win when Jackson was


there and all staid except his Father, Mother & the boys.  Mr. D's


school was broken up and his Father was stationed there at the Hos-


 


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pital, his Mother was there too, she now regretted leaving __ as she thought


she could get along better with the Yankees than the girls.  Hunter


was taken prisoner at the battle of Port Republic, but afterwards


made his escape.  I had a long letter yesterday from Minnie


Lloyd, complaining dreadfully that no one writes to them but


Frank.  She is so much afraid of getting them into trouble that


she ____ them nothing.  She says she has never seen a Yankee &


 ____ ___ ____  ____ __  __ , some of the servants had gone off lately


and Grandma has great comfort in hers.  The Yanks acknowledged


a defeat immediately after the battle of Chickahominy, but since


they got over their fright claim a victory.  She sometimes


has a Herald, and feels much encouraged by their account


they are fortunate in the _____ who has command at


Gloucester Point, only our regt there and not thought to be


five hundred men on that side the river, and they are kept


within bounds, but they have been to the C. H. several times


what for they cant ___.  Minnie knew Jamie ___ had been ta-


ken prisoner.  She says their papers call loudly for reinforce-


ments  & say they can never get to Richmond without them, I


trust their reinforcements will come too late, but ____


the last paper they have been reinforced in this battle from


somewhere.  Minn says the sickness among their soldiers is


dreadful.  She say they are all well, Grandma looks & seems


in good health.  Aunt Sallie, Cornelia, & Hattie are very nicely


fixed about four miles from them, and they see them quite


often.  How is dear Mother, she was not well when she


wrote to me last, you must not let her get out of spirits.


How do you get on with your school, do you find it easy.


I am knitting socks for Charley how, but have just begun.


I have been reading ______ life of the Black Prince, but


find it is intensely stupid that I have given it up after


finishing the first volume, and am going to read ______


life of Goldsmith; there are a great many books here, but


no two volumes of the same thing; in fact except Mr J


Tucker they are not a reading people.  I intended going


down to Cousin Mary C___________ this evening but the car-


riage has been sent to carry the overseer/ a sick soldier / to


 


[1 – Diagonal]


his sisters so I shall


not be able to go un-


til tomorrow morn-


ing.  Some of you write


soon and tell me if


you know any thing


of Charly.  Give much


love to dear Ma &


Sister.  Write soon


to your attached


Sister Hattie.