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Letter from Conrad Holmes (?) to Rebecca Powell (Winchester, Va)

9 November 1861

Powell Papers - 65 P875, Box II, Folder 6

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                                                                                                Camp Cooper

                                                                                                            Nov. 9th/61_

 

I hasten my Dear Cousin Rebecca to Thank you for your beautiful present and to assure you of my deep regret at not having received it sooner as The date of your ____  ____ _____ I should have done.  This morning I received a message from Dr. Autrie Randolph that he had something for me.  I went and found your package and the explanation that it had been detained at "Col Fields Regiment."  I need not assure you how pleasant is the reflection that even in the _____ of your grief you could mind the trivial wants of others.  The

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impression made on the minds of his Comrads by the _______ wish which he ____________ his purpose and the __________ which he evinced in maintaining it and "Monuments more lasting than brass."  His manliness of character and ____ integrity, are objects of frequent comment, I am ____ that you will have, or probably have already had the gratificaiton of _____ the Regt. under whose colors he fought, and trusting these who knew his many virtues and admired him.

We are being made mere shuttlecocks by the many conflicting ______ & _______ that incessantly press in upon us.  Now we are up to the boiling point of hope at hearing of orders to

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 the Valley and now below zero , when we hear that we remain here for the winter.  The ______ proximity of the Yankees to Winchester has caused me great uneasiness on account of my female relative there.  Not that I imagine they are at all inferior to the uglier sex in courage and patriotic devotion, but I know these are virtures which the Yankee can appreciate, I hope that we will before long be able to engage them somewhere in the Valley. 

Yesterday we went over with 60 men toward Alex - and took 7 of them (from New York) We took up within 120 yards of a large outpost body of them but they manifested that quality

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which the proverbs suggest is the better part of valour and with a view probably of "fighting another day."  They left.  Our prisoners did not leave so be at all sorrowful at the prospect of hibernating in Richmond .  Indeed they expressed their joy at being liberated.  We occasionally have desertions from them but they ______ they  _____ to ______ it under the attempt hazardous.

You will pardon I know my inefficient attempt to thank you for your kind present.  But I promise that under more favorable conditions when it isnt raining quite so hard and when the weather is a little milder.  I will give you a more interesting account of matters here.

Please give my best love to all your family and believe me

                                                                                    Ever trly yrs

                                                                                                Hos Conrad: