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Richmond.  9 Feb . 1863

                   I have recd.  but one letter

from you my beloved wife, since

I have been here, and that was written

on yesterday week  (this

is Monday).  This I am quite

confident is not the state of

things indicating the number of

times that you have written.

 I therefore am sure that one

at least of your letters has been

lost and I have now to request

you to direct hereafter to the

care of "Capt.  Charles Morris - A.Q.M."

I wrote to you on Saturday enclosing

some sewing cotton which I hope

you will receive tomorrow morning.

   In that letter I informed you that

I had taken boarding at the same

house with some Wms. burg friends.

Considering  the difficulty of obtaining

board & lodging and the dearness of

both, I am quite as comfortable as

I could expect - but not  desire, - for

if that could be asserted it would

be because I had returned to you

all.                   I have been so little used

to work for some time that , having my

mornings full occupied I have not

yet arranged my daily habits so as

to enable me to visit any one;  but

I intend to begin tomorrow afternoon

by visits to Gen.  Ewell and Minnigerode.

   On yesterday, instead of going to church

I went down to Drewry's Bluff to see

James Semple:  I had some money be-

-longing to him & I wanted to deliver

it besides desiring to see him.

   I found him very well and very

comfortably established.   I went on board

the iron clad new vessel- the Richmond-

a most strange and queer looking machine,

and found her a tremendous

implement of war.  I also of

course went around the batteries

on the bluff and according to my

very mature military judgment

the enemy cannot get to Rich-

-mond that way.   Major Semple re-

-turned to Richmond with me in the

aftn.     Capt. Lee  also came up.

He commands the naval station

at the bluff; he is a brother of Gen. Lee

and a very agreeable  gentleman.

it is almost breakfast time  &

I must stop.   Best love to every

body. Kisses for the children - extra

for my darling little Pagey.  I

have not heard a word from the

girls altho' I wrote to Lelia.

Do write my dearest wife so soon

as to receive this and do not

forget the direction-

Care of Capt. Charles Morris  A.Q.M.  

Remembrance to Mrs. S. &c. &c. &c

                        Ever your  R.S.

 

Mrs.  Saunders