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Letter from Charles L. Powell [Richmond, Va] to Hattie Powell [daughter]

14 May 1862

Powell Papers – 65 P875, Box III, Folder 1

- - - - -

Richmond

May 14/62

My dear daughter

Our Government is ___

____, although I hope not upon its last

legs.  But the enemys gunboats are

in the James the Merrimac having been

blown up by our men - & it is taken

for granted by people generally that

there is no defense agst gunboats

I think it most probable that they

will succeed in getting possession of Rich

mond.  It may however be some days

first.  We are bound for Columbia

S. C.  How long to stay we cant tell.  I have

not heard from your Mother since

she left.  I expect to go on to meet her

up – perhaps to morrow.  It is suppo

sed that our destination is Colum

bia S. C. I expect to see you all

before I go on – if I do go on.   At pres

ent I expect to go on to morrow with Franks

family.  Until I see you – God bless

you & good bye.  I was very glad to get

your cheerful letter             Yr very aff father

                                                C L Powell

{the below note in cris-cross at top of the C. L. Powell ltr. from Sister Hattie]

I send you two

more letter of

Pa's which have

just come as they

give rather a more

cheerful view of

affairs. Pa is in

hopes & shall be

able to get board

for Ma & Nina

in this very neighbor

hood at Mr A_____

___, a cousin of

Mary B's husband.

Please write at once

and tell me whose

Mythology we

used.

Your attached

Sister Hattie. 

(note:  The Merrimac which was sunk was in fact the Confederate States ironclad CSS Virginia.

There was no Confederate ship named Merrimac.  The hull of the Merrimac was salvaged at Gosport Naval Yard when the Union forces had burned her to the waterline when they were abandoning Norfolk.  The hull was refloated and the CSS Virginia was constructed on the hull of the sunken U. S. ship.  When the battle of the ironclads took place in Hampton Roads it was between the Monitor and the Virginia.)

Back:

Monday morning May 19

Dear Sister

            I enclose you Ma's & Pa's last letters. I

could make nothing out of Pa's, it put me in dread-

ful spirits, I thought Richmond was gone for cer-

tain but last night Mr. ____ got home on ____

____, & he gives a much more encouraging ac-

count of things. Says Richmond can never be ta-

ken, they may (though it is not probable) shell

the lower part of the city, but Davis says he shall

tell them they may shell away, they can't hurt

us, the ____ in ____ straits; the _____ thinks it's

sensible to fear them. _____ is supported in Richmond

that Beauregard has gained another complete vic-

tory in the west, is in pursuit of the enemy.

Jackson too has taken ____ & all his command

14,000 prisoners. Mr. Tucker says Jackson telegraphed to Lee

please to send him 10,000 reinforcements, but not to tell

him what to do with them. Lee sent them & told

Jackson to go ahead. ____ is supposed  ____ to take

right for Maryland. He has now 30,000 men. P. got a letter

from Willie [?] McGuire about four days since, but nothing in

it except his Mother's house had been sacked. ____ was

at Fairfield, Rockbridge County, and little Hugh

Taylor had fallen & broken his leg. ____ you a long

letter about four days ago, so ___ not so long today now.

___ from one of my scholars got a whipping this

morning because he would not ___ his ____, but not

from me.

            Ever your loving sister Hattie.