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Latest revision as of 13:48, 28 July 2017
Letter from Hattie Powell ["Rome", Brunswick Cty.,Va.] to Selina Powell (Winchester, Va.)26 July 1862
Powell Papers – 65 P875, Box III, Folder 1
- - - - -
Rome July 26th 1862
Saturday morning
My darling Mother
I can not tell you how disappointed I was when the
carriage returned about twelve oclock in the night – Tuesday night
without you and my dear Father, for I did want to see you so
very very much. I got your letter on Monday & Col T started the
carriage off very early in the morning, the driver says he waited
until after three, in the evening, when the cars came in, and not
finding you returned. Then I was so anxious about dear Father, fearing
he was sick that I did not think so much about my own disappoint-
ment but when I got your letter yesterday telling me you had been
so near, and to so much trouble and expense, and after all for me
not to see you, then indeed I was disappointed. I shall be quite anx-
ious until I hear how Pa stood the journey, I am so sorry all his time of
rest should have been taken up traveling about the country. Mr & Mrs
T say I must tell you they are very much disappointed that you
did not get here, and hope you will not be discouraged, but will
try it again, but next time come to Wilson’s Depot, and let them know
and they will send for you again. You must not think dear Mother
that I am often as low spirited as when I wrote last for I am not; and it
was partly no doubt owing to my not being very well just then, but I do
really send advice as to how to get along with M, she has the worst &
most ungoverned temper I ever saw, like Uncle R’s wife, only worse & when
she is angry doesn’t care what she says or does, dashes her books on the floor, tells
___ she hates me, orders me to show her how to do her sums, and when I tell
her I will do it when she asks me in a proper manner, but not while she
speaks in that way, she tells me that I am paid to show her & I shall
do it. Ever since I wrote you last this has been going on, and the least con-
tradiction will bring on a fit of passion, while her ill humor lasts all the
time so that it is with the greatest difficulty I can get a lesson out
of her. Last Thursday she was so perfectly outrageous that I made her stay
in for half an hour after school in the evening, and went to her Father
of whom she is very much afraid, and who is the only who can do any
thing with her, and told him how she was behaving. He had a long talk
[2]
with her, and at last told her that I was to task her or punish her
in any way I thought best; and she was to submit, and that if
that did not answer, he had consulted with her brother, and fully
made up his mind that he would give her a good whipping, he
says he came very near giving her a whipping just before I came, for her con-
duct to her Mother, and was only prevented by her begging like a dog. I dont
think they are judicious with her, they scold, scold, scold at her all the time &
nothing she does is right, then she is quite as big as I am & I doubt a whipping as
being the best thing for her, but perhaps the fear of it may answer for she has
behaved very well ever since. But you dont seem to be able to get at her by talk-
ing to her, she never will admit that she is sorry, and if you tell her it is wrong
she tosses up her head and says she would just as ____ do wrong as right,
and this is not while the passion is on her but always. I am afraid P
shall weary you dear Mother but if you can give me any advice, do,
for I am completely at a loss. Now for ourselves I do hope some
arrangement can be made for you to be in Richmond with Pa.
I think he needs you, & I cant bear the idea of your going
out to teach away from us all. What is Franks family going to
do, could you not make some arrangement to live all together
as they did last winter in Richmond? Our salaries are small
but it is really more than we need, and I think we might put it
all together, so that you and Pa could be together, and then there wd
be some place we could all think of as home. I am glad Pa got
Geo A____ ____ at any cost it will be such a comfort to his Mother. I have
written to Charley twice lately, but have received no answer. I have not
been visiting any but we had several visitors last week. I told you Mr
J. Tucker (?) was here. Capt Field staid here a day & night last week,
and Mr Geo Chamblis, a handsome widower, with one beautiful
interesting little boy, spent the day here last Saturday. Henry Baird
staid here last night and two of his sisters & Mr Atkinsons daugh-
ter, about 14 came over Thursday evening & staid until this
morning. But Mother you know I never had much small talk
& I find I have lost it all, I sit all day long and cant think of
any thing to talk of but the war & I have run out on that. Mr J T
went back to Richmond yesterday, I like him so much, & miss him.
He was sent out to buy provisions for the Chimborazo Hospitals &
went back with 315 chickens, 200 lbs of soap, 80 of butter, 35 doz eggs
[3]
12 bushels of potatoes, 3 of onions, &c &c &c a pretty good load, dont you
think so. Mr. Tuckers two nieces, young married ladies, very
wealthy & very fashionable are talking of coming here from
Carolina to pay a visit, so as ___ T was going to send by "Johnnie"
to Petersburg for some things. I got here to write for ten yds of cheap
muslin for me, the wagon has just returned with the answer
that there is not a bundle, spool of cotton, yd of muslin , or of cotton
or linen in the place, did you ever hear of such a city. I have
been very much grieved to find that my chemises are giving
out, I think I can patch them through next winter but that
is all. Tell Nina Parn afflicted as she is, a boil, on my leg, it was only
a flea bite and I scratched it, but I dont think it will be very
bad, but I have been limping with it for two days. I dont know
whether Parn mentioned to you that I had 9 of your spoons in
my trunk. Please tell Sis I never got her last letter & have my
doubts as to whether It ever was written, but I shall write as soon
as I can write to Richmond to Pa to send me some stamps, I cant get one
[4]
at the Office here. Where is Jackson now and what other news does
Pa give you, for the papers tell us nothing. Has Custis Lee recovered
Have you heard anything from Gloucester, or of how the
Yankees are treating the people of Winchester. What does Pa
think of the probable success of the Yankee plan of getting to
Richmond by making the river the center of their advance.
Do write & tell me dear Mother all you all talked about while dear Father was with you, and what he said about the different members
of the family. Did Sis stay at Mr Redds while Pa was there & does
she come over often. Give much love to her & Nina & tell them they
must write to me. If you & dear Father were only here this evening
how we would enjoy a talk, but I do hope dear Mother you will yet
get to see me, for I do want to see you so much. Do write again
soon to your loving daughter
Hattie L. Powell
