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My Dear Brother                                                                                                    8 May 1862

            Yours of the 5th has just been received

and you may imagine how anxious I have

been to hear from you all—I think you are

perfectly right to remain in Norfolk—and

were it not that all my little stock is in

Confederate bonds I think I would return

and take the luck fate of all whom I love—

you see that I could not expect to make

anything by my profession or in any other way

in Norfolk and I can pick up a little now

and then here. If you would like Molly

to come away I will support her and take

her wherever I go—Yet I am not quite

sure that Richmond is safe for many

days—All seems to depend on the result

of the movements on the Peninsula. If our

forces are successful there, then this place

is certainly safe-if not no one can [sic]

where is any refuge—Perhaps in less

than one week all will be over as far as

the final condition of the state. Our army

defeated it must [?] until beyond this [?]

and [?] morning back—You cannot

imagine the state of anxiety we are all

in here—besides that of friends who are

asking each new comer from the peninsula

how the different companies have [come?] out

of the late fight—there is an uneasiness

as to how long the city itself is safe—where

are the enemy—how near from Fredericksburg,

from Western Va—from North Carolina.

There are hundreds of rumors—some good

some bad—now we have taken 5000,

now lost a large number—It is next

to impossible to say what is true—

Williamsburg is in the hands of the enemy

and our forces are retiring till they get to this

side [sic] the Chickahomany [sic] out of range of

the [guns?] of their boats—there is no doubt [sic] will

be fought the final battle— our men all

seem to be sure we will whip them—

They can't fight on an open field—on

Monday they got a sound thrashing—500

prisoners—2500 Killed & wounded (12 pieces

of cannon & 50 horses—our loss about 1000

of whom 200 only Killed—I have talked

with some of our wounded who arrived today.

700 prisoners in all are on their way to this place

and will be here tonight or tomorrow—

I have had a talk with [Cdr?] Davis nephew

of the Pres- he says that Norfolk will most

certainly come back if the enemy go there

so soon as we whip them [?]—certainly peace

cannot be made without its return—

It is my belief that the yankees will not

come to Norfolk  [?] the Virginia [leaves?]

Hampton roads—as to the dry dock that

will not be destroyed til the last [?]

that only [to prevent?] the enemy from rising

it against us [for?] [re?] [their?] ships.

I think that even if the Yankees do come to

Norfolk the citizens will have very little trouble.

They need have no communication with them.

They will be careful not to give them any

open insults and only act towards them

as if they were entire strangers with whom

they could not even speak the same language.

As for yourself they certainly can do you no

harm--your school will go on as usual

and you are an exempt--Try and keep

the boys out of the streets and keep them

from speaking to or having any thing to do with

the soldiers--and I know you will be very

courteous not to say anything [either?] against

their government or rulers--the great trouble

will be from spies. There will be no doubt

many [mean] enough to make their bread out

of the enemy by informing against old friends.

And then words are so often misconstrued

any how--that in times like these one should

be [over?] careful. In [Italy?] spies waited on the

invading army--and in some cases became

an annoyance even to them. I am sure that

prices of most articles will fall--our army ate

up every thing and they will go away. The

enemy can't afford to keep much of a force

in Norfolk. Many things will be cheap

that are now not to be had at all.

The city money will be good as also the local

bank paper.

I am sure that as far as the state is concerned

our lot will be [fixed?] within six months.

This war will be impossible a year longer

both sides will be used up by that time--

and foreign governments will be forced

[to?] interfere. The example of the destruction

of cotton at N Orleans will show all men

that [gunpowder?] is not good for the cotton

market--and if this place falls I doubt

if the enemy gets 1000 lb of tobacco--all

will be destroyed.

Let me  beg of you one thing--if you or the

children see a crowd assembling in the

streets just go away from it as far and

as fast as you can. There can be little

good and every danger in mixing up with

crowds when there are foreign soldiers.

I am sure that as long as the Virginia is

near you are all safe and when she

leaves then your [weakness?] must be your

only defense. Please answer this if

you can and let me hear from you.

I think that [Jim?] might stay if he can

resign.  It would be better for his prospects

in future--but he knows better than I do

what is his duty as an army officer.

Give my love to all--yours affectionately

                                                Alexander Galt

[written sideways up the back page:]

P.S. Give Max 1 dollar of this--the rest to

the children