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Clarksville May 17th 1864

My beloved husband,
I have just finished preparing some rose
cuttings for Mrs Skipwith that Helen wishes to send her, and I am
now writing against time to you, tho' I very much doubt whether
you deserve a letter, which doubt Helen would assent, for she amused
me yesterday. Mrs Leigh asked when I had heard from you, and
I replied that it been so long that I felt quite mortified to have
the enquiry made. Helen heard me, and took me up at once, and
began hoping on one letter written before you left Darlington
which never reached me. But you are wondering why Helen should desire
to send rose slips to my Lady Skipwith. The ground event in the family
which I have alway forgotten to mention, was a visit some four weeks
since from Mrs. S at which time she made herself very interesting
and attractive, and quite fascinated Mama. She pressed us very
much at that time to visit her and afford to send her carriage for
us at any time it might be convenient for us to accept her invitation.
Shortly ater came a dish of Asparagus to Mama and another
invitation to us all, which Helen and I accepted. Accordingly her
carriage and horses were sent [?] last Saturday and we spent a day
delightlfully with her at Prestwould. She is a perfect lady, and
unpretending as possible. I take it that she feels very lonely surrounded
by all her grandure and destitute of friends, she seems anxious to
mark not a new state of affairs for herself. Mrs S made herself
very pleasent and altogether we had a delightful day, and
left much pressed to come frequently. Of course, this we shall not do.
I forgot to mention a great number of tomatoe plants, upwards of an
hundred that she sent me. I think she seems very anxious to do
what is kind, but very modest and diffident about it. Now I have
told you of my great friends, I will tell you of one more humble. Mrs.
Preger, (over next door neighbor), has presented us with splendid

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pig. I expressed a wish to buy one and thought I had done so, and
never dreamed until the pig had been home some little time that it was
a present. The people in this humble little village are mighty
kind. Mrs [?] sent me last week after the rains, two large baskets,
one containing salad, lettuce, asparagus for the table, the other
a great number of cabbage plants, parsnip salting, &tc.
I see the Southern mail has come in and I fear I may be too
late if I write much longer. We have had our mails from R-
since the cutting of the Danville road. But Mr Morton received
a dispatch last night stating there had been another fierce
Battle in [?]Spotsylvania, that Lee held his grand ground the loss
of the enemy heavy, our own comparatively small. I
have, of course, heard no particulars, no nothing of my Brothers
or other friends. Helen and myself had to abandon our
trip to Richmond for the present, at least. I wish you
could see our splendid boy. A great many soldiers have
been passing, and could see and hear him cheer them
you would think him too [?]. I wish I had time and
words for all his loneliness, but I have not, tho' much dis
=inclined to lose this corner of my sheet. My paper is
getting so low that I tremble to think of having to give up writing
or paying an enormous sum for paper.
We are all well. The whooping cough is in the village.
Mrs. Jenson is on a visit to her parents. Emily and Milly are still about.
Your devoted
Wife