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Intrenched Camp July 30th 1861
My Dear Mother
I received your letter
yesterday & hasten to answer it. I was so proud
to get a letter from you & to hear that you
were able to ride & had improved so much. I
received a letter from Brother Joe last week &
answered it immediately. he gave me all the news
bout the crops & the neighborhood. I expect you all
got severel letters from here last mail. I have
written three or four since I had the measles for
fear you would all be uneasy bout us. I have
almost recovered from them had a cough at first
& bowels slightly affected but I feel as well now
as ever. only I have fallen off some ten or 12
pounds. I think I will improve from this out
Tobe & Ben & Mr Littlepage are doing finely.
Ben has stood the racket better than any of us
I am glad you enjoyed your visit to Mt. Meigs
I knew you would I received a letter from Cousin
Bettie a day or two ago. it was a right long one
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and I enjoyed it. I think it helped to improve
me. I was right home sick. felt weak & bad from
being sick so much. but I dont allow my self
to feel so often. at night when I am thinking
bout my Dear Mother Sisters & Brothers & Dewhurst
too it steals on me unawares. but I shake it off
and think how pleasant twil be to meet them
all again & have those merry happy days over
[scratched out: ag] these are [illegible] castles though that I am famous
for building. I tell you Mother Ive seen many a
noble ediface of the kind topple to the dust since I
left you all. that two may go by the board. I may
never be allowed the privilege of seeing you all again
or if I do may return a war broken soldier
but if accomplished [dodging ?] will avail any
thing I will for my Mothers sake if nothing else
come home again all right. You say you think
Betsy loves me two & from what you can hear
we are engaged. I think you are mistaken its a
Pensacola boy she expects from the wars & thats
why she is making so many fine clothes, and as
far as its ever affecting me in any way is concerned
you and have no fear I never set my heart on any
thing when I am a thousand miles from it. though
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I two think she is a sweet & noble girl. I think
cousin Josie is two. perhaps I am more interested
in her. I think she would suit me in my situation
in life better than my cousin. Capt. Andrews has
just returned from Montgy I am disappointed
in not hearing from you all or getting a letter. I
thought he would be certain to see somebody from Line
Creek. tell Uncle Clem I have written to him twice
once by Jim [Brame ?] as he went to Montgy &
once while I was in the Hospital. Tobe & myself
in the same envelope. tell him he knows or ought
to that I think more of him & allways have from
my infancy up to the present time than any body
I know who my best friend is, and if I didnt
write to him first twas not because he was last
in my memory. I will write him a long letter as
soon as I har from him. I intend to write to Cousin
Mary. M. two as soon as possible Ive been sick so
much since I got here that I havent written half
the letters I wanted to. My best love to her when you
see her. & Cousin Ken Harrison too give him & Cousin
Clem my best love. I wont say any thing bout the
wars I know you will all see papers & get the
news before you as this letter. at the great Battle of
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Mannassas the defeat & route of the Yankees was
complete. they will have to reorganize their army & twil
take them until faul to do it. so I dont expect we
will have any more big fights until October. they
speak of moving our Regt. some where up in the
western part of Virginia perhaps to Manassas but
the report has been here so often. I wont believe
it until we are ordered to take our Tents down
as a general thing I have a dull time here so much
of a sameness bout it we have some splendid music
at night though vocal & on all kinds of instruments
letters from my [missing section: friends ?] at [missing section]
iously looked for. its a perfect treat to read them
I have received a letter from Mrs. Wells & answered
it. I wrote to her before I got here. I am sorry
she has left you all. I know you & Sister will
miss her. tell Dr Williamson I have written to
him he must write to me often. tell him I felt
badly when I wrote to him I will do better for
him the next time. Tell Sister it makes me
feel badly to think of her marrying any body
perhaps a feeling of jealousy. that any body
else should hold a place in her heart above
"mine". You know I love my Sis & have her
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her happiness at heart. may her choice be a wise
one. I am sorry I cant be there. I will come if I
can get a furlough though the chances are very much
against it now. seven days are all a private is allowed
& hard to get that to go out of the State. I dont
expect to see you all again until I have served
my time out. perhaps never. but thats a long
time. tell Joe I dont want him to come but I
wrote him all bout it. he must build a crib
to house his corn it will spoil to house it in
those pens again & a negro cabbin or two they
[missing section] old [missing section] Mother I have
written but every thing that will interest you give
my love to Auntie & Cousin Fannie & Sallie tell
Sallie I will write to her in a day or two. love to
Aunt Cilia Clem in fact to all my kin folks &
friends. love to all the children. tell White I
will answer his letter soon & know my dear Mother
that you have the heart felt prayres of your
boy for your recovery & happiness
Phil F. Mitchell
tell Sophy John Eady is well I see him every
day is getting on very well
Fitzpatrick Mitchell Williamson Papers
