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Bright Spot
Friday July the 18th 1862
Dear Bud Josie
Wednesday I received two letters
from Brother Phil, one from Dr Williamson, and
yours to Mother and my self, I have been writing all
day to Brother Phil, and as White has written to
you, I thought I would write a post-script.
Mother intended writing you a long letter to day
but she went over to see Aunt Lizzie, she has
a baby, boy named from Uncle Billie, Mother
has never seen it, and we heard yesterday it was
quite sick. Bud Josie I was sorry to hear you were
not quite well, do my dear brother be careful of
yourself, I was so anxious to see you when you
looked fat and well, I heard you were a great
stout boy; you must stay in [scratched out: Rich] Petersburg
until you are entirely well, you have no idea
how it hurt me to think you felt the need
of clothes, you have some nice ones here, if
we could only get them to you, I wish you had
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them; Bud Josie, White is at home with us, he
has only been here a few days, we are not so
lonely now, he keeps noise enough.
When I wrote you last, Trinley was at home, he
only staid one day, "Hilliard's Legion" were
ordered to Chattanooga, but I received a letter
from him wednesday, they are in Camps at
Atlanta, Ga, I suppose they will only remain
there a short time; I wished for you Boys
more than ever last week, we were surprised
by a visit from Cousin Jim and [Narbe ?], Cousin
Matt Womack, and her children, they had been
to Tuskegee, came by here, expected to meet Ben
we were so glad to see them, they staid two
nights with us, went around to see all the
kinfolks, they seemed to enjoy their visit very
much, talked a great deal about you Boys,
said they were coming to see us again when
you all came home, I felt like I had met some
near relations, Cousin Matt has two sweet interes-
ting children, Carrie and Lewis; Bud Josie I wrote
Brother Phil every thing I could think of, I hope
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you will see the letter; there is nothing new in
the neighborhood, the excitement is almost
subsided about the battle, we got the dispatch
that you boys were safe soon after I wrote to
you, Uncle Billie sent to Montgomery and
telegraphed to Mr Keyes
After supper--Mother came home late this evening
Cousin Fannie came with her, nothing new; White
is fussing around, getting ready to start in the
morning, Little Ben is going with him; Bud
Josie we are so anxious to have you come
home, Mother says you must make every effort
to get a sick furlough, you had better if you
possibly can, come home and stay with us until
you are strong again, I hope and pray you can,
I expect Ben will be at home soon; Elsie Smith is
at home, he has been to see us twice, I did not
see him either time, I dont know wether he
has returned or not; I must close Bud Josie, I
do not feel well at all, the children all send
love to you, Cousin Fannie and Mother joins
me in love, to you Mother will write to you
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soon; The negroes always come to hear your letters
read, they are anxious to see you, send their love
Uncle Joe is always delighted when he gets a letter
from the office, sits down to hear it read;
I hope you are better now, what a pleasure it
would to your Sister to nurse you I could
think of many things that would comfort
you, if you were only at home. My daily
prayer is that we may meet again, God grant
that with the dawn of another month, may come
the glad tidiings of peace, Good night I remain
as ever your devoted Sister
Mary Louisa W.
Fitzpatrick Mitchell Williamson Papers
