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Bright Spot
Tuesday Jan the 20th 1863
My own dear Husband
Another week
has been added to the new year,
and still no tidings from you,
my anxiety knows no bounds,
not a line since the 26th of Dec, and
we had a mail last week, it
seemed for my especial benefit,
this is four long letters I have wri-
ten to you since Christmas, My
dreams have been about you, perhaps
it is their pleasant influence that
induces me to write again, and in-
quire, what in the world is the
matter? Surely you were not in
the battle of Murfreesboro? I am
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afraid you are sick, but I hope
my fears are only those natural
to a loving wife; Do write and tell
me where you are, and what you
are doing? I heard the other day
that Bragg had been reinforced by
Longstreet & D. H. Hill; I have imag-
ined you meeting with the boys
and almost envied you; we had
a letter of the 3rd of Jan. they were then
in Virginia, had tents, no prospect
of a battle (they have had an engage-
ment since the Fredericksburg bat-
tle) Brother Phil said he would
write home soon for White to go
on and take his place for 30 days
We are all well again, Julia has had
a long spell of fever, she is convales-
cent now; there is a great deal of
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sickness in the country, Uncle Clem
has been riding day & night, Ben Phil
is just getting better; during his illness
Aunt Lizzie lost her valuable house
girl, Jane, she died of Pneumonia.
Uncle Clem has had a distressed
family on his hands for the last
month, Mr. Trey, he died last
week; it is something remarkable
he & his wife both went crazy at
the same time, they expect her to
die every day. We have had so much
hard weather this winter, more
than I ever remember before, we
had a cold rain yesterday, a breath
of the air would chill you, I thought
of the Soldiers all day long; Last
friday (the 16th) we had considerable
snow, the first in several years
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I always loved it when I was a
child; I stood on the steps and
watched it fall ever so long, I
knew it was several inches deep
with you, and I dare say disagree-
able. Trinley I would give a great
deal for a glimpse of your face now
it is such a long time since I saw
you; the baby was six months old
yesterday, I had no idea it would
be so long before you saw him
you must come before he is a
year old; he is a great big boy now
he was the sweetest little baby I
ever saw. I am so sorry you could
not see him; he looks like some
body now, he can almost crawl,
has only two teeth yet, he can al-
most eat a whole biscuit; if it
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was warm weather, so I could
put short dresses on him, he would
soon be walking; I secured that
bundle saturday with your jeans
and flannel from your Grandma
and a pair of woolen socks, it is
very nice indeed, Sister sent the
body a beautiful little hat and
two mighty pretty home spun dresses
light as calico; Mr Barnet brought
the bundle from Montgomery and
also the package I sent for Mr
Adams to take to you; I thought
you had it long ago. I will keep it
now and put it up again as soon
as I make the flannel drawers and
our shirts, perhaps I will see some
one to send them by, Mr Partin may
go back by that time; what have I
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do with the Jeans save it until
you come; the pants are like the
striped ones I made you last winter
I am shrinking the flannel now
I am afraid you cant wear the
drawers. it is so harsh; you can
wear a jeans pair too, I will send
those I bought in Montgomery;
I put some nice cigars in the bun-
dle I sent to Mr Adams, wrapped
a note round them, and here they
come all the way back, I had a real
laugh at the note; I wish now he
had sent the letter back, as well
as the bundle, I was reading in
my Journal yesterday, I wish you
could see the difference in my feel-
ings this Jan. and Last; I believe
if you were at home I am better
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satisfied now than then, the change
is not so much in my feelings as
circumstances. Auntie & the girls
staid with us two days & nights
last week, you ought to have seen
us one night while they were here.
At late bed time, a dark rainy
night, we were startled by the sound
Come and look at the strange light
in the heavens! I never was more
frightened in my life, a strange
awful feeling; many causes were
suggested by us all. but I felt it
was something from above or the
yankeys burning Montgomery; I remem-
ber hearing you speak of a frightened
congregation at High Log, a year or
two ago, some of them must have
felt as I did; we were all in high
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conversation when the light first
appeared, after that, we were sad
all but Mother, she said she flet
bad to think it was somebody's
house burning up; Sure enough
we were informed the next morning
that it was Cousin Phil Baldwin's
smoke-house & kitchen & loom house
(the double framed house they
lived in), it was quite a loss, they
came near losing their dwelling
but it was a damp night.
Trinley I wrote to you to direct your
letters to Union Springs, since then
Dr. Lewis has taken the office, and
Bob Barnet will bring the mail
every week; direct them to Line Creek
as usual, if you have sent one
to Union Springs. I'll get it next week
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[written sideways across page 5]
My fingers are so cold, this is written badly, you
must excuse it, I write to day, because I can send it
to Montgomery to morrow. Mrs. Partin was here again
the other day to ask me to write to you that her
husband would come on as soon as he was able.
Mr Rutland was here yesterday he asked me to
inquire bout his nephew; we are going to have a
school near us. they will build the house in the
grove near Mr. [Cooms ?] Mr Chappel is to be the teacher
he has had considerable experience, taught at Cross
Keys There is quite an excitement among the Gen-
tlemen in the neighborhood, Those who have Sub-
stitutes and all the Exempts are ordered to report
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[written sideways across page 6]
in Montgomery next monday we have lost so
many men in the late battles, I expect they are
obliged to have more. I must close, it is late.
Mother sends her love, she dreamed two nights
last week you came, you know she believes in
dreams, the children often wish to see you, even
the baby begins to wonder that you tarry so long,
but no body in the world speaks of you as often,
wishes for you and longs to see you as earnestly as
your own
Mollie
Fitzpatrick Mitchell Williamson Papers
