Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
Primary tabs
Your welcome letter of the 22d. came duly to hand last night & I meant to
have answered it at once, but I have been busy all day today. I have been field
officer of the day and have been over the picket line, going to Union Mills for
the countersign & thence to Mill's Ford three miles below Sally Davis' Ford.
I feel pretty tired but dont want to let another day pass without writing you. I
have thought of you a great many times today. Do you remember that path from the
rear of the old camp down to the brook & so on up to Francis Davis'? Do you
remember how you came up & had to bow pretty low under a bending tree? The
same tree is there today. I wish you could have been with me, tho' you could not
have ridden all day. I was in my saddle from 9-1/2 o'clk to 7 this evening
except dinner time (at 3) & I am tired.
The line from the mouth of
Bull Run to the Shoals is worse than that you went over, a good deal. I met
Genl. Stannard on the road. He has now gone down to the 13th. and will remain
there till tomorrow.
I am glad you got to Charlestown so comfortably & try to think it is all for the best. Still I should like to see you very much. I did not hardly think you would go away after getting my letter. But I wont complain now. You might have stayed in camp as well as not all this time, had it not been for Col. Blunt. But I am glad you are not here now. The Col and his puppy the C------n are about the same as usual. I presume it would have been uncomfortable for you to have remained and mess as we did before. It seems that some others have noticed things as well as you. Bigelow & Downer have not been altogether blind. But you are so easily excited on these matters that I refrain.
Freeman Keyes is here and seems to be having a very good time.
He rode
out with me day before yesterday & today the Col. has taken a Mr. Harvey who
is here with him a long ride and tonight has gone over a portion of the picket
line with him. The moon is shining beautifully, & the ground is quite dry
altho' it rained hard only two days ago. I wish you was here to enjoy a few
rides. I rode "Burnie" this afternoon. He feels well I tell you. I only walked
him, & I hope it has not hurt him.
I have heard from Mr. Blodgett and that draft arrived all safe. I have not heard much from any body else. Laura wrote but not much news. She is much pleased at the idea of going to Brattleboro'. The Telegraph newspaper has stopped - run down.
I saw Capt. Ormsby a moment tonight & he sends his love - or wishes to be remembered.
How did Mr. Peters loose his property? You did not write me. I am sorry that you got rusky out in camp but hope you will soon look as nice as the best of them. You know it is sweeter to kiss neat woman - tastily dressed than one "rusty" - even if one loves her.
If you would like to go to Buffalo you can as well as not before I return. I would stay more than a week or two as you talk of. Why not go out to your Uncle Horace's & stay a week or two? It is cold there now or has spring reached Boston? It is getting some warmer here than it was tho' it is still cold nights.
I want you to be careful of your health & see if you cannot gain as much in weight as you intended to while here.
My health is now first rate & I mean to have it continue so if possible.
We have just received some stringent orders from Gen. Abercrombie in regard to picket duty and company drills. I am glad of it. It merely carries out my ideas.
Write often & think of me occasionally - I wish you would have your photogrpah taken & send me. Dont neglect it. I wish you were in Washington. I would try & come in to see you the last of this week. I suppose now you have got with Ruth you do not remember your lonely husband. Is not it so? I never missed you so much, it seems to me, as I have since you left this time. Love to all.
Yours affectionatelyRos.