Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
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I have a little spare time to day & must improve it writing to my own sweet
angel wife. Darling I am so thankful you are my own wife. This letter is for yr
eyes only I wish I could see yr eyes as soon as they see this I do want to see
you so much my own blessed love Are you real well and good? You must be I could not get along without you now I have had you once. A
good wife is a source of so much joy - but a bad one is
[farther] the other way I think I have enjoyed more
thinking of you since we were married than I ever did before about anything in
my life. Every good thing you ever did for me is a fountain of happiness to me
now & always will be. A wife seems to comprehend everything for a man, It
seems to be innate in man to want somebody all to himself, to say everything to,
& to do everything for him. & especially to love him. Darling you may
think it would be dreadful for me to be badly wounded or be killed in battle;
but my angel that would be as nothing compared with the loss of yr love or any
neglect on yr part towards me. I hope you will think of this amid the
temptations, which one so lovely
as you must always be subject to. I
dreamed last night that we had a baby, was’nt it funny? Last night was the first
quiet one we have had lately. The night before they opened on us, but found us
ready & gave it up If they had but come on we would have thinned their ranks
handsomely They wont catch General Smith as they did General Grant. There is a
continued firing about all the time, but with little damage as both sides cover
themselves as much as possible. The rebels have rifle pits all along their side
of the creek. They are worse than forts I would hate to defend a fort, for the
attacking always have the advantage. We have had a storm for two days, but it
has the appearance of clearing away now. I think the fight will commence soon.
It will be a magnificent battle. The 3rd & 6th Vt. are impatient for another
[trial] They are not dismayed at all by their losses We got
our dead from the other side by a flag of truce last Saturday & another is
up today. I dont know what for. The rebels report their loss was very heavy. Our
men exchanged buttons with them. One said he wished he could get over here with
us & knew other wanted to. he was Irish & was pressed into their service
The Irish have not been a very reliable element for them anywhere. We have
learned that there is
no end to their forts. They started across the
pinninsula & back 5 & 6 deep & for miles one the York & James
Rivers. The Merimac is the great obstacle by water our gun boats if we had them
would soon solve this matter were it not for the Monitor Merimac.
General McClellan seems to have everything [ag’st] him, yet we
all believe we shall succeed. We must. My health is
excellent & so is that of the troops generally This excitement works well on
the men. We got 29 dead men fr the other side & they have three wounded
prisoners. Capt Bennet, my old Orderly Sergeant was one to cross over in the
fight & his clothes are riddled with bullets, but he was not hurt except one
scratch of a bullet across his throat. That report in the Herald of the 19th is
very incorrect & unfair in many particulars. Cos. E. & K. crossed over
immediately in rear of the others & fought as long as they did. Capts
Pingree & Atherton & Lt. Chandler are going home to get well. Mrs. A.
will be glad to see & take care of her husband. I almost envy the Captain
his wound. You can read the parts of this letter , to the folks, that don’t
relate to us. Is’nt that little word a good one? If I
could only jump into yr arms as I have done so many times darling. dont wish I
could? I do want to feel those splendid arms about me & those lips on mine.
When
can I again? Are they perfectly dear. Are you glad I am your
husband? & do you want me very much? I do you, O, so much Sweet Angel I love
you truly & tenderly. My darling wife the happiest moments of my life have
been with you. I owe them to you & will pay you for them so far as I am
able. How happy I have been. What sweet days those were last winter. Can it be
we are to spend our lives together so happy. We ought to be grateful for such
happiness, & try to do all we can for others. Just think of my coming home
to you every night, & of having a home of our own What more can we want.
Write me often darling & long letters. They will come direct now. Direct to
Fortress Monroe & Smiths Division I must close. I should only keep saying I
love you if I wrote more & you know that pretty well now
Ever yours My DearestWheelock