Marietta Sept 21
Thank you darling for the nice, long very interesting missive which was handed me yesterday just at the time when I most needed it. What a blessed invention writing is; how many glad, and sad things it communicates! It produces both pleasure and pain, if not by its contents, it produces pleasure by its reception to know that you are still remembered by the absent one, and pain to feel that you are so widely separated from the object of your heart's love.
And is it a fact that you could not find any of the writing paper at Thorn Hall? Now my love I think if you would only look in the little room next to Ma's bedroom that she has locked up, Babber has the key; get her to open the door for you and in there you will find two baskets of mine, I think in the smallest one, in a dark green pasteboard box you will see the paper! If it is not in that one then it must be in the large basket. Tell Babber to look, if you don't want to bother about it. I am not at all pleased with Miss Anderson's conduct. Hope she did not steal anything, especially my paintings; anybody that was mean enough to do such a thing is mean enough to steal. As to going down there this winter, unless things brighten up or a company is stationed down on the White Oak river, I would be afraid to risk it, for the Yankees having a spite against the Browns might burn us up while asleep at night. If Mr. Jack Dunwody would let us have his house, as I proposed in my last letter to you, that would be far more safe and more pleasant, then we would have pa near if we got into any trouble and if sick would be nearer to dr's. I hear that Gen. Mercer is about to issue an order that people must move all of their negroes from the coast so I don't think you will be able to bring ours back this winter. I am exceedingly anxious to hear which of our negroes have died, but am in hopes as Carrie did not mention their names that she only meant those two of Violet's and that babe of Meley's [1] that died when they first went out there as our share. I trust no more have died. I suppose you have heard by this time who they are.
From your letter we expected Henry up here last night the twentieth, but he did not come, so I suspect he is not got a furlough yet, or else he has gone to visit some of the girls somewhere else. I will be ready to accompany him back home if the good Lord wills.
Our little Eula is cutting teeth and is very fretful from it; she looks badly, her little gums are swollen and from that, and other signs, we think her teething. Poor little darling, I hope God will spare her to us so that she may be the comfort of our old age, if He sees fit to let us live so long. I pray He will permit me to bring her up in the right way. She has been so far a great comfort to me and I "bless the Glorious Giver who doeth all things well."
Poor cousin Johnnie Royall is sinking fast; they have had nothing but sickness ever since they have been out to Thomasville. I hear cousin Bill Gignilliat [2] has bought out in Thomas county too, and is about to move his people.
Reddick's pickets had quite a run of it, and just to think, in their shirts; hatless and bootless, they must have presented quite a frightful appearance running through the woods in that fix. How is the poor fellow that swam across to your company. It seems strange to me that they were not dressed and at their posts, awake, then they might have done more good for their country. Aunty writes that Mr. Crawford made his escape. I hope it is so.
I trust you may succeed in getting up another company so that Will Seymour can come near you and Henry; he seems so very fond of you two, and he seems to be an excellent young man, always wanted to be in Camden.
And so Hopkins has again raised another company. I'll be bound for him; but where did he get the men, were they conscripts. There are some men up here that want to join a company down on the coast. They are those that ought to be conscripts, but hide I suppose when the C. Officer is on the lookout. Haywood Glover I believe is one of them. I heard your uncle Alec speaking about it, so if you want these men in your new company you had better write to him on the subject and he will let you know if you can get them. I told him when he spoke to me about these men wanting to join a company down there that they could not get into your's because your's was already full, so he said he would recommend Capt. Hazzard's. Glover is still here and ought to have been in the service long ago.
If you see Aunty shortly give her much love and tell her ma received her interesting letter yesterday; tell her I will be with her soon if providence permits. Have you given out the idea of moving to Waynesville. All at Kenasaw Hall are better. All join me in much love to Witter and yourself.
Your Loulie
P.S. Rosa has been sick with sore throat but is now up again. Ask Witter if he gave Mrs. Bird the fly brush I sent by him or did he lose it on the way. Tell him Miss Mary Fullmore has gone home. Good bye. Eula sends a sweet kiss to dear papa. Your fond Loulie.
[1] Meley's - This must be the Melia mentioned in a 1861 document of indenture in Camden County, Georgia, several Negro slaves were transferred from N. A. Brown and L. N. Brown to H.J. Nicholes, Jr. as trustee: '…Caesar, aged about twenty-five years, and his wife, Melia, aged about twenty years, and her two children Joe and Nanny…'
[2] There are 3 William Gignilliats who were alive at the time this letter was written who are buried in Glynn or McIntosh Co. cemeteries (Find a Grave)