1861 May 24 Martinsburg

My Dear Monkey –

After mentioning it in your
letter you add in a postscript
“don’t forget to tell me where your
books are” I told you in my last
but wish I had not. Really, Love [I] [Edge of page is torn away.]
do not wish you to be annoyed [by] [Edge of page is torn away.]
any business, I wish you to be very
happy and this I know you cannot
be if you undertake to harass your
self with my business. Go out home
occasionally and see how matters
are going on, but do not trouble
yourself any further. S. I. Campbell
has returned home. He kindly prom
ised to look after the Frenchmen for
me and you need give yourself
no further trouble about them. As
for the woodchoppers they are nearly
paid up & they must wait for the
balance until I return. If never
then you can adjust the account
and the this I wish you to give
them all they ^ ‘can’ possibly be entitled
to demand, for I wish no man to
have occasion to say that I have
wronged him. I gave Mr Camp
bell $50 to disburse for the French
men as he might think best. I enclose
the $10 which you paid Arlstock –
Don’t think of paying out any more
money for me. You speak of an
other free negro claiming $70 –

[page 2]
I cannot think who it can be but
am sure that I do not owe any of
them more than $20, and if you
undertake to settle with them you
will probably be cheated – Some of
my creditors may possibly be subjected


[The first word in each of the next three lines
is conjecture as the page is torn.]

[to] inconvenience by my absence, but
[I] suffer far more by it than any
[one] else and they must be patient
So – Love if any one calls on you about
my matters tell them my instructions
to you are to have nothing to do with
them. Write no more about business
but about my dear wife & little ones
if you wish to make your letters in
teresting.

We have been kept moving since we
came here. We have a hard time
but have gotten used to it. The
men were discontented and un
manageable at first but are now
very well satisfied. This section
is now in most complete condition
for defence – abundantly able
I think to resist any force which
can be made against it. Troops
have been lately arriving in large
numbers. I have no idea when the
battle will be fought. Many of
us will fall in it but I have
no doubt of our success.
And now my darling goodbye until
I write again. I will write to Jack &
send him some money. I send you a book
by mail which put away for me –
Kiss Mathew and Gala for me

Ever Yours
E F Paxton

MSS 2165,-a