1861 May 5 Culpeper C House

My dear brother
Sterling arrived yesterday
riding the Taly Ho! horse & bringing me your
acceptable letter---I return you my thanks
for the brotherly generosity with which you
have so promptly responded to my demand
upon you for your best horse at this
time when you might yourself have need
of him. Nor am I unmindful of your
strong love of a good horse doubtless expressed
at his [?] of which nevertheless[sp?]
my dear brother [?] my appreciation of
of your generous unselfishness

I am glad to learn that all was as well
as usual with you, and that papa's cold
was no worse--I feel grateful for his letter
and consoled to find his views in current with
my own in these trying times. I send you a copy
of my Proclamation of today post for the
papers. It will [?] you as to the work
before me--A small volume would scarcely
suffice to impress to you the events of the
last two weeks of my own history--I [?] [?]
skeleton as most of it is on record in my
military papers & private military journal

[page 2]
Just now I can say no more—Came up here it
but two days long ride from Bremo—Sterling
send[?] it slowly in a walk arriving here the
2d day by 3 o’clock—the horse all the better
for the exercise Come here and see me
& talk over matters & see for yourself
I have kept all quiet at Alexandria in
sight of the enemy, w/h [?] [?]
[?] at Alxa having left Belmead on the [?]
The 21st at 12 P.M. by [?] train—The night
of the same day I was [?]—I stood a
[?] of the enemies frontier [?] [?] [?]
[ ? ]
for Washington & Anapolis through [?]
& [?] if I had not far then to [?] & keep from
the [?] I [?] for myself an awful panic
would have seized the C[?] – but I left all
quiet & then proceeded to take up
my Head Quarters at this place My procl
mation will explain to you the work [?]
before me.