1861 July 12-13 Loudon

     Trap. Loudoun, July 12^th 1861.

     Well my dear children!

                                                I must

send you again a few words this week

to let you know of my continued safety,

th’o I’ve not recd y’r reply to my last week’s

letter sent from Middleburg.  My mind so

frequently turns to you both all hours

of the day, that I can scarcely refrain from

leaving my work and going over to see you

But as long as I can labor, I feel that

I ought to remain and attend, for the

time may come very soon when I shall

be compelled to leave.  We are daily ex-

pecting battles to come off on both sides

of us and the number of the enemy

opposed to both our armies is much larger

than ours; but if God be with us as I

think he is, we will I trust be victori-

-our – When Pattersons troops came into

Martinsburg, they commenced plundering and

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when they reached the house of a Mr Boyd

no one was there to defend it but Miss

Boyd who fired a Pistol five times, killing

three and then went to work with a

Buoy [sic] Knife – but they soon took her pris-

oner and I am afraid they will deal hard-

ly with her – It is very hard to study these

times of excitement my children, yet you

must try not to give way to indolence, but

the first thing every morning except Saturdays

& Sundays, refresh yr’selves with y’r regular

lessons.  You much forget y’r French Bettie,

and you will certainly do it, unless you

review every day – You too Winkie must

be sure to study y’r lessons also – Spend the

two hours in studying and then sew &

knit as much as you can, after a rea-

sonable time for play.  Four hours to

work and two hours for study must

be the rule – I had a very unpleasant

dream in which you & Wink played a

part the other night, and tho’ you were

in great danger, neither was hurt.  I awaked

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     after it and felt very unpleasant, but

concluded that it resulted from overeating

myself at dinner & supper, evening previous

You two must be guarded in eating and

particular about y’r knives & forks in

holding them.  Winkie don’t be so fond of

slipping off to talk with the little chaps

You are too fond of this, and must try

to love books & other company better.

13^th.  Well, I reached Helmswood to

day and was very glad to find yr two

letters Bettie, altho’ you took less

pains than usual in writing them.

Wink why did you not write and ask

about going foot-bare yrself?  I would

prefer y’r wearing y’r shoes my daugh-

ter as you are rather large, tho’ if

y’r grand Ma agrees to it, I will say

nothing.  You send love to on unknown

person Bettie and I delivered it, and

she requests me to give her love to

Bettie & Winkie.  As to fulfilling y’r wish my

daughters about marrying the person

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whom you mentioned in y’r letter,

I think it very doubtful, for these

War times knock calculations of that

kind in the head. – The lady is, I think

worthy of any one and well calculated

to fill most any position, but you know

such ladies are hard  to get &C

You ask me when I will come over,

If I can get bro[ther] Crop to fill my

appointment  1^st Sunday in Aug: I

will try and come over the Monday

before – But don’t look for me as

I may be disappointed – Be good

children, both of you and learn

all you can – Good night –

Every body here nearly has to go

to war – Love to all the family

     Y’r affec’te father

                 RWW

Good-bye - -

Methodist minister Robert William Watts, 1825-1910, served several parishes in central Virignia

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 809