1861 July 13 Lynchburg [Virginia]

I received your interesting letter my dear
Lanty. I hope you will write many such--tell
me how the life agrees with your health.
I like to hear all about the details, the fa-
tigues must go hard with you when the wea-
there is hot. How long do you sleep? I used
to think you spent too much of your time
in sleep, which is as bad as too little.
I wish you would write often to your brothers--
I feel very anxious about Mary Lancelot, I was
in hopes Betsy would have written to let me know
as I had written once about it, and she answered once
Charles did join the church, and he will I hope
be a whole souled Christian. He is near the en-
emy and often engaged in scouting parties where
he is exposed to much danger. Eugene's regi
ment forms the advanced guard of the army--
your Pa thinks the battle may be going on now
And Wms division of the army in Winchester
is in more danger of a battle than that--
I do not know how I can be so calm--there seems
to be a dark cloud hanging over me but my heart
seems cold and dead.

These are awful times, it seems impossible such
things can be as are daily passing now, and all
so rapid, and such horrid uncertainty hanging over us. There never
was a time when we could say with such truth, The
Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice--What have
we to depend on but this. Prayer, prayer is
all we can do---prayer for faith and for His
protection. did you hear poor Johnson D[?]
was dead--that is what I call (to his pa-
rents) a great calamity. Oh may God comfort them
Pray for them Lanty. Mr Bell let here on Thurs
day last--He was not entirely recovered but would
go--I do not feel able to write any more--
May God bless you my Son--The servants are
much gratified by your notice--particu
-larly your mammy Peggy.

Your affectionate Mother
Mary

[across left hand margin of page 1]
I hope you get your flannel fatigue jacket sent by express. Pray write how Mary Minor is

Mary Berkeley Minor Blackford, 1802-1896, was a devout Episcopalian and an ardent supporter of the colonization movement to free slaves and send them to Africa. Her 1832 manuscript "Notes illustrative of the wrongs of slavery" was later used by her grandson Lancelot Minor Blackford, 1894-1964, to write her biography Mine eyes have seen the glory: the story of a Virginia lady Mary Berkeley Minor Blackford, 1802-1896, who taught her family to hate slavery and to love the Union. According to her grandson she kept a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin hidden under her bed throughout the war.


This letter was written in response to her son Lancelot Minor Blackford's letter of the previous day from the University of Virginia posted earlier in this blog.

MSS 5088