1861 July 21 Wilmington [Delaware]

Dear Aunt Phebe

I suppose you
will be somewhat surprised to
receive a letter from me at this
time, as I have written two or three
which you have not yet answered.

At first I thought maybe you
was (as Nellie calls it) mad at me--for
writing so much about Mr Brown,
but now I have come to a more chari-
-table conclusion, and am of the opinion
that you are too busily engaged with
reading the news or else too lazy to write.
I guess I wont say anything more about
your Adolphus as he is pretty well
played out. If a man cant get any
one to have him after having tried as
long as he has he had better stop try-
-ing. But he has not forgotten you yet-
for every time he comes in he asks if we
have heard from Phebe lately.

[page 2]
But enough of this nonsense for as
our public men tell us "the time for
words has passed," So to come right
straight to the point, I am writing
this letter to inform you that if it
is convenient for you Edwin and my
self will probably pay you a visit
about next Friday or Saturday, as
we expect now to start for Massachusetts
about the middle of the week. Father
wanted Mother and Nellie to come but
they dont like to travel while it is so
warm. I guess Nellie will go down to
the Capes along with Annie Quigley and
stay a week. Father is very busy now
in the lumber business-- he has just as
much as he can possibly do, and since
vacation commenced I have been his
clerk. He says he would give a good
deal if he could get off somewheres
where thee was a good trout brook
for 3 or 4 weeks--But he can not
possibly leave his business--He went

[page 3]
down to Atlantic City yesterday to stay
till Monday. Is there much excitement
in Shirley about the advance of the
Grand Army to Richmond? Here the
people all rush for the papers on the
arrival of the train and the newsboys
are continually surrounded by a
crowd each eager for the latest news.
I suppose we shall hear of a grand
fight at Manassas Junction to day
and that Beauregard after endeavoring
for some time to make his 60000 F.F.Vs.
and chivalric Sons of Carolina come up to
the work and have the long desired
hand to hand fight with the starving yankees
will join the grand foot race to Rich-
-mond. I do not doubt that there are
as brave soldiers in the Southern Army
as can be found in the world. But
their leaders have preached to them
so long that the Union Troops are in a starving
condition and that it is impossible
to find a brave Yankee that they
at last believe it--But when they

[page 4]
come into battle they find themselves
terribly mistaken--The government
has kept the Delaware Regiment
watching Bridges ever since they left
here--I believe there is no news of
importance here now. I will tell you
all about Wilmington affairs when
I see you--All send their love--
Tell Henry I rec'd his letter.

Your affc nephew
Jas. W. Barrett

P.S. Henry has given me a new
name each one of his letters was
direct to Waldo Emerson Barrett.

J.W.B.

MSS 8474-ab