1861 July 6 South Bend

Dear Sir [Judge Francis T. Anderson]

Your letter was
recd yesterday nothing would
give me more pleasure than
to spend a few weeks at
Glenwood this summer
with you all, but I fear
it will be out of our
power conveniently to do so
as we have made our
arrangements with the exp=
ectation of staying at
home this summer. My
brother Wilkins [?]requested me
to take care of his wife
whilst he is away, and
I do not know what day
she may be with us, but

[page 2]
I expect her just as soon
as the convention adjourns
she is now stayng with
Father in Richmond.
Tell Mary
not to be at all uneasy
about the children and
not to allow her being
separated from them to
diminish in the lest the
enjoyment I know she
will derive from the
visit.

We finished cutting
wheat some days ago and
are now engaged with
the oat crop -- our wheat
crop is not a good one--
What an abundant hay crop
must be in the mountains
this year.

[page 3]
I think I have sowed
about 30 tons of hay and
might sow a great deal
more but have as much
as Milton will buy and
I fear [?]

I do not
know how we will be
able to dispose of the
grain made in this state
this year I am sure
the army will not use
any thing like the crop
above from consumption.
I fear wheat will hardly
reach a dollar per bushel
However I ought rather
to rejoince at that as a
great many must suffer
even at that price--

I hope we will be

[page 4]
able to pay you a visit
this fall.
with many thanks
for your kind invitation
and much love to all

I am
affectinately & truyly
Alex Bruce

Francis Thomas Anderson,1808-1887, was a lawyer, legislator, Rector of Washington and Lee University, and Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia. He also operated a large iron foundry at Glenwood, Rockbridge County, for twelve years. Anderson belonged to the Whig Party, opposing secession until after the firing on Fort Sumter. He represented Rockbridge County in the House of Delegates from December 1861 until March 1863. After the war he resumed his law practice in Lexington, Richmond, Va.

MSS 2692