1861 October 2 Camp Carolina near Leesbg

My own darling

I wrote to you the day after
I got to Leesburg informing you
of my safe arrival &c. Yesterday
was a very disagreeable day rain
ing constantly, and last night
I went into town and staid all
night, came out to camp again
this morning directly after
breakfast, and have been here
all day, I should have written
to you yesterday but there is
no mail going out today, I
hope I shall hear from you
this evening or tomorrow, I
have just sent Joe into town
to enquire, I have seen very
few of our friends, yet Col Minor
spent the day here yesterday

[page 2]
Mrs. Minor is out at home but
Essie told me this morning she
expected her in town to night. I
saw the Genl this morning for
the first time rode out with
him as far as our camp on his
way out in the country to see
his wife who is staying with
one of the Rogers's he has been
out in the country until yes=
terday evening, he expects to
be back tonight and I will
send him his package in the
morning and call to see him
the people about here talk of
nothing scarcely except the
battle of the 21st, Whatever
reports there may be to the
contrary there appears to be
no doubt of the fact that
Genl Evans managed the whole
operations with great military
skill, the enemy was com-

[page 3]
pletely outwitted, and to this we
are indebted for the victory, which
was a very remarkable one,
It has been only four days my
darling since I saw you, and
yet it seems to be almost an age,
what a hard necessity it is
my own darling that sepa=
rates us, no one can conceive the
difference in all my feelings
when I am with you and when
I am absent from you. I don't
feel like the same individual
and my visit home seems to me
now like a dream, and indeed
the whole time I was there
I hardly felt like myself, and
could think of nothing but
the dark day of our separation
it hung upon me like an incubus
all the time I was there, it makes
me sad whenever I go to the Pickett
House, everything looks very

[page 4]
familiar but I miss you and it
makes me feel lonely. I have not
seen much of John since I have
been here, he spends most all
of his time frolicking and I
fear since I have come back
to attend to the company, he will
be worse than ever, he is living
a very fast life, and spending
money by thousands.

I want you to attend to every
thing for me until I get back
but don't neglect to write to me
regularly and tell me about every
thing that is going on, about
the children, and above all
my darling about yourself,
and I wish you especially to take
care of yourself for you are
more than life to me, and to take
good care also of my little darlings.
Kiss them all for me, tell Mary
Mann she must write me a little letter
I will write her my answer to it, tell
Will he must take care of his Mama

[in the top left margin of page one]
until I come
back, cut wood
for her and not
catch the croup,
God bless you
my own dear
wife, this is
the continual
aspiration
of you
Husband
E.K.P.

[in the top right margin of page one]
Joe says tell
Lucy he
has kept
his promise
not to drink
any more
liquor