1861 November 12 Camp near Centreville

My precious pet

You say it is a source of great pleas-
ure to you to receive a letter from me. I am
glad of it, but I doubt if the reception gives
you a particle of more hapiness than does
the writing of it give me. I sometimes get
the blues about not seeing you & then I sit
down & think of you --of our courtship & married
life--of how you talked & looked, of what you did
& said and then over what you would say & do

if suddenly I could just sit down by you, and
then the question comes up when can I do
so, when will I see my Pets, bright beautiful
darling creatures that they are, and just in
proportion as I can give a satisfactory reply
to this so I feel relieved, but not until
I can sit down & tell you how much I love
you. Jennie you sit down & tell me over
& over again how much you want to see me
& how much you love me & how very unhapy[sic]

you are all the time. Now my darling
I know very well you dont love me one
bit more than I love you & I know you dont
think any more about our soon being together
again. But I dont sit down & make myself
miserable because I am here & you there,
but I make myself hapy by thinking over
our next meeting, thats the way I do and
I think it is greatly the best way, dont
you think so, and then after I have
thought it all over, then I sit down & write

[page 2]
a long love letter, which gives me pleasure
to write & you to read.

We returned from picket yesterday evening
having had a reasonably good time-- very good
order except John Kenny who got drunk with
some cavalry men & then brought them
to my quarters. I ordered John in a wagon
out of site sight & will take his office from

him & send him back to his Co. We have
not a particle of news in camp. Every thing
seems to remain at a perfect stand still--G 
Genl Jacksons old Brigade has gone to Winches-
ter--we will not go from here, nor do I be-
lieve McClelland will attack us--He will
hardly be fool enough to risk a fight here
when he may greatly fear defeat & where
his men will Expect it--when easy victory
awaits him all along the Southern coast.
the north cant whip us border men and
she can whip the impulsive & impetuous
Southron & it is against the latter that
their wiley Genl will send his forces
and the Great Fleet with its forces will
I greatly fear completely retrieve the bro-
ken fortunes of our Enimies[sic]--& thus prolong
the war into another campaign which will
be harder than this. But away with
all thoughts of the war. If a man can
afford to take it as it comes, I think
he does enough without knowing of the
future. Kiss the children & give
love to all most affectionately
E.T.H. Warren

John Kenny, Jr. Ordnance-Sergeant, 10th Virginia
Infantry
[annotation by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g