1861 Nov[ember] 5 Hd Qrs 10th Va Reg

My own darling Jennie
I received to day your affectionate and
devoted letter written since your arrival at
Frescatti--You know not how much I long
to pay you a visit in the old Balcony Room
and spend with you one of those delight-
ful evenings which I can only spend under
the warm sun light of your affectionate heart
Oh my darling I do sometimes get so
low spirited & so sick to see you & be with
you, as I used to be, when after my days
work was over & the children sweetly sleep-
ing in their cozy little bed, you & I alone
would sit down by a bright burning
fire and either live over the past or
discuss the future and how nice it
was to talk of the past--even as far back
as when you were a school girl and
did not think of me as a lover who was
never-the-less a lover and at that very
time a successful one although neither
you nor I knew what tight ends were
being bound round about our hearts--
I know you have always stoutly de-

[page 2]
nied that you had any particular fancy
for me prior to the memorable X mas
I spent in Orange--but I know better, for
even when you were in H.B. I well
remember that you were never so hapy[sic]
as when by my side. Isnt that so
my pet/ And dont you remember how
anxious you were to see me in Rich-
mond & how happy you were when I met you
& how unceremoniously you left your
escort. Ah ! Jennie the love you now
prospers[?] and that makes you so unhappy
is of long standing--You have been mine
a long time--when you were a school
girl & did not know what love was &
how many seasons it would entail detail on

your head--Even that far back you were
all mine---and through all that time
amid successes & reverses you have loved
on--more & more each day until now
it is the one idea of your nature--and
have I not loved Jennie through all this
time who with as much devotion. First

as a little pet steet sweetheart and

then, although still only a girl, yet as
a woman I was forced by your charms
of person & heart to acknowledge my
love and then as wife. Yes the sweetest

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dearest & best wife any one ever had. I have
loved you all the time and now that I am
separated from you I think of you as a poor
wounded pigeon--that I want to pet & nurse
& take care of--If I could only be with you
how soon I could cheer Jennie up and make
her believe she was the happiest woman
on earth and that she had the best old
man in the Southern Confederacy. Dont you
think I could--If I was at Frescatti to night
dont you reckon we would have a long so-
cial chat all to ourselves up in the balcony
room--Well never mind when Col Gibbons
comes back I shall make one great effort
to get a 4 days leave of absence & then
see if I dont go after somebody--You say
I ought to go to H.B. to attend to things there
well I wont scrap one day with you for
all I may lose there, by not going-just
you see if I will. I was mightily in earnest
about being detailed to raise another regi-
ment in the spring & have not much forces
for Winter Quarters here--Genl Elzie[sic] said
to me this evening that if the Enimy[sic]
dont give us a fight in two weeks
he will then conclude that the thing
is up for this winter, which is just my view
with this exception that I dont expect them


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to give us any fight in two weeks
Ned was to see me to day is well
and in fine spirits but considering
why Florence does not write. Tell your
Father that when I come to see him
I intend to bring my candles with
me. Write often as you can --kiss our
babies & tell them--dont forget Papa.
affectionately
E.T.H. Warren

MSS 7786-g