1861 Nov[ember] 7 Camp near Centreville

Camp Near Centreville
November 7" 1861
My darling wife

I did not intended[sic] my own dear Jennie
to make you feel bad, by the letter I wrote you
but to make you happy by indirectly show
ing you how much reason we both have
even now to rejoice at least not to be so
very unhapy[sic]. We are still spared to each
other how long we will be we know not
but that we have been thus far is at least
a great source of thankfulness and we have
the right to rely on Gods mercy for the
future. our children are spared to us and
such bright beautiful little things they are
too. These and a thousand other smaller
blessings we rejoice in. The one great sor-
row of our hearts is seperation[sic] and the cause
of this is a trouble which afflicts a nation
and we only suffer in common with others
You ask to come down if I cant come
by the time Col G returns--this I cant
promise for the simple reason that there
is no place here or near here where I
could put you and in my tent you
would freeze. No my pet you are now

[page 2]
in winter Quarters with your command and
must there remain & take chances for my
going to see you--You have now paid me
four visits to my one in 7 months and
I am by far too gallant to permit you
to pay me another until I have balanced
the account which I expect to do pretty
soon after Col G returns & takes the command
Genl Elzie[sic] said to me the other day that
if we were not attack[sic] in ten days from
that time he would give up all expecta-
tion of a fight here this winter and
I think such will be the general feeling
with our Generals. What the next ten
days will bring forth no one can tell, but
I am candid when I say I dont expect
a fight here in that time--And I
assure you that I am determined to use
every effort to pay you a visit at an early
day..This is my last piece of paper, but
I will try & get some more & write you
a little longer letter to night. I expect to
receive orders for picket duty to night to
start in the morning, which if I do, will de-
prive me of writing more than one letter in
the most than in four days.

[page 3]
Thursday night. Company all evening & [?]
no chances to finish my letter. I received your
last letter saying you had received the bundle
I sent home and also a letter which was
of such interest to you & which you expected to
read over & over again ever so many times.
Now my darling I would just like to know
what there was in that particular letter so
very interesting. I think it is rather a reflec-
tion on my other letters, and if you dont take
care you will insult me to such an extent
that I will stop writing now are you not al-
armed? It is now past tattoo and I have
as yet recieved no orders to go on picket, and
dont now expect any for three days--and
hence I will try & write as before. I have no
camp news to tell you except that for the
past two days we have had a terable[sic] high
wind which has been anything but agree-
able to us boys who live in tents--You
seem to be apprehensive that I cant stand
the weather & will get sick. So far I have
stood it pretty well and you may rest
perfectly assured that whenever I do get
sick I will have a sick leave & go as
directly to you as the cars will carry me,
but I hope not to go home sick, but well
perfectly well so I may have the pleasure
of enjoying your & the childrens society with
out interruption--You say you get so very
lonesome at night after the children go
to sleep & Jim gets at his big snoring, and
wish for me & would give almost any-
thing for one good night kiss. Now my
precious pet dont you know that I too

[page 4]
get lonesome just at that time & most
heartily wish to be in Jennies Room not
to give her a good night kiss, but to stay
all night & give her a nice good-morning
kiss, now dont you think that a much
better arrangement for both of us--you see
good night means leaving which I dont fancy
especially after my long separation. I was
much amused at Jims idea of geting a little
Yankey for sister. His idea of their inferi-
ority is very correct and Lizzies about
my returning is not a bad one for a little
girl--You speak of difficulties in getting
candles- I can buy tallow here at from
10 to 12 cents per pound in any quantity
and if your father would like to have
a quantity I will send it to him. You
can easily make plenty of very nice
candles by using either bees-wax or alum
The great news you speak of having
heard has been, I doubt not extensively
circulated here, but as I did not believe
it I said nothing about it--and from wh-
at I can now learn it all turns out to
be not so, except the apparent voluntary
retirement of Scott--and I doubt not
the great Armada has suffered to some
extent from the storm. You must
not believe the half you hear either
for or against us. I suppose Baldwin
is elected to Congress. Coffman only beat him
4 votes in the Regiment vote I doubt
if Coffman gets 1200 votes in the district
I did not vote for him this time.

affectionately your old man
ETHW

Colonel Simeon B. Gibbons, 10th Virginia Infantry

[annotation by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g