1861 Dec[ember] 11

My dear “Little Nannie”:

Yours of 6th has been to hand for
two days & to day yours of 9th was handed me by our
Post –boy from Manassas – I at once went to the Post Office
at Centreville & learned that yours of 8th (covering one for
Clark) was not there on account of the non-receipt of mail
yesterday from the Junction – I shall enquire there again to-
-morrow with the hope of getting it –

I am truly thankful that you and the little
BOY are doing so well as to enable you to dispense with
the further services of Mrs Anderson and that the delicate
two have been so successful in passing through the late
trials & vicissitudes – If I have great cause for rejoicing
& I know I will be the happiest mortal on earth when
I am at home again in the Spring – Your expressed deter-
-mination “not to be delicate in the future” will not of
course super-induce perfect health but I cannot think that
my Nannie is to suffer as much hereafter as she has here-
-tofore and if the Fates shall otherwise decree it I could
discharge no duty more willingly than to wait upon her
unremittingly –

No complaint here would have resulted from
a longer stay at home & I have frequently regretted that I
did not remain a week longer – I am glad of the at-
-tentions shown Nannie & hope that they will not be

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suspended because then she would feel more lonely –
I have not written for three days because Clark[,]
Little Brown & I have been busily engaged in building
a log-hut or cabin which is about fifteen feet long by
about twelve feet wide – we have a good plank floor
in it & the roof is put on after the style our Cow-
-house up at home – the cracks have been chincked
with stone & blocks of wood ready to be daubed to mor-
-row – when the fire-place is made of stone we will
use the brick already here in running up the stem
of the Chimney – When where & how we got to materials
I must not state in this no matter how many others
sat the example – You would be surprised to see
how fast and expertly we work – Clark wants his
way all the time and I will have my way – I all
almost die with laughter sometimes at the scenes
around that house which does not eclipse others
so far as I in the beginning expected it would – When
finished however it will be very comfortable and in
the spring you & the little boy will be received with
open arms if you can come down –

Little Brown thanks you for the invitation
but does not hope to be able to spend a Xmas
in Lynchburg before next April

The enemy continue in their hiding
places about Alexandria & nothing worthy of note
has transpired here since my last except the shooting
yesterday of two Louisiana Tigers by order of a

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Court – Martial – Thousands attended the execution
but Clark & I did not witness it.

When we get into our house day after to-
-morrow all this Company will be in winter quarters
except the Captain & two senior Lieutenants who have
been so indolent as not to have provided as yet the
first stick of timber –

I would ey enjoin upon your Ma (My
Mother) the property of not exposing herself this
winter – Tender her my very best love & say that
while she must keep pretty closely in doors she must
drive Lizzie out –

I have written three times before this
since I left home & because from the use of the
axe & hammer my sore wrist & hand cannot
write legibly I must come to a close with ex-
-pressions of unbounded love for Nannie & the boy
from
Their Own

Choctaw


William A. King, Captain of the Saltville Light Artillery

For more on the exectution of the Louisiana Tigers see the diary of Z. Lee Gilmer of the 19th Virginia for December 10.

[Transcription by Mary Row Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6682