1861 December 15 Winchester, Va.

Winchester Dec 15 1861
My Darling Wife
As this is the day which, in
part, I have been accustomed to devote to a letter home
I will write a short one though I have nothing
special to write about and it was only day before
yesterday my last was written. Life in camp is
generally dull with me and I feel especially dull
to day. I have sometimes had a job such as road-
making at Centreville or my late excursions to the Po-
tomac which kept me busy enough, but these
only happen now and then, and but for them
my life would be idle enough I am sure. When
here in camp it really seems that I have no way of
employing myself. I sometimes think I would even
prefer a more active campaign winter as it is.
With my stock of bed clothes I think I could sleep
quite comfortable even at this season in a
fence corner, but it would not be so comfort-
able to the soldiers who are not so well

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provided with such means of a comfortable
nights rest. If the weather continues open and
the cold not too severe I think it possible we may
have some activity in our operations this winter.
But of this no one can speak with any certainty
but Jackson and even he with but little as
his operations depend upon contingencies over
which he has no control.
I sometimes look to the future with much despon-
dency. I think most of our volunteers will quit the
service when their year expires and the news which
I get from Rockbridge gives me little reason to
hope that many more will volunteer to fill the
places thus made vacant in our army. If they
come at all I fear it will be by compulsion. I fear
there are more who are disposed to speculate off
our present troubles and turn them to pecuniary
profit, than there are to sacrifice personal
comfort and pecuniary interest, and risk life
itself for the promotion of our cause. My judge
ment dictates to me to pursue the path which I

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believe to be right and to trust that the good deed
may meet with its just reward. Nothing else could
induce me to bear this sad separation from my
darling wife and dear little children. This distresses
me – I care nothing for the exposure and hardships of
of the service. But Love I should be more cheerful and
if sometimes oppressed with a feeling of sadness should
try suppress it from you, for I should try and detract
nothing from your happiness, which I fear I do in
writing in so sad a strain.
And now Love Good-bye again. I shall be glad indeed
to hear that you are out of your bed, and happier still
to know by a letter in your own familiar hand that
you are nearly well and out of danger. When the
winter sets in so cold that there can be no probable
use for my services here I shall try and get leave
to spend a week with you at home. I don’t
think that snow can keep off much longer
A kiss to the children for me and my kind regards
to Annie Helen & Mary Ever Yours
E.F. Paxton
[Most of the above letter appears in Civil War Letters of General Frank “Bull” Paxton.]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 2165