1861 December 18

Dec 18th  1861

My Dear Virginia

Was very glad to hear from you all by
receiving your letter, I wrote immediately to  W Henry after fin
ding out by your letter how to direct, hope he may get it, but
fear he might be far from the place by the time it reaches there,
pray he may get it and that it may in a measure comfort
him ad do  him some good, I confess it is hard very hard for
us to have those near and dear to us to have to go off to war, but
a great number of us have to submit to it we cant help ours
elves, dont think it right for us always to look on the dark side
of the picture, this sure is the most unjust war that ever was
and God surely will give success to the just cause, the papers
speak strongly of England's being on our side, so hope
she may, and if so think the Yankees will have their
hands full to fight us and England too, I think we
of Texas are the best off of all of the confederate states
provided the yankees dont slip around and get in
on us before we know it and the darkies dont trouble
but I think the folks have some fears of that, this town
is strictly guarded every night and will continue
to be until after chirstmas, Mr Mattox who lives nine
miles from here in the country, he came here from
Ala had one of his men to tell him he had rather cut
his throat his wife's and the last one of the family than
to eat when hungry his master took him up right away
and put  him in marshal jail there are three others I

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hear they are to be hung, Mr Mattox asked him what had
put him up to talking in such a strain anyhow, he
told his master by Christmas Lincoln would be here
and in Shreveport there was to be a big drum beat which
would be heard 3 or 4 hundred miles then the negroes were
to rise and help the yankees to kill the whites and then
they were to be free, the Vicksburg papers lately gave
account of 40 being hung in Natches Mississippi for
something of the same nature, poor fools all they gain is
to have their necks stretched.  Ann writes of very hard
times in Eufaula a great many families going out to the
country, she will be confined the middle of Jan Albert will
come home then if he goes back, I hear from them often thro
ugh Ann, it does me a great deal of good to hear from them
Albert writes Tom is fater and looking better than he
ever saw him though he has been himself a little complai
ning of his bowels but keeps up, Tom your [sic] know loves
such a life to broil his meat on the coals and eat it,
he names the Virginia troops are as well and comfor
tably fixed as they could be under the circumstance
when Ann wrote last she wrote Albert had just
written he thought or perhaps had heard that WH
and your Albert were both there but he had not seen
them though he must have been mistaken about WHs
being there from what you wrote, was in hopes it
was so, but before this time they may have met with
your Albert, old Dr Shepherd had gone to Albert's
tent sick from the hospitle he said he was glad

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he said he was glad to have the old man come, I think you
wrote me to let you know where they are stationed, they
are on the Potowmac in sight of Washington city
the Virginia troops have a plenty of that which is very good
to eat, a young man who left there writes back what they
have, should this wretched war close and were this place
not so sickly I should certainly want W H to come here
that is if he would be steady and try to do I know well he
can yet do well if he would try, but as sure as you live the
climate here is awful a thousand times worse than
Eufala I was very sick all the summer and until
late int he fall, Bass has been very anxious ever since
I have been here for me to write for your Albert to come
on here but knowing it to be such a sickly place I could
not to save my life hardly conscienciously influence
any one to come from a very healthy part here, if you
were nearer to me think I could help you a little it is
my wish to help all of my children were I able it wou
ld give me great pleasure, the stay law has passed in
all of the Confederate States I believe, were I not living
here with Bass and Roberta would be in a big tight myse
lf though I wrote to W H I would try and hire you a cook
have been trying some time, get one as reasonable as
you can in price they will not hire for near what they
did this year, ask John W be so kind as to hire the
negro as for himself but he must send me a note
to put my name to it holding me responsible to him
for the money, and should I die before its being due the

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note with my name to it would secure him, but if
you hire the negro and if you write me anything about
it write it be sure on a slip of paper so tat I can
take it out of the letter all read my letters and I dont
care for it to be known until it is due and I am ready
to pay it, write to W H to do the same way about it
when you get this if he writes naming it put it on a
slip to itself, this will be the most sad silent christmas
ever spent I guess I just tell you it will e here, you
must to and spend it with Mary I hope this will
reach you by that time, only a week tomorrow, should
you go give my love to her and children, we have been
done our winter work sometime, sewed a good deal for
the soldiers and made up William Nichols's clothes
and his boys, but Roberta is like Tom, & Ann sews
as if by steam, we have quilted one quilt have one
now in the frame and three more to quilt guess we
will be satisfied when we get through, Missy Thornton
has lately died of consumption her Pa and Ma took it
very hard, Mrs Pope lost Lela her youngest this last
summer Florida Copeland was engaged to a nice
young man as we thought by the name of Hunter who
came on to Eufala bought a book store settled there
putt his letter in the church was baptist he went to a
party and got tight she discarded him, she is now
on a visit to South Carolina to her relations, but I
would not like a visit there just now, there has lately
been very large fires in Charleston Montgomery and
Columbus the yankees think if they cant kill us out they
will burn us out nasty retches farewell love for you and
children John W and wife may God bless comfort and protect
you is my prayer love for W H when you
                                                   write E. J. Roberts

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Tell J W not be afraid to hire you a cook he shall not
loose it, Berta sends her love
no time to read over my letter

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