1861 December 25, Cavalry Camp, Leesburg

[letter from Edwin R. Page to his wife continues]

Wednesday night--Christmas
I went into town this morning my darling to Church,
I thought I had managed matters so as to be free from duty
to day, but Col Jenifer sent out this morning for an
officer and a detail of men for special service, Capt
Tebbs of the Albemarle Company, who had been appointed
to visit the picquet stations to day, had to go, and Lieut
Carr or myself had to take his place. We drew straws
who should go and the lot fell upon Carr, so I was
released, after church I went to Dr. Clagett's to dinner,
it was a family party, no strangers except Tom. Randolph
and myself. We had a nice dinner and a pleasant time
the ladies made many enquiries about you and
were anxious to know when you were coming,
every body seems to take it for granted you are
coming to Leesburg this winter, and I am
somewhat of the same opinion myself, we have
all been in high hopes for some days of getting
home, orders came from Head Quarters last week
authorizing furloughs to be granted to officers and
men for a limited time, and to a limited number,
to be so arranged as to allow all of us to go home
during the winter, but this morning comes
another order countermanding that one
and expressing an apprehension that the enemy
wou.d make a general advance in the next four
days. I think it very probably that this is merely
a temporary suspension of the former order, and
that it will be renewed after a short time. I have
no idea that the enemy will make any general
advance this winter, the present campaign, I
think, is at an end, if the order in reference to
furloughs should be renewed I will be at home some
time during the winter, most probably next month,
if it is not, why there is but one alternative, and
that is for you to come to Leesburg, I had much
rather see you at home, but if I can't do t his
I must see you here. I have been away from you now

[page 4]
very nearly two months, and I am not wiling to be
separated from you much longer if it can be avoided,
I hate to bring you here my darling because I know
it will be an unpleasant trip to you, and if is in=
convenient for you to leave home and the children,
but you need not be surprised if I were to order
you here at any time, and remind you I am accus=
tomed to having my orders obeyed, I will send you
a draft for $100, as soon as I can get it. Mr Powell
the cashier of the Bank in Leesburg has been
absent in Richmond for several days, and I can
not get a draft until he returns, which will prob=
ably be tomorrow or next day, Joe has been after
me for some time to let him go home and I
will send him perhaps in a day or two. I have a
notion of sending Black Douglass home, but I
have not determined yet, if I do I will make
Joe ride him home. We are still at the Fair
Grounds, but there is some talk of our moving
and we may have to move at any time to a
more convenient place in the neighbourhood.
if we do move I want to keep Joe until we
get fixed in our new camp, and then I will
send him home for a few days. Tardy[?] got back
to day, rather sooner than I expected for I calcu=
lated on his staying at least a week in Richmond,
he says if we have to decide by lot, (as we probably
shall) who is to go home on furlough I may have
the benefit of his chance and mine too, but
I shall be able to tell you more about this when
I write again, Col. Jenifer has just sent out an order
for me to report to him tomorrow morning with
six men, I don't know what is the object, or where
I am to go, the last letter I wrote you--I sent one enclosed and
directed to each one of my little darlings, I supposed you would

[in top margin of page 1]
get it Wednesday
Morning Xmas
day, it seems
to me if I ccould
see you all onve
more, just for a
day or two, I could
be content to stay
away a month or
two longer if, ne=
cessary, but if
I were to go home
for a few days only
I fear it would
go as hard with
me to part from
you as it did
at first, at any
rate I would
like to try the
experiment,
remember
me to Tom
Cobbs and
Cousin Molly,
has she
gotten over
the tooth
ache yet?
Kiss the
little darlings
for me, has
Mary's little
foot got well
where she
stuck the
thorn in it.
if Papa cd
Kiss it I think
it would help
it some,
God bless you
my own wife
your devoted
husband
E.R.P.


Edwin R. Page, 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Virginia
Cavalry

Colonel W. H. Jenifer, 8th Virgnia Cavalry
Captain Willoughby Tebbs, Company K, 2nd Virgnia Cavalry
2nd Lieutenant Thomas Jefferson Randolph, Company K, 2nd Virginia Cavalry

MSS 8937