1862 January 22 Camp Walker

Camp Walker 62
Wednesday Night Jany 22
My darling Jennie
It is night. I am alone in
my cabin which with its dirt floor
has a dark gloomy look. I have slept
in it thr two nights and notwith
standing all its discomforts find
it at this particular junction more
com comfortable than a tent. our
men are not more than half fixed
in their cabins not more than
two or three have floors not over
half have any roof except tent
cloth & wood. Yet they are cheer-
ful & live in hope that our slow
moving Quarter Masters will soon
furnish us with plank. we have
a promise of some tomorrow &
if it comes we will in short
order have a floor. I got your
letter of Mondays date on yester-
day but received none to day. You
seem to be uneasy about Jim
I think it useless. he is doing very
well so long as he is free from
fever or pain I would not give
him medicine unless there was
a pressing necessity for it. I am
more uneasy about you. You
must try & keep very quiet and
not exercise more than necessary
You must try [to] dream pretty dreams
when you dream about me

[page 2]
and when you dream ugly ones
you must remember Rory O Morrs
saying that “dreams go by contrary
you know” and if you hapen [sic] to
dream a pretty dream why then
you must console yourself with
the reflection that it is so pleasant
to think over pretty dreams. Since
my return I have mixed very little
with the regiment partly because
it has been so wet & muddy and
partly because I have myself been
very busy trying to make myself
comfortable I therefore dont know
much about them, but I learn
from Dr M who is with them
a great dele [sic] of course that there
is very little disposition to re-
volunteer. Every imaginable reason
is given, but the truth is that
they are determined to let the Mo
lten [?] go to a draft & then if they
miss it will either rest on their
oars or hire as substitutes all
or very near all are willing to
serve & will I doubt not do so ef-
fectivelly [sic] but first they intend
that the men at home shall take
a chance.
Thursday morning – I kept my letter
open merely to say all well this
morning & no news
Most affectionately
Yr Husband


[written in the left margin]
We have had no cof sugar for our coffee for a
week & I fear it will be some time before I do get
any If you have good opportunity send me some



"Rory O Morrs", page 2, line 2 - 'Rory O'More.' While the Warren's may have read of him in another source, it is likely they read about him in Peterson's Magazine in an article, "What a Pretty Little Hand!,' by Mary E. Clarke, in the January 1859 issue (Vol. XXXV, No. 1, page 23-24) in which he and his statement about dreams was included.

"Dr M", page 2, line 16 - 'Samuel H. Moffett, Surgeon, 10th VA Inf.'


[transcription and annotations by John P. Mann IV]



MSS 7786-g