Thursday, January 5, 2012

1862 January 5 Camp Ewell

My Dear Brother [Philip Barraud Cabell]

I received your letter
bearing the happy tidings of your being a father
day before yesterday and although it makes
me feel very old already at the idea of being an
uncle nevertheless I congratulate you with
all my heart both of you of course as you are one
now, I would give anything to see my little
Niece but am afraid it will be many long
months before the happy time comes for me to
have that pleasure. We have moved our camp
as you see since I last wrote to you all and
are now situated in a much better place about
two miles from Manassas and our winter quarter
are going up very fast and although today is
Sunday no one would ever take it to be so if
he was up here for work goes on just the same
as on any other day but "Necessitas non legem habet"
seems to be the motto here. This morning I went to

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Post office before sunrise and you may depend
upon it, it was somewhat cool on those old
hills near Manassas I began to think Frank
was determined to break my neck he slipped
& skated about as much but my time had not
come for that I am getting somewhat superstisious
about my neck anyway as I dreamt I was about
to be hung the other night but hope I shall be
mistaken about that also. I think I shall stay
in my tent all the winter & not go into a log
cabin although I have helped to build one in case
a tent became too cold but Mr. [Jesse] Heath (Captain now)
has a splendid Silby tent now with a nice little
stove & I have made so many nice little fix-
-tures in it that I dont care to leave he & I
are the only occupants too which makes it
much better, one of our troopers calls our tent
the Spottswood I was very sorry to hear the other
day of the death of your Uncle Philip [St. Geo. Cocke] poor man I
reckon he had so much to attend to and so many
cares that it injured his mind. I must now
bid you farewell dear Phill as it is nearly dinner

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time. Give my best love t& a kiss to my sister and
keeping a large share yourself believe me as ever
your affectionate brother-in-law
Richard M. Bolling
P.S. I am very glad your child is a little girl
for I like to pet little girls a great deal more than
I do boys give my love to all at Liberty Hall

R.M. Bolling

4th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry


MSS 38-111

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