1862 February 16 McPherson's

Mr. McPherson’s Feb. 16th 1862
My Dear Mother
Your & father’s letter came last
Thursday. I suppose you are all well tho’
you say nothing about it. You mention
father’s fatigue but say nothing
about his health. Was he well when
he reached home? I have been fearful
that the excessive fatigue wh: he must
have undergone would make him sick.
I am gradually improving & hope to
be able to join my company in less
than a week. Tell father that two more
of my company have come over since
he left with mumps; & that Mr. Mc Millin
^ ‘has’ forfeited the high esteem in wh: Mrs.
McPherson held him, by getting in
a ‘bender’ two successive nights. He had
better be in camp. I am afraid that
father represented our company in a
a [as found] bad light to you, if he judged it by
the only specimen he saw. Mrs M. charged
me five dollars a week instead of three, but
as I have drawn some money I can pay
it very well. A very large number of the

[page two]
soldiers are reelisting. From 10 to 15 of our
company will get furloughs for 30 days on
Monday; (among them Bb Knight) having
reenlisted for two years or the war. The law
is that not more than one twentieth of each
company may have furloughs at a time if they re-
enlist. This seems to be quite an induce-
ment. More than half of our company
would. These had a meeting & cast lots to
see who should apply for a “F” as it is
called by the soldiers; the understanding
being that those only who got the allowed
number of long straws should apply or
reenlist. By this means, you see; they so
managed that none reenlisted but the
no. who got would get furloughs. If 10 were
allowed to go at a time by the law there
wd; be ten long straws. Dr. Palmer says
that my time expires with that of the
company wh: is the 21st of April & says he
has authority for saying so. I am sorry
if this is so: I had hopes it wd: be as
I wrote you in my last letter. I
would like very much to serve during
the summer & leave in the beginning
of winter. You all have doubtless
seen the law: as to militia Va’s quota of

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soldiers. I don’t know whether to reen-
list now or not. As the time draws
near many are doing so who did
not intend, to. I am desirous of perform-
ing what ever duty falls upon me in
Life. If it is necessary to ensure the safe-
ty of our cause that the old soldiers
should reenlist. I do not think I would
be exempt, & I am disposed to think
now there will be such a necessity.
The North is undoubtedly putting forth
all her resources, ( wh: are very great
in every point of view) for one grand
effort. To meet this every power wh:
we can bring to bear will be greatly
needed – indeed if we beat it back every
where at the first onset, we will not only
be fortunate, but I will be forced to im-
pute our success to divine interference.
If in this we succeed, the war must be short;
for the north will be exhausted – on the
other hand, we would be driven into the
interior of the state & the war a desolating
one to Va. & protracted perhaps to several years
before we succeed. That we shall succeed
I don’t see how any sane person can doubt.
Still I know that three years (altogether) in

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camp can not have a favourable
influence on any young man’s man –
ners. I do not say morals because
I do not fear its effect in that way,
and I some times think I might be
able to do more good elsewhere & I
believe I have a sincere desire to do
good as much as I can.
I have got the 2nd. vol. of Macaulay. I wish
you-all had the first at home. I find
it very good & interesting history. Tell
father he spells theatric [?] ‘theates’. By
the bye how have I been spelling
breakfast. You asked some time
ago how to make coffee out of boiled
wheat? I don’t see why wheat would
not parch as easily after it was
boiled as before. What is the diffi-
culty? Father spoke of getting some
of my book[s] from the courthouse.
If he wants them he might send &
have all bro’t home in a cart. They
could be easily fixed so as not to rub.
Where do you keep your flowers? If
they had been here last night I think they
wd. have been gone. All the snow wh: father
left here is gone. But yesterday it snowed again to
the depth of five[?] inches. This morning the sun is
[written in the top margin on page one]
shining. My dear mother farewell. Give
my best love to dear father & George.
Affly. yrs.
W. H. Perry Jr.
[written on side margin on page one]
Feb. 17th. Nothing in the way of news this morning. It is a very ugly day.
It is hailing and sleeting.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d