1862 February 25 Warrenton, Va.

Warrenton Feb: 25th 1862
Dear William
[Written in pencil below the salutation: (bro –in – law Simms)]
Y’r letter of
The 20th inst was recd last night and
I hasten to reply to-day. I had been
anxious to hear from you all for some
time and would have written, but did
not know you were at home. I am very
sorry to hear of Mr. Simms’ illness, but
[Inserted above the line in pencil: “father-in-law R D Simms”]
hope that as the warm weather comes
one he may improve. If I could leave
just now, would come and see him,
but such is the nature of my work
that I cant well leave: tho’ I think
I will be forced to do so in less than
a month’s time. It is pretty currently
reported that our army will fall
back from Manassas to Gordon’s-
ville to prevent a flank movement
of the enemy from Winchester by

[page 2]
Bank’s column. If that is so, and
I have right strong reasons to believe
it, then all this portion of Va. must
fall into the hands of the enemy, and
I think I shall fall back too. In
reference to my marrying, the time
was set, the 1st Wednesday morning
in April: but under the present cir-
cumstances I reckon it will not take
place. I can’t say positively, as I
have not recd a letter for some ten or
twelve days. In the last written, she
stated, that she expected that they
would be overrun by the enemy, but
that she would be faithful &C. We
intended to marry and start right off,
having no wedding at all. If we
had determined to have a wedding,
I should have wanted you and Jimmie
to wait on me. I reckon under
the present prospects, will be better
to wait now until the dark --clouds

[page 3]
pass away; and then it may [-]
be. I sometimes feel like it would be
best for me to remain single, tho’ I
know I should be happier, suitably
married. I see very clearly that we
are to have very trying times before
we gain our independence, and it is
possible that the whole of Va. may be
overrun before that event. I expect
to go to Loudoun next week, as I
have an appointment very near the line
and presume the matter will be decided
about the marriage. I shall not insist
I believe at all, as I don’t know that
it will be best. I am sorry to hear
that y’r health is precarious, hope
that it may improve as we have better
weather. I hae been very much an-
noyed with Diarrhoer [sic] for a month:
have been enabled to check it for a
little while, and then taking fresh
-cold

[page 4]
it would break out again. I feel
better today as it is now under a
check. I had supposed, until I
recd y’r letter that Wesley was a
prisoner, but could hear nothing
from home about it at all. I hope
that you are correct about it. I
hear this morning that there is
some expectation of a fight at
Manassas, but know not how
much truth there is in it. The
sick are being removed from this
place and being sent to Charlottes
Ville, so that some thing seems to
be on hand – The times are very
squally. And I shall have to keep
a look out. If the roads get in
order very soon, and I can leave
I think I’ll ride over to River Hill
about the 5th Sunday in Ma’h, tho’
every thing is uncertain. I hope Mr
Simms is enable to repose his faith
in Christ, as his Savior, and rest

[The following is written perpendicularly over the top of page one.]
on him as the foun-
dation of his hope
of heaven! Give my
love to him & Mrs.
Simms, hoping to
see all of you
before many
weeks.
Affectionally
Y’r friend
R. W. Watts

This is the last Civil War letter by Watts held in the Special Collections Dept. of the University of Virginia Library. The Reverend Robert William Watts, 1825-1910, was a graduate of Emory and Henry. An ordained Methodist minister he was assigned to Warrenton, Va., and fell back with Johnson's army, returning to his home in Amherst County. He did marry again and after the war served churches in Madison, Albemarle, Greene, Batesville, Bedford, Brunswick, Prospect, Bedford Springs, and Nelson.


[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]


MSS 809