1862 February 9 Mr. McPhersons

My Dear Father

You can not imagine how
thankful I have been for the good
weather you had while going home.
For if you made all the connections, wh:
I suppose you did, you are now at
the Danville Junction. It is as cloudy
here the most of the time but warm
& pleasant; Snowing a little one day
but as you were then in the cars
it did not inconvenience you any.
McMillin told me you reached town long
before the stage left & was introduced to sev-
eral gentlemen who were going on with
you. I was very much releaved to hear
this. But will be a great deal more so
when I get a letter from you tell-
ing me you have reached home safely
and found all well. What kind of a ride did
you have on the white pony & with Mc
Millin. He was ordered that day to re-
port at fort Evans for duty; - in conse-
quence of that or something else he
has been sick in bed ever since. I

[page 2]
don't think he has much idea
of doing camp duty while he can
avoid it. I am about as when
you left. there is nothing going on
in the military line about here.
I have not had a paper since
you left. A Mississippian told me
just now that England had ac-
knowledged our confederacy -- But
the rascally Mississippians are so ignor-
ant I don't believe him. I suppose he
alludes to the advices from Europe wh:
we saw. I expect some one from camp
to day with my papers, & by whom I hope
to send this letter. An address was
read to the company from General
Johnston, the other night, asking
the soldiers to reenlist, McMillin tells
me, & offering from 30 to 60 days furlough
& a benefit of an additional $50.00/100 dollars.

You must write me all about your
trip home & if you suffered any
from cold? I don't reckon you found
Henry Williams a very intelligent company-
ion. What did George say when you
told him I had his Knife? Tell him I

[page 3]
am afraid some roguish soldier
will steal it from me like they did
the other one. Tell him to send me word
how his dogs come on? And if he has
caught any hares with them?

As to the colt which I said I wanted, I
did not mean to limit you at all
by what I said. I leave it entirely at
your discretion. I will only say I would
prefer a good horse & one with some
trotting qualities. For not withstanding
the present hard times war I hope at some future
day to be able to buy a wheeled vehicle.
Especially if I ever get a farm in
that excellent country of ours. I think
it preferable to any locality in Amer-
ica. I have often thought since you
left how confined you were while
here & regretted not being able to show
you the camps, battery, forts &c. I don't
believe you heard a cannon or drum
while here. Tell mother I think of her
flowers very often. I sincerely hope they
will continue as flourishing as they
are & that the cold will not injure
them. I see few flowers about here.
Indeed as you saw, on this & every other re

[page 4]
spect the people seem to have lit
tle taste for the beautiful. and
not much for the industrious. However
whatever may be the qualities of
my Landlord my landlady is very
industrious. I have never seen any
one who kept more constantly at
work.

William H. Perry, Jr., 1836-1915, of the Richmond Howitzers[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d