1862 April 28 Camp in Lees Field

Camp in Lees Field,  Monday
April 28th 1862  3 o'clock P.M.
I have another opportunity, my darling wife, to send (by
Lieut. Small of the Mecklenburg Troops) a letter to be mailed
in Richmond, and although I have nothing to communicate
except to tell you again of my love. I cannot let the chance
slip without enjoying the luxurious delights of writing
to you, dear partner of my heart and life.  It is im-
-possible for me to give by words any idea of the joy
it affords it my soul to receive and read letters
written by you: next to those joyous emotions I
rank those feelings that agitate and swell my heart
when I write to you.  Often do I leave them unexpressed,
never do ti seek to express them in all their rapture.
If God spares our lives to meet again, I will try sometime,
when your arms are around me and your lips near
to mine, to find language that will convey to you all
the bliss I have felt when reading words traced by you
dear hand or when writing words that are to be seen
by your gentle eyes.  You, darling, will aid me in the

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undertaking and love will so inspire our minds and hearts
that we will make each understand the other.  If, dear
wife, you were with me  now on this bright sunshiny
afternoon we would catch a joy, a delight from each
others presence that would teach our tongues to speak
charmed words to each other.  could there be a feeling
so rapturous or so delicate that the one could fail to
make the other understand?  I may labor now with
my pencil on this scrap of paper and will fail
to make myself intelligible: but if you were at my
side, if you lay in my arms, if I could look down
into the tender depths of you dear eyes, if I could take
kisses from your sweet lips, I know. darling, my
tongue would be loosened and I could speak a language
that would make plain all I wish to say.  How
happy I have been in writing the foregoing lines!  They
may read like silly talk, but they have given a thrill
to my frame and ecstasy to my heart as I wrote
them.  Forgive the, darling, all that sounds foolish
in them because they have made your husband
happy to write them.  I sent you yesterday a

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letter by Lieut Redd.  In the
afternoon of yesterday the
Rev. Mr. Wharey preached his
farewell sermon to us and
left for Prince Edward this
morning.  His engagement
for six months ended at that
time and he goes to visit his
congregation & most probably
to remain with them.  this
Regiment is fond of him &
would be very much
pleased to have him as
their chaplain.  I mentioned
the subject to him last night
just before I parted with
him.  He said he could not
decide before going home,
and I did not think he
was inclined to return
to the army.  As you know

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Mr. Ray is now our chaplain
but he is not liked by his
Regiment.  Mr Wharey's last
sermon was, in my judgment,
the best I have heard him
preach.  The text was "Be
careful for nothing."______
There is nothing of interest to
write.  The cannonading still
continues, sometimes pretty
brisk but usually slow.
When the fight will come
on I cant say.

The last letter I recd from
you was dated the 20th that
is the last recd was dated
the 16th, but the day before
I had one of the 20th_____
I am looking anxiously for
another.  Kiss the dear children
for me.  Love to Mrs. Riddle. Re-
member me to the servants.
I pray God to bless & protect
& guard you, my darling wife,
and our dear children.  Fare-
well, dearest.
Yr devoted husband

John T. Thornton

John Thruston Thornton, 3d Virginia Cavalry

MSS 4021























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