1862 April 29 Lynchburg, Va.

My dear Launcelot,

I was much pleased to meet

with Mr McGuire, not only as an son of an old friend

& school mate, but as one just from your camp

and who could give us all the news about you,\.

I invited  him to dine with us today, but he decli

ned but has promised to spend the evening with

us.  Your letters written on Sunday 20 and on thurs

day 24 came to hand--Nos. 5 & 6--I think--There seems

no number missing -- We got one yesterday, of 24

from Eugene--He is in command of Batallion in

the curtain of redoubt no 4 just adjoining the

lines near Yorktown.  He is exposed day and night

to the fire of the enemy and endures great pri

-vations without a murmur.  He has lost or mis

laid his baggage & has not changed his clothes

for a month--I trust in some of the reorganiza

tion he will be made a field officer,  You have

doubtless ere t his seen Charles & learned that he

has been unanimously re-elected.  He writes in

a sad spirit, however.  The death of his little boy

affected him very deeply--the remains of the chil

-dren were brought over and this day week

[page 2]

I superintended their re-interment in the lot

which Charles bought in the Greenwood  Spring hill

cemetery.  He has had a tent[?] monument erected

over them and will spend a good deal in orna

menting the lot, which is large enough for all the

family--I have heard nothing from Wm It is

nore than probable he will not be, or has not

been, re-elected. His Colonel we learn was not.

I think the holding election at this time very

prejudicial to the service--though I venture to

say, generally speaking, there has been improvement

in the officers, though some excellent ones may

have been appoint defeated--We took to our house Easter

day L. Rich. H. Lee, of 2d Regt., who was woun

ded severely at Kernstown--a very intelligent person

& interesting man--brother of the late Revd Sm

F. Lee of our church.  He has with him a nice young

fellow named Howell--You can tell Col. Botts

who is a friend of his that he is in our charge.

There are now some fifteen hundred sick here. a

vast number came on before the requisite

preparations were made and there was

much suffering in consequence--&  then too

the weather was horrible to remove patients

in--Dr. James McGuire is here and Dr. Magruder

of Woodstock.  Sue has seven boarders and

gets on very well indeed.  The necessary at

tention keeps her from brooding over her

loss--She does not suffer any how as Charles does

[page 3]

The news from N. Orleans is stunning.  I dont

comprehend it--and am sure there is mistakes

in some of the details.  It is not a fatal blow

to the cause but must be attended with the

most serious consequences--then too here is the

fall of Fort Macon just announced this morg.

We want now a soundly decisive and great

victory--We cannot achieve such on the Penin

-sula when events will yet be [?] in

[?]  Now that Ewell has joined Jackson

I trust [?] he will pitch out Banks and fight

him whenever he can--If he can be drawn

out of the Valley it would do much to restore

our fallen fortunes--Bev Rudd is to be mar

-ried tomorrow night in church, and to spend

four days here & then go south--she is a very

silly young woman. Most of our friends in

Fredericksburg stand their ground and ve

wisely I think.  On the 24 the enemy had

not yet crossed the river and would not

do so until the bridge was repaired and Dr.

Herndon says he saw no signs of preparation

If they attempt to march to Richd they will

be whipped. I send you by Mr McGuire

a real India - rubber blanket which Grantham

procured in Richd by good luck--Mrs. Kean

has returned & will stay here  a while.  Garlick

[page 4]

is chief clerk of War office--Salary 3000.  He

is very hard worker.  We had a large Congregation

Sunday and it seemed to me more than half were

strangers.  We have perhaps 30 refugee communicants

with two exceptions all the families which have

come here are Episcopal.  We have some very

interesting additions to our society. Mrs. Gen Stuart

is here and a very nice person she is--Your

Uncle Thomas has two Doctors & their wif wives

boarding with them.  Ben has a hospital at

Liberty--Dr. Green, formerly  [?] is at the

head of the hospitals here--He is a brother of Dr.

Green of Richd.  I have suffered much from

my eyes & still have a bad cold, which

will not leave me until the weather gets [?]

[?]  I have written this in great haste &

with an aching wrist & doubt whether you can

read it--I suppose your mother will write

something.  We dont know where to direct to

you.  I must now close. God bless you

Affectionately yours

Wm M. Blackford

MSS  4763