1862 April 3

3th April 1862
My dear Little Nannie:
Yours of the 25th & 28th ulto: came to hand in
due time & the circumstances preventing an earlier reply have been
so numerous & trivial that I will not undertake to enumerate them
or plead them in extenuation of my only apparent non – attention –
Suffice it to say that I meant each day to reply to them but some-
-thing each day transpired to prevent it –
I am glad that John Williams is so successful & hope-
-ful as to the new Volunteer Company & I regret that after three
efforts I have failed to get home to help or relieve him –
I am pleased that Tom Cosby may be with me – You
did right in opening the letters to me & hereafter you must
not hesitate to do so –
My hair & whiskers are very long, sunburnt & uncomfor-
-table when the weather is warm but at your solicitation I
will tolerate them until I get home if possible -
I know I will be very proud of our boy when I get home
at which time Lizzie & I can settle our relative claims by one
big quarrel or a series of disputations as she may elect – Until
that time however my affection for her will remain unaltered –
I am sorry that Clark & Jim King have not been heard
from (by me) since the battles in which I suppose they must
have been engaged – Jim as you are aware is with the command
of Genl. Jackson in the Valley of Va. –
I saw Thos. Rutherfoord about a week since cheerfully
& hard at work in Capt Harvie’s Office at Orange Co. Ho.

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He said nothing about Blankets from his Mother – He was
very glad not to have joined a company after the evac-
-uation march from Centreville –
I am very much obliged to Sister Mildred for the
Socks – I know they are very nice - On that account & because I
have five or Six pair here you will please keep them at home
for me – I have not yet worn the socks or scarf from you, Aunt
Catherine or Cousin Rebecca – I am retaining them for use at home –
Of course I would be thankful for a Box of eatables
from you but would not advise you to send it because the chances
now are that I would not get it –
The Col. must have had a good deal of trouble
with my affairs – I am glad to hear of the rental & collections
from for the houses –
I hope that the last of winter has brought
to our Mother the last of her sufferings – Give her my best
love and as for yourself you must “push along & keep moving”
out of doors –
Remember me very affectionately to Cousins Eliza
& Mary Rosanna – Of course I would not, if I could, guess
the secret you are going to communicate about the latter –
This Company was illegally organized to day by the
election of James Dearing as Captain for next year – I did
violence to my feelings when I tendered him my congratulations
instead of my condolence – He has taken the burden that I so
much feared would be forced on me – Grey is trying but I presume
will fail to get another furlough to complete his battalion the accom-
-plishment of which as yet is by no means certain –
Some of the members of this Company have sent their
names to John for my list & others desire to do so but up to this
time I have not solicited or encouraged them to do so – I can
& will at last fill up my company from the Army but I have
not said so to John because he might make less exertion at Lynchbg –
Give my love to Sissie & the Boys and tender my
compliments to the Col. I will answer the nice little letter
from “Willie” at another time - Nannie Ting’s Own
Choctaw

Captain William King of the Saltville Artillery

[Captain James Dearing eventually became a Brig. General and was mortally
wounded at High Bridge and thus became the last Confederate
General officer to die of wounds received in battle.- Richmond Fayette, Hampdan,
Thomas, and Blount’s Lynchburg Artillery by Robert H. Moore, II.]

[transcription and comment by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6682