1862 May 11-12 Camp Fulton

My dear beloved Wife

With pleasure I avail
myself to inform you that everything seems
to be more quiet here than it did when
you left.  The best news that I have is that Gen Jackson
has the enemy in full retreat over in the
Valley.  I heard this morning that he sent nine
hundred  Prisoners last night.  I am afraid that
it is too good to be so.  My dear, I received
a letter from home yesterday and it stated
that it was certainly so about Uncle Roberts
being dead. It states that he died  very sud[?]
den[?] he sent for Papa Just before day and
he died before he got there. Ben said
that there were about fifty Ladies present
at his Burial and all of them shed tears like
it was their Father.  Oh My dear Mollie it
is a sad thing to hear of my acquaintances
dying but to hear of my dear relatives
dying it is more solemn especially unprepared
to receive God.  My dear Wife, I feel sometimes afraid
but thanks be to God at other times I feel
like that if I was to die I would be received
in Heaven where sickness sorrow pain and
death are felt and feared no more.  Oh my Dear
while I am now writing the tears are trickling
down my cheeks and I begin to sometimes
think that it may be that I have seen you
for the last time. But God has said the
prayers of the righteous availeth much.
Oh My dear Wife let us not forget to pray daily
for each other and our prayers will be heard--
My dear Mollie I know you have an idea
how I have felt since you left me

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I have felt very dull and stupid ever
since you left.  I have no appetite scarcely
at all and feel as lonesome as if I never
saw a [?].  It is very painful to part
with such dear sweet loving and affectionate

Wife.  I want to hear from you so bad whether
you got home safe or not.  My dear our Regt. is
detailed for the present to guard the City
and arrest every man that has not got a
pass. They took up a hundred or more the
day that you left not so many yesterday.
I hope you enjoyed your trip and will
come down again as soon as you can.
What do you think about it (as I do)
You think Papa havent sold  Sallie & colt
for $200.  I would not have taken that for the
mare, I never was so motivated about one
thing in my life. Ben said that Papa was
oblige [sic] to sell her or she would be pressed
It is very hard but I cannot help it.
Give my love to all of my friends and
tell them I hope to see them again
on earth if not I hope to meet them in
Heaven where there will be no more
parting.  Your dear and affectionate Husband.

Jno. P. Jones

May 12, 1862
P.S. I see from the morning paper that Jackson has gained
a glorious victory over in the Valley repulsed them
completely--& Beauregard's forces have run the
enemy to their Gunboats.  Their retreat was so
fast that he cold not capture many Prisoners.

Yours until death.

Jno. P. Jones

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

John Peter Jones, 1838-1910, Co. D, 56th Virginia

MSS 11095