1862 June 22 Battery No. 7

            Battery No. 7  June 22nd 1862

          Dear Phill & Sister
                                I received your
affectionate letter last week but I am
kept pretty busy in my new office &
will not be able to write as often as I
would wish but will do my best.  It
was a great pity that I ever left col.
Robertson for I feel pretty certain he
would have taken me with him as
his Aid de Camp in fact Maben sais
he certainly would have done so you
know he has lately been made Br. General
in Ashby's place & then again being
stationed out here in this mus work
does not suit me.  sometimes I feel low
spirited too fo on account of all this
entrenching instead of going right
ahead and whipping the Yankees out
but I hear that Beauregarde is in

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Richmond now and feel better satisfied
for his luck seems never to fail him.
I am afraid Black Hawk will not suit
me he rides very well but has been
ruined for ever by that man over
the mountains and he cannot stand
it he is now slightly foundered from
eating bad corn or drinking too much
water & I have a strong notion of
sending him home & Fannie too as soon
as he is able to travel & have my little
mare "Julia Cabell" brought down.  I have
been to see Cousin Nannie several times
and very often to see Miss Bettie Cousin
Nannie is just as funny and odd as ever
she came out here to the battery with
V. and asked Garnett as we were walking
round the work "was that large ditch
there before or did they cut it for this
work?" now you must recollect that this

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ditch is some twelve or fifteen feet
wide and about the same depth &
a very fine thing to have on a farm,
and she was in dead earnest all the
time too you know.  I must now conclude
as Maj. Boggs is going to preach at
eleven up at the Head Quarters and
I found a little note on my bed
just now in which I was cordially
invited to attend so must say goodbye
Ever yours dear Brother & sister
Richd M. Bolling
P.S. I suppose you have heard that Miss
Russel has gone to Petersburg I am too
sorry she has left home especially on Low's
account she lost a dear friend here near
Richmond.  Write soon
                             R.M.B.

Richard M. Bolling, Co.F, 4th Regiment Virginia Cavalry to his sister and brother in law, Julia Bolling Cabell and Phillip Barraud Cabell


MSS 38-111