1862 June 7 Camp Jenkins

                                              Camp Jenkins
                                            June 7th, 1861

My Dear Creek

                          I recieved your kind and
affectionate letter of the first inst. yesterday
and was truly happy to hear of your welfare,
You ask will I be home soon, I am afraid
not till times get a little more quiet--how
long that may be I cannot say, but of this
you may depend, at the very first opportunity
I will hasten to you. nothing in this world
would afford me so much pleasure as to be
able to spend at least one month at home
with you and little Maggie. how I long to see
you goth, I often think about you both and
almost fancy myself, at home with you at
times, but these pleasant reveries are often
very abruptly broken, and I am forced from
them to face the stern realities of war.  but
the thought of those for whom I am fighting

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nerves me for the task, and trusting in the
God of Battle am enabled to go forward with an
unfaltering mind, and thank God my
humble endeavours in the cause of our Contry[sic]
have this far been crowned with entire success,
Our Battle of the 31st has given our Regiment
a very high position we are now pointed out
and spoken of by every one here as the heroes
of the Battle of Seven Pines, and we are to
have the name of the Battle inscribed on
our flag,  This is ll very fine but I wish
it was all over and I was living quietly at
home with you, thinking of something else
than the glories of war.
You say you dont hear from me over once
a week.  I have no doubt half of my letters
never reach the post-office at Richmond
as I have often to send them by any person
who may happen to be passing, and I expect
some of them never reach there, I have been
longer in writing this time than  I have
been in some time I have not had an oppertunity
of doing so till today. And I have borrowed this

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paper and ink now, as mine is all back at
camp and I know you are anxious to hear
from me,  Gambrell Smith is doing finely he
is shot in the leg, but only a flesh wound
he will soon be able to come home, they are
sending all the wounded who are able to go,
home to get well, which is a first rate idea.
William is well and getting along finely
he did not get a scratch on him he is
now wearing a pair of Yankee pants,
J.V. Moores Regt. is camped close by us
here I was up with them a short while
last night, they are all finely fixed up
a great many of them have mattresses to
sleep on. wonder if they will have them long
they all think they are seeing very hard times
but they dont know anything about it yet.
I recieved James letter by Dr Nardin this
morning I will write him as soon as
my trunk comes from Camp
You need not make me any more winter
clothing yet I think I have enough to do me
if I can save it, I will try and send it home

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by some one till cold weather comes again
Every thing is quiet here at present I dont know
how long it will remain so.  Genl Longstreet
says he will not let us fight any more
if he can help it till some of the others
does their share of it, and that we are
entitled to a rest, after doing so well.
A great many of the people from Anderson
are from at Richmond. I have not seen any of
them yet except Dr Gaillard & Dr. Nardin.
I will send Maddy a fine pistol which
I got from a yankee on the Battlefield
by some of them when they come home
Give my Kindest Regards to all the Family
Kiss Dear little Maggie for me, and except
my warmest love for yourself.
                                   Your Affect Husband
                                             William
Major William Anderson, 4th South Carolina Volunteers

MSS 10366