1862 July 18 Charlottesville, Va.

                              U of Va  July 18th, 62
Gen J. H. Cocke
                        My Dear Sir
                                           We are still
uncertain whether the Board will continue
the sessions of the university for another year--
They have had no meeting this summer--
My wife and myself enjoy our usual
health, admidst much sickness in our
midst and arround[sic] us--We have had
for weeks past, from 100 to 15000 sick &
wounded in the U of Va--while the ori-
ginal population has remained healthy
except amongst the servants--several of
whom have been and are still sick with
typhoid fever--Since about the first inst
Lavinia has been confined to her bed, &
latterly has been quite ill with this fever
nor has the disease yet reached its crisis
Dr Howard is as you know our family phy
sician--we hope for the best--
How thankful we ought all to be for
the deliverance from our enemies before
Richmond!  May this be the beginning of
Divine interpositions in our behalf!-

[page 2]
What a remarkable season we have!
Hardly three successive days without rain!
How does this effect your crops on the low-
lands?--our early potatoes are said to be
already suffering from the rot!- our crop of
strawberries and raspberries was extraordinary--
The latter but just over--I gathered bushels
of strawberries from my little patch--they proved
acceptable to our wounded soldiers--the sic
were not allowed to indulge in them--
Will you please mark the exact time when
your late raspberries are in their prime that
I may know how they would come in with
my rasberries[sic] and the Lowton blackberries.
The young mulbery, you brought me, grows
finely--several berries formed on it even this
year---it must be of a most prolific species of
the "Morus"-
I met the other day, Mr F. Cabell at the Depot
He seems in somewhat better health than when
we last met  Rev Mr Hoge and family are now
occupying Prof Gildersleeve's house near the Univer
-sity and are therefore our near neighbors--Would
that you were with us, to enjoy, in common, his
society--He sends his Christian salutations &
begs to assure you of an interest in his prayers
which are continually offered for you and yours.
May the good Lord fulfil[sic] all you desires, as to
your family, our friends and our country, and
sustain you to the end by  his free spirit.
  When may we hope to see you at the
University?  Nothing gives us greater pleasure
than you visits--My wife joins me in kind
remembrances to you and yours--yours as ever
                    W.H.McGuffey

MSS 640