1862 August 20 Richmond, Va.

Dear Miss Essie
  Your letter reached
me on Tuesday, and I was
quite glad to receive it,  I
have not been able however
anxious to come up to Charlottes
ville, for private as well as
reasons connected with the
association.  Your long, faithful
and complaisant service to the
cause entitles you to any thing
you ask for,  you have truly
done & done well what ever
you were requested to do and

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therefore you have only to say
now what you desire for me to
endeavour to carry out your
wishes.  If to stay there you
can stay.   If to remain in
Charlottesville to remain &
if to come here, then come!
At [?]  however, I have not
succeeded in getting a house
I hope to do so by October
when I expect Mrs Barnwell
on , and we shall establish
here just such an arrangement
as we had at Charlottesville.

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and we will  have work carved out for you, if you
desire to come, as to arrangements there, let me
say that you are authorized to make at our
expense any arrangement you find most pleasant.
I understand that Dr. Reinhart[?] has taken the
house servants and all responsibilities just as he
did before,  He then paid us 5$ board per week
without ratioons.  I take it for granted that Mrs
[?] Mr B[?] & yourself will now pay--ie
the ass[ociation] pay for her at the same rate--making
allowance only for  Rations furnished--If you
are not drawing (as McMaster tells me you are)
rations, then I hold myself obligated to Dr R for
$5 per week.  So that you may feel perfectly

[page 4]
easy about staying with them at present, it is probable
that our operations will be resumed in Charlottes-
-ville on an active scale, though I will not rent
a dwelling house, there, so that if you prefer you
may remain there, otherwise come here, Your
box is still here, and the Express has refused to
bring Mrs L's fine  [?] unless divided into
two portions, as it exceeds 40 lbs.  My sisters will
divide it for her if she thinks so, and will write
them.  I send a check for 25$ with pleasure
With my kind remembrances to the ladies
& Gentlemen  I am yours
                                        respy
                                               Robert W Barnwell Jr.

Confederate Senator Robert W. Barnwell to his niece Esther "Essie" Habersham.

MSS 15091