1862 October 14 Camp near Wiinchester

                            Camp near Winchester,
                            Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1862
My own dear Ella,
                                         Your sweet and
prized letter, dated Oct. 2, was received only
last evening; but it was read with not the
less delight by reason of the long delay, especially
as this was the fault of the mail, not of any
lack of promptness in you.  I will write you
thus quickly a reply, though this will be the fifth
in a fortnight; for I take great pleasure in wri
ting to you, and I feel confident that my letters
can not follow one another so rapidly as to weary
you.  You tell me how much I am missed, and
how necessary my love has become to you; so I will
relieve the pain of separation as far as possible by
sending you messages of love.  But you must not,
my own darling, fear for an instant any occupa-
tion of my mind by other scenes and friends to the
least withdrawal of my thoughts from you or cooling
of the affection which I have pledged to you. Yet
I can use your tendency to apprehensions of this sort

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as a strong argument in favor of our speedy marriage.
Each of us has great confidence in the other; but
neither can be fully satisfied, and have the richest
enjoyment of our mutual love, until united by the
nearest and dearest tie, so as to be one. Then you
will always feel that you have a perfect right to
claim my undivided affection and that it is just.
Then also you will feel not the slightest disposi-
tion to check or conceal the overflowing tide of
your own love to me.  Dr. Thornhill, our surgeon
and my valued friend, expressed a few days ago
the opinion that no man who is in the army ought
to marry during the war, furnishing as the reason
the painful anxieties of his wife and her poignant
distress in the event of his death.  Per contra, Prof.,
now Lt. Col. Coleman, in a conversation with me
last fall, spoke of the inexpressible comfort and
support which a man has in the devotion of his
wife and their communion of soul, though compelled
by duty to be absent from her.  He said this with
reference to the marriage of his sister-in-law to
a soldier.  As the objection to marriage is based
chiefly on the deeper and stronger love which binds

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husband and wife, and which constitutes the lia-
bility to severe anguish in the death of one of the
parties, can we--should we be willing to forego
the delight of the warmer affection through dread
of the greater affliction that may happen?  In my
former letter I commended the subject to your de-
liberate thought and decision; and I still leave
it there, though I can not conceal my own earnest
hope that the day of our union will not be postponed.
I do wish you to be wholly and confessedly my
own---my treasure, my charge, my life.  I sym-
pathize with you in your concern for your mother;
but I do not believe her sorrow well-based and
permanent, however natural it may be at first.
I will do all I can to make here feel that she has
not lost a daughter, but gained a son.  Alas! if
we defer our marriage to the better days of peace
how long shall we wain?  God in mercy sent them
speedily! But to human calculation t here is little
sign of good in these times of trouble.  I expect to ap-
ply for leave of absence about thirty days in order
to attend Conference, and to quit the camp in time
to have the rite solemnized before the session. Pro-


[page 4]
bably, we will move towards Richmond soon, so
that as much time will not be required for the
trip as now, and perhaps we will be able to
correspond more rapidly on the matter.  There are
more practical points to be settled, and I am so
far off that I can not well attend to them.
Will you, my darling, though you hate the practical
aspects of the question, think on them and let me
know your mind?  For instance, Conference will
meet Wednesday, Nov. 19. Shall I be at Spring
Grove the preceding Monday, and shall on that
evening go to Danville, so as to take the cars next
morning for Petersburg?  Is there anyone whom you
prefer to marry us, or shall we have Jno Boggs as
the most convenient and the preacher on the circuit?
Can you have some friend to meet me at Danville
and to represent you, and give the requisite statement
to the clerk in order to the issuing of the license? &c
   I have been thinking, dear Ella, that Charlottesville
may be the most suitable place for your sojourn
while I am with the army.  It will be probably be
as convenient as any place to the army, and as safe.
I have many pleasant friends there, and I think that

[page 5]
I can provide for you a comfortable home. In all
these matters, my one object is your happiness, darling
of my heart; and I wish you freely to advise con-
cerning them.
                         Accompanying your letter was another
from Jno. Brown.  He preached Sabbath, the 5th, a mission
ary sermon for Judkins, and gives me the gratifying
intelligence that his J's spirits are high, and only light
ahead.  He and Ettie are bound by the tie of plighted
love, and I  hope will soon be bound in the holy bonds
of wedlock.--I am deeply pained by the news of the
death of Jno. Stanly.  Two weeks ago I parted with
him, well, cheerful, hopeful.  He was a frank, gene
rous, good man, and an useful minister.  God
comfort and care for his widow!--We have seen
by the papers that our troops under Van Dorn were
defeated at Corinth; and yesterday we heard by a
telegram that Bragg has been beaten by Buell. These
are heavy blows.  But reverses should only stimulate
us to greater zeal in our cause and more importunate
pleadings with the God of battles.

[page 6]
since Friday we have had rain and clouds; but
this morning the sun shines forth cheerily.  Yester-
day Longstreet reviewed a large part of this corps for
the gratification of two Englishmen, members of parlia-
ment, I believe.  I was again compelled to take
part in the parade, but some slipped away.  Our
regiment numbers over three hundred present, in-
cluding officers.  There ought to be twice that num-
ber here.  Gardiner Houston reached the corp Sun-
day. He is well, and reports his brother improving.
I wish you could take a glance at our camp and
mode of life.  I, with the surgeons, occupy one of
the few tents in the regiment.  I have spread some hay
on the ground, and on that my oil-cloth and
blankets.  I am now seated on my blankets rolled
up for the day, and with paper on my knee write
these lines.  We have two meals a day, about 8 A.M.
and 3 or 4 P.M.  We do not drink coffee, tea, rye
or ought else but water.  Our diet is very simple
beef, mutton, or bacon, biscuits, sometimes fried
apples.  I have no books except a copy of the bible
with which are published our hymns and a discipline.
As I must examine a class at Petersburg on the histori

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cal parts of the Scriptures, I will have an addition
al interest in reading them.  We have no candles,
and are apt to retire early on that account, though
we occasionally protract a conversation to a tolerably
late hour.  Br. Waggoner came to his regiment
Saturday.  His is the 56th Va., and he is only a
few steps from me.  If Jno Wheelwright shd join
the 18th, I will be well off for the society of
brethren.  And what time do I devote to my dear
Ella from whom it is so sad to be absent?  Thoughts
of you, my love, are seldom away during my waking
moments.  They mingle with every occupation, they
are present whatever company I keep.  You are
associated somehow with every scene and every
subject; by day and night, in my reading, in
studying sermons, in conversation, in my walks,
in my prayers; you are with me.  am I not correct
in believing that your experience is similar?
  I am comforted by your assurance that morn
ing and evening I am in your prayers.  I shall
not expose myself to any unnecessary danger, for
my life and safety are dearer to me now on your
account.  I would at any time feel it a duty to take

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care of myself; but the words, "for my sake," will
seem to be heard from your lips and they will have
power.  Continue to pray for me, that I may have
strength to do my whole duty, and may be blessed
in my labors.  You need not apprehend any
danger soon.  All is quiet, and nothing indicates
that a battle is near.  The general impression
is that we will in a few days leave for some
point near Richmond.  But we think that
Lee would gladly accept battle here, if McClellan
would offer it.
                          Always remember me
affectionately to your mother, and present
my kindest regards, or indeed, let me say at
once my love to the rest of the family.  Tell cousins
Lou and Emma that I will expect to find
them very good when I next visit Spring Grove.
    When will another letter come from my beloved?
Very soon, I trust.  Some, I am sure, are on the
say to me.  Think of me always: think for me
practically, as well as affectionately. And believe
me to yours with devotion.
                                  J. C. Granberry

[in top margin of page 5]
Early Tuesday[ sic] morning.  Yours of the 8th received last
evening.  Only time to thank you and "advise" against your
pedagogue plan.  Gen.  Stuart has just returned from a big scout
to Chambersburg, Pa. Brought back mayor and town council,
1000 horses, &c.
                   

John Cowper Granberry, former University of Virginia chaplain, later Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church South and a trustee of Vanderbilt University.

MSS 4942