Tuesday, January 8, 2013

1862 December 24

                        24th Decr 62
"Merry Christmas" to you all
dear Georgia!  I only wish you
were near enough to receive such
greetings in person, it might in
truth make us have a "merry" time
-As it is-I repeat the old salutation
with the lips-but my heart is
not with it as of yore-I wish
the children & servants to be happy
& in truth everyone else who can,
but it seems strange & unnatural
now-for us to be gay. Joe came
yesterday & brought young Cohen
of Savannah with him--son of
Mr Solomon Cohen-he seems a
nice young man & very well
brought up-but a regular Jew
in appearance--Willy Cocke, who
rooms with Joe, also came, but
has now gone to Upper Bremo
where his mother is

[page 2]
Father returned from Richd
esterday where he went to hear
the particulars of the Battle.
Tom Tucker was severely woun
ded in the knee & is at Col
Morris in a precarious state.
I trust he may be spared; he
is such a noble fellow. Father
says no one can tell the horror
that the people had to endure
in Fred'g.  Wm Little has lost
Every thing, both at Boscobell
& in Town--Cousin Lou told
him that the accumulation of
years was  all gone! - Betty
Conway had three shells to burst
in her little house.  De has in=
vited Betty & herself up here for a
while & they will come some
time during the winter.  To him
do you wing your flight? - De
has been expecting to hear con
stantly - I had postponed my

[page 3]
visit to Danville more than a
month on account of the chil
dren & Father-& shall now
certainly go after Christmas
holidays--I was fearful that
the bairns would take Diph-
theria & I not be here to nurse
them-but they have escaped-
so far - I really think they
will not have it at all--I am
in hopes Father will let [B?]
return home tomorrow - though
you know we are very careful
about him.  Father says the
Yankees did all sorts of things
in Glo'ster = destroyed & carried
off in a manner they have never
done there before - [Went?] to the
Rectory & tried to take Mr
Mann's  hogs - when his man
George vowed they should not
touch them & took an axe
& said he would strike the

[page 4]
first man that did.  They
threatened to shoot Mr Mann
when he said "Shoot away,
I am as ready to die as I ever
will be & my days are but few-
But ye are not soldiers - but
cowardly thieves," ---Willie
was there, but escaped on
the horse into the woods--
Belle Tabb brought Mr Dugan
through their lines - as an ill
Lady in the carriage - & was so
solicitous about her (Mr D) that
they let them by.  Ran & George
Mann had started for Glo'ster
when they came upon the
Yankee pickets without knowing
it - they fired at them when
but a few paces off - but the Boys
escaped got into the bushes unhurt
a providential escape---
Mr Templeman started from home

[page 5]
with forty hogs & met the Yankees
at Mr Curtis' gate - where they
relieved him of them! - he was
just in time for them.
Their cavalry fed upon Mr
Kemps for some days - when he
became up to Ri'd on
his way to Petersburg where he
intends remaining for the war -
"Robbins Neck" as usual esc
-aped & its citizens are as
tranquil as usual.  Phil
Taliaferro & Ned his in the
woods for four days - they were
down there.  Ran has gone to
Fred'g with Ned - he will be
with him. -- De says she has
given up her trip to Lynch
burg for you - & will now wait

[page 6]
til you come - I would be so
glad if you could do it before I
leave - I do not know what day
Father goes South, but it cannot
be very far off now.  De & I have
been as busy as bees working
for the children & servants, making
Xmas presents. you would laugh
to see some of them.  We expect
a box with some things from
Lynchburg this evening - with
some trifles - but fear they will
'not come - I wish Bryan &
Dan were here to look for Old
"SantiClaus" with the children.
Kiss then for me & give best love
to the Dr & Ella for me - I wish
them both "a happy New Year" -
Tell the Dr there has been farms
for sale over in Cumberland &
he should have looked better-
I wish you could get near us.
Mrs Dr Gibson is at [?]ville

[page 7]
her little daughter who
is ill with typhoid fever - the
child goes to school to cousin
V- Brooke - Nannie [?]
intended paying Mr Brooke
a visit this Xmas - & I wrote
to her to come here, but I
suppose she was afraid of
diphtheria as she has not
done so -- Do write to me
as soon as you get this so
I may hear from you before
I go to Danville.  You will
come as soon as you cam. -
Cousin V Brooke likes [?]
so much! - God bless you
      Your own Sister
           F[rances] T[ucker] Carmichael
All send love--

MSS 2118-a

to Georgia Bryan Grinnan, 1837-1912, wife of Andrew Glassell Grinnan, 1827-1902









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