Tuesday, February 5, 2013

1863 January 31 Batesvillelle, Va.

Batesville 31st January 1863
Dear General Cocke I have intended to write to you
for some months but my constant engagem=
ents have prevented me thank God my Heal
=th is as Good as usual my loved ones are in us
=ual health I  hope this will find you and yours
Healthy & Happy Striving as you have done
for Many Years to do all the Good you
can while Sojourning here on Earth.  You
& I have but a little Span to fill up here
Our days will Soon be Numbered and wh
en we get through the best of all will
be to look back upon a life Spent in the
Service of God and look forward to a
home in Heaven where the wicked will
cease to Trouble here we have the world
the flesh and the Devil to Contend with and
really General Since this War began It see=
=ms to me that there is more wickedness
than I ever have seen before the Methodist
Babtist Presbiterians & Episcopalians are
Many of them Distilling & Selling Brandy
at the Most Exorbiant Prices, and whilst a
few Men are Building up the Church of God
Many Thousands of the professd Deciples of
Jesus Christ is pulling down and Destroy=
ing all the Good that have been doing for
years past My Prayer to God is that Light
may Spring up in their Minds and Aw-
full Conviction May Arrest them the Love
of Money have bewildered the People Sure=
ley Temperance never was at Such a low
ebb I have not to my knowledge used one Spoon
ful of Ardent Spirits in My Family for

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more than 12 Months General what can be done
to arrest this dreadful Crime as soon as the Weather
gets warm Come up & Spend Some days with
Me & lets talk this Matter over See if we can
hep to arrest this Awful Curse answer
this at your earlyst Convenicce and let
me know what you think of this wretched
War & when it will end as ever Your friend
in the Bonds of Christian Love
                             S O. Moon

[docketed by Cocke]
Moon Saml. O. Feby 5
                       1863

MSS 640

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