1862 January 19 Romney

My Darling Wife
I have been trying to
find a letter from you and sup-
pose it is here or on the way
but the mail has not been received
in camp for some days, and
every thing is in confusion.
We left Ungers Monday morning
and reached here on Wednes
day after three days hard march
on roads as bad as rain sleet
and snow could make them.
For some time since we reached
here it has been raining and
the whole country is flooded
with water – Since we left Win
chester three weeks ago we have
indeed been making war upon
the elements and our men have
stood an amount of hardship
and exposure which I would not
have thought was possible had
I not witnessed it. In passing
through it all I have suffered but
little and my health is now as
good as it ever was. Whilst this
is true of myself, our ranks have
been much thinned by disease


[page 2]
since we left Winchester. Two
battles would not have done us
as much injury as hard weather
and exposure has effected –
After writing to you last Sunday I
concluded to write to the Gov to
consider my resignation as with
drawn and I would trust to
the chance of getting a furlough
to go home. I am promised it as
soon as Echols returns and his fur
lough is out 16 days from this time
I hope Jackson will have concluded
by that time that a winter camp-
aign is fruitful of disaster only as
it has been and will put us at
rest until Spring. Then I may ex-
pect to see you –
Now, Darling, just here the mail has
come to hand bringing your letter
of 15th inst and the gratifying news
that all are well at home. You say
the sleet & snow were falling whilst
you wrote and you felt some
anxiety lest I might be exposed
to it – You were just about right.
I left that morning at day break
and marched in sleet & snow some
15 miles to this place – when I got
here the cape of my overcoat was a
sheet of ice. If you have hard times
you may console yourself by knowing
that I have hard times too –

[page 3]
I am amused with your fears of an inroad
of the Yankees into Rockbridge. Their near-
est force is about 80 miles from you
and if the roads in that section have
not improved very much, they will
have a hard road to travel. You
all are easily scared. By the time
you had been near the Yankees as
long as I have you would not be
so easily frightened.
You must come to the conclusion
which has forced itself upon me
some time since – Beare the present
in patience & hope for the best – if
it turns out bad console ourselves
with the reflection that it is no
worse – We can see nothing of the
future and it is well for us we
don’t. I have but little idea today
where I will sleep to night, or
what I shall be doing to morrow
Our business is all uncertainties
I have been in great danger only once
since I have been in the service
Yet I suppose I have thought a hun-
dred times that we were on the
eve of a battle which might ter-
minate my life. Now after all Love
I think it best to trouble myself little
with fears of danger, and to find
happiness in the hope that you
and I and our dear children
will one day live together again
happily and in peace –

[page 4]
It may be dearest this hope will never
be realized – Yet I will cherish it as
my greatest source of happiness to
be abandoned only when my flowing
blood and failing breath shall teach
me that I have seen the last of earth
All may yet be well with us
I am very sorry to hear of your
mothers bad health. Give my
love to her and say that I hope
she may soon be well. Rem-
ember me also to your father. I
feel very grateful to him for the
assistance which he has given you
in my absence. I would be very
much indebted to him or some
one else who would aid you on
getting the plaster and clover
seed which will be needed on
the farm this spring –
Now Love I will take leave
of you until next Sunday –
Kiss Mathew Gala & the baby
for me and don’t suffer your
self to be disappointed again
by my not coming home. I am
as eager to get there as you are
to see me, but don’t expect me
until you see me.
Goodbye dearest
Ever yours
E F Paxton

[The above letter is in Civil War Letters of General Frank “Bull” Paxton, but with a few omissions.]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

Elisha Frank "Bull" Paxton, University of Virginia alumnus, commanded the 27th Virginia Infantry and later the 1st "Stonewall" Brigade.

MSS 2165