1862 March 1, Leesburg, Va.

Cavalry Camp near
Leesburg March 1st 62
Your letter from Lynchburg
dated last Tuesday reached me
this morning my darling, I
should have read it yesterday per=
haps, but we had no mail, a
thing that happens frequently
now, I am very glad to hear
that Robt is doing so well, and
rejoiced to find that you have
reached home again, but why
do you talk of being sick
my darling, it grieves me to
hear this, for if any further
harm were to befal[sic] you now,
I should be completely upset by
it, I have suffered enough, God
knows, already since I parted
wtih you. I knew that you were
suffering all the time, and it
seems that a life time of sorrow

[page 2]
almost has been crowded into
this short space. I can't imagine
why it is that you have not
received any of my letters, I have
written to you regularly every
other day since you went away.
I knew it would be some comfort
to you and I would not have
failed to write to you for any
consideration, but every thing
seems to go wrong with me now
somehow, I have read two letters
written whilst you were in Nor=
folk, the one you intended to
send by Dr. Jackson, and the other
about ten days afterwards, I have
told you all about my appli=
cation for leave of absence, and
my resignation , a copy of which
I sent you, and of my being
prevented from pressing it by the
assurance of Genl. Hill that he

[page 3]
expected to have to fight the en=
emy in a very few days, when he
should have need of all of his
officers, we have been on the
alert, waiting for orders to move
for several days, our heavy
baggage was sent off yesterday
to Warrenton, a report came in
this evening that a large force
of the enemy was in Lovettsville
about 14 miles from here. I went
up there about 4 o'clock with a squad
of men to observe there[sic] movements
and obtain information; went in
sight of the place, and saw some of
them, I ascertained however that
the report of the amt. of the ene=
my's force was greatly exaggerated,
they have cavalry, infantry and
artillery there, but I do not think
they are in any great force, they
may be reinforced however from Harper's

[page 4]
Ferry at any time, they are not
near as strong at that place as
they have been represented, I
do not think, from present in=
dications that any thing serious
is likely to happen just ow.
I have just returned, drank a cup
of coffee and commenced writing to you
so that I may send you a letter by the
morning's mail, I sent you on yester=
day morning by Henderson who started
home, he promised to go by and carry it
to you, I trust my darling that you
may see a little rest and comfort now
at home with our little children,
it seems to me if I could spend but
one brief hour with you and then
now[sic] I could be happy, when shall
I see my beloved wife and my dear
little children again? god speed the
happy time, you must write to
me my darling as often as you can

[sideways in top margin of page one]
without trouble
to yourself, Kiss
my little darlings
for me, what a
happiness it
wd be to me if
I could clasp
them to my
breast once
more, and
to be near you--to tell
you, and
to prove to
you my
undying
love for
you--
God bless
you--all
this night I
am always
your own
husband
E.R. Page

Edwin R. Page, 1st Lt., 2nd Virginia Cavalry

Page is referring to his wife's son Robert A. Camm, 1842-1892, a midshipman on the CSS Ellis who lost his left arm in action at Roanoke Island in February 1862, but survived and returned to service. He resided in Lynchburg, Virginia, after the war.

MSS 8937