CAMP, ORANGE CO., 29th
December, 1863.
MY DEAR COUSIN MARGARET:
I received today your note of the 11th with a present to
Butts, for which he returns his warmest thanks. He is not, however, a soldier
and you must not consider yourself obliged to work for him. Captain Randolph's
corps is fortunate in having your mother and her daughters to provide for them.
I think many will join it. I fear from what Mrs. Randolph said when she was in
Richmond that you never heard that the bucket of pickle you were so kind as to
send us reached me safely. I requested little Carrie at the time to thank you
when she wrote. We have enjoyed it very much and yet have a supply. You will
probably hear by the time this reaches you of the death of our dear Charlotte.
I know you will sympathize with us. I loved her with a father's love and grieve
for her as only a father can grieve for a daughter. She was inexpressibly dear
to me and held in my heart an equal place with dear Fitzhugh. How keen will be
his anguish and how bitter to him his captivity. May God give him strength to
bear this affliction and sanctify to him the blow thus unexpectedly dealt! The
ties to earth are taken, one by one, by our Merciful God to turn our hearts to
Him and to show us that the object of this life is to prepare for a better and
brighter world. May we all be there united to praise and worship Him forever
and ever!
With affectionate regards to your father and mother,
I am most sincerely
yours,
R. E. LEE.
MISS MARGARET STUART.
SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of
Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 297
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