Headquarters 2d Brigade, S. C.
Beaufort, S. C. March 10th, 1862.
My dearest Mother:
The “Atlantic” brought Wm. Elliott who had much to tell me
of you all, and I gladly learned of your happiness and good health. The letters
with the latest news and Lilly's carte-de-visite, likewise came to hand.
I must thank Lilly a thousand times for having undergone the ordeal of being
photographed for my sake. Only let Molly go and do likewise. As for the little
boys, I fear their moustaches will grow before their mother will consider them
lovely enough for the occasion. Pshaw! As though a photograph could represent a
red nose or a cold in the head!
Well, I thank Uncle Phelps most heartily for the wine he
sent me, which has been much commended by judges of the article. Aunt Maria's
crackers were a welcome addition to our mess for which I am this month acting
as caterer.
I received a long, long letter from Sam Elliott, for which I
am most grateful. Tell him, if I do not answer as speedily as it deserves, he
will nevertheless always remember how much I prize his friendship. I am very
glad you did not accompany “the excellent females” whom the “Atlantic” brought
hither for the purpose of regenerating the negro race. They have been having a
most royal time of it I assure you. Some of the ladies are from Boston, and do
not wish to associate with ladies from New-York. Indeed, some of the Boston
ladies have been creditably informed that the New-York delegation is composed
of nothing better than milliners. The New-York ladies say that they have
volunteered their services while the philanthropic Boston women are receiving
$20.00 a month — in fact are paid wages for their charity. And so the battle
rages high. In fact the most of the combatants are heartily sick of it. They
supposed they were coming here to occupy the superb mansions of the wealthiest
of Southern Planters — such mansions as you read of in Mrs. Caroline Lee
Hentz's picture of Southern life. They have come, however, and found an
old-fashioned town with crumbling old-fashioned houses, all run to waste in
piazza — very picturesque to look at to my eyes — “but then they are so
different,” the ladies say, “to what we are accustomed about Boston.” With the
men of the Association there has been no little fun. They are strictly
non-combatants, and have indeed a sort of superior feeling to those who are
brutally employed in bearing arms. For this they have been punished by being
made the recipients of the most marvellous “canards” imaginable. They are kept
in a continual state of alarm by reports of a speedy attack from overwhelming
forces. They are comforted by the coolest assurances that the enemy would in no
case regard them as prisoners of war, but would hang them without compunction
to the nearest tree.
But I have told scandal enough. We were reviewed a week ago
by Gen. Sherman. Our brigade made a fine appearance, and I am glad to
particularize our Conn. Battery which really reflected very creditably on its
captain. I met a young fellow a few days ago, named ———, who says he knew you
and Lilly when you were at the Wauregan Hotel. I believe he had a class in
Sunday-school then, though somewhat anxious to play the fast boy now. Well, it
seems we are making rapid progress in the war, and who knows but that I may be
home by next 4th of July, instructing Mary's boys in firing off crackers and
other noisy nuisances incident to the occasion.
Good-bye, my dear, darling Mother. Love to you and all of my
friends, to sisters and the little children. You must report progress too about
Walter's boy.
By-the-by, you addressed me some time ago in a most
mysterious manner. Reading over the letter lately, I have concluded to answer
with equal mystery — “Precisely!”
Your affectionate
son,
W. T. Lusk,
Aide-de-Camp.
SOURCE: William Chittenden Lusk, Editor, War Letters
of William Thompson Lusk, p. 127-9
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