Sunday, January 5, 2014

Jefferson Davis to Varina Howell Davis, June 11, 1862

June 11. 1862

MY DEAR WIFE

Col. Wheeler who you may recollect to have seen in Washington, after his return from Nicaragua, has offered to bear a letter to you, and I have but a few minutes in which to write it.

I am in usual health, though the weather has been very inclement.  The roads to the different positions of the army could not be worse and remain passable. The long boots presented by Capt. Keary protect me from mud but the poor horse suffers on every ride. The Green Brier horse which was to be so gentle as to serve your purposes is a fretful rearing animal which it is troublesome for me to ride in the presence of troops. Kentucky is quite gentle compared to Green Brier. The Enemy is entrenching and bringing up heavy guns on the York river Rail Road, which not being useful to our army nor paid for by our Treasury was of course not destroyed.

His policy is to advance by regular approaches covered by successive lines of earthworks, that reviled policy of West Pointism and spades, which is sure to succeed against those who do not employ like means to counteract it. Politicians, Newspapers, and uneducated officers have created such a prejudice in our army against labor that it will be difficult until taught by sad experience to induce our troops to work efficiently. The greatest Generals of ancient and modern times have won their renown by labor. Victories were the results. Cezar who revolutionized the military system of his age, never slept in a camp without entrenching it. France Spain and Great Britain retain to this day memorials of Roman invasion in the Massive works constructed by the Roman armies. But my dear Winnie I did not intend to give you a military lecture or to trouble you with my embarassments. From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh.

I will endeavor by movements which are not without great hazard to countervail the Enemys policy. If we succeed in rendering his works useless to him and compel him to meet us on the field I have much confidence in our ability to give him a complete defeat, and then it may be possible to teach him the pains of invasion and to feed our army on his territory. The issues of campaigns can never be safely foretold  it is for us to do all which can be done and trustingly to leave our fate to Him who rules the Universe.

We are reinforcing Genl. Jackson and hope to crown his successes with a complete victory over all the Enemy in the Valley of Va.

Kiss my dear Children, tell them how much their Father loves, how constantly he longs to see them and prays that they may be good and happy.

Brother Joe has been to the Hurricane & Brierfield, he took Joe Mitchell with him I was much distressed when I heard he was going, the exposure at this season in an open boat was very hazardous. It was from that cause my Father died, when though of many years, his constitution was sound as that of many men at the age of forty. This morning I received the following despatch — date Jackson June 10

“I have just returned from Hurricane brought twelve negroes, from Brierfield & fifteen from Hurricane, the measles at Brierfield prevented my bringing more.  All came without compulsion.”

(signed)  J. E. DAVIS

Give my love to Cousin Helen.  I have no intelligence of her Husband since that sent by telegram.  I have drawn heavily on the time allowed but hope yet to get this off as proposed.

God bless you my dear Winnie and in restore you soon to the arms of your Husband.

SOURCE: Lynda Lasswell Crist, Editor, The Papers of Jefferson Davis, Volume 8: 1862, p. 235-7

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