Fairfax, Oct. 8, 1863.
I believe with Lord Bacon, who was a very wise old fellow,
that whatever be your income, it is only just to yourself, your wife, and your
fellow-men, to lay aside a large fraction for wet days, and a large fraction
for charity: I have never acted up to my theory, but I mean to begin now, — I
don't mean to worry about money, and I don't mean to have you worry; ergo, you
must expect to see me keep an account-book, and occasionally pull it out and
warn you how much water we are drawing, and how much there is under our keel. Mother
ends by saying that she has put a thousand dollars in the bank to be something
to fall back upon during the first year, but I think we ought to get along
without needing that, — my pay is $2400 a year, not including horses, one
servant, and fuel and quarters “commuted” when on duty in a city, — of course
these latter are supplied in the field. I know what officers of my regiment
have done easily on a captain's pay, and I know what I used to do when I kept
house in Burlington,— and I know we can live suitably and worthily on that, and
be very happy and see friends as we want to see them, only we must start right.
Did I tell you, by the way, that Stoneman's Court of Inquiry
recommended me to be more careful for the future, mentioning two points where I
seemed careless? I was not careless, as Will or any of my officers will tell
you, — I was not at all to blame. I was particularly careful on one of the
points where I am blamed, — but I am perfectly willing to shoulder the blame, —
prefer to, in fact, — for I think a commanding officer is to blame for
everything that goes wrong under him.
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 310-1
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