Fayetteville, Virginia, Sunday A. M., January 12, 1862.
Dearest Lucy:
— I was made very happy by your letter of the 6th per Sergeant McKinley, and
again this morning by a capital account of the boys — rose-colored by his
affectionate partiality, but very enjoyable — from Dr. Joe. Such letters from
home are next to meeting you all again. You speak of the fourth boy as “Joseph.”
Well, “Joe” it shall be if you wish it. Indeed, I thought of suggesting that
name but I didn't know what you might have thought of, and one dislikes
sometimes to disregard suggestions even on such subjects, and I thought to be,
like Lincoln on the Mason and Slidell question, prudently silent. I hope you
are not getting about the house so early as to put in hazard your health. Do be
very careful.
We are letting a good many of our soldiers go home now that
the snow, rain, and thaw have spoiled the roads. Joe seems worried that we are
not holding somebody's horses in the “grand army” (a foolish phrase) in
Kentucky. We are, or rather, have been, having our share of enterprises towards
the jugular vein of Rebeldom— the Southwestern Virginia Railroad, and have
captured arms, etc., in quantity.
I was out beyond Raleigh ("Camp Hayes") last week
and returned the day before yesterday. Such consternation as spread among the
Rebels on the advance of our troops was curious to behold. The advance party
went fifty miles from here. People prepared to go as far up as Dublin Depot.
Regiments were sent for to Richmond. Rumor said two bodies of Yankees, one
thousand strong, were approaching, one on each bank of New River. The militia
of five counties were called out, and a high time generally got up. There are
many Union men south of here who kept us well posted of Rebel movements. Major
Comly is left at Raleigh, and I feel somewhat apprehensive about him. Since the
Twenty-sixth has been recalled, I am put in command of the post here.
I just stopped writing to give a pass to Ohio for a man
belonging to the sutler department of the Thirtieth who turned out to be a
Kinsell of Delaware. He promised to see mother.
I wrote a short note to you or Joe this morning, saying he
had better come home (camp is always spoken of as home) if he can safely
leave you. Colonel Scammon is really quite unwell, and while he likes Dr. Hayes
as a gentleman, would prefer Dr. Joe as a physician. Dr. Jim or I can perhaps
go to Cincinnati on his return. My going is rendered doubtful for the
present by the departure of Colonel Eckley of the Twenty-sixth and the sickness
of Colonel Scammon. Colonel Ewing of the Thirtieth will not return until the
first week in February. I may possibly be obliged to await his return.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 184-5
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