richmond, May 15th.
. . . Lieut. J. called to see Mama and delivered both the
letter and the overcoat. The letter was by far the most welcome of the two, as
we had heard so little from you since the battle. . . . Though your first letter written by
moonlight on a limber chest was the most romantic, the last was by far the most
satisfactory and interesting.
Hood's Division passed through several days ago and we girls
had our usual fun, waving, &c, &c. Quantities of prisoners, thousands
at a time, have passed also. 3,000 went through on the day that General
Jackson's funeral took place. Quite a misfortune happened last night in the way
of the Tredegar Iron Works taking fire — or being set on fire as some
people believe by Yankee spies. Genl. Anderson they say has lost an immense
amount of money and it will seriously retard the making of arms. Mama is
thinking of leaving town Monday, for what destination she does not know. She
and Papa both think it useless to wait in Richmond for information of a
pleasant locality, so they have determined to get on the cars and travel till
they come to some agreeable stopping place. They will then write me of their
whereabouts and I will join them, as soon as my examinations will be over,
which will be the end of June. There is no news of any sort at present in
Richmond. Everything jogs on as usual — and the devotees of the Capitol and
Franklin St. take their usual promenades, and with the exception of a new face
now and then, and a little variation in the way of stars and gold lace, all is
the same as when you were here last winter. Richmond is looking beautifully
just at present but in a few weeks the heat and dust will have become
intolerable.
SOURCE: Louise Wigfall Wright, A Southern Girl in
’61, p. 130-1
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