Fayetteville, March 9, 1862. Sunday P. M.
Dearest: — I
received your letter last night — sent by Mr. Schooley. You wrote it a week
ago. A rainy, gloomy day here too, but made rather jolly by Dr. Joe's good
nature, with Avery and Bottsford to help me laugh. Dr. Joe is in his best humor
these days and makes all around him happy. Today is a lovely spring day — but
getting lonely here. I am a hen with one chicken. All but one company, I have
sent to Raleigh since Colonel Scammon left. We have been here almost four
months. The men are pleased to go. I shall start in a day or two when the
hospital goes. No sickness — not a man who can't go about, and only four who
need a hospital. Eight hundred well men here and at Raleigh. There is a real
gloom among the men caused by a report that I am to be colonel of the Sixth. It
is no doubt a repetition of an idle rumor I heard in Cincinnati, But as the
thing may come up, I wish you and Stephenson to know that I would not want the
place unless it was agreeable generally that I should have it. Young Anderson
is probably entitled to it, and I would not want it in opposition to him or his
friends. The place is, perhaps, not preferable to my present position and I do
not desire it, unless it is all smooth — particularly with Anderson. If I were
sure of continuing my present command of the Twenty-third, I would not wish a
colonelcy of any other regiment; but in the present uncertainty I am willing to
take a certainty in any good regiment.
My new horse performs beautifully. I am in the best of
health. There is only one thing: You are not here. Don't you think I love you
as much as you do me? Why, certainly. There, I have fixed this letter so you
can't show it to “Steve.” I'll write him a note. . . .
Affectionately,
R. B. Hayes.
Mrs. Hayes.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 204-5
No comments:
Post a Comment