Augusta County: Mary A. Smiley to Thomas M. Smiley, July 25,
1862
Summary:
Mary discusses family and farm matters, including the harvest and mill operation.
July 25th 1862
Dear Brother
Received your letter by Billie Fulton yesterday morning and was glad to hear that you were
well and enjoying yourself. We are all well at present, though ma was right sick yesterday with
headache but is pretty well again Bil Fulton got home Wednesday night about two o'clock and I
have no doubt would surprise them all considerably next morning to step downstairs to breakfast. I do not know when he intends to go out
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the caves I suppose not, until General
Echard goes back to work. Mr Echard has made the wonderful amount of seventy-five pounds
of salt petre. Don't you think there is danger of his getting sick at
that work & Mrs Kerr had her shoulder put out of place the a few nights ago pa had to
go after the doctor and help to put it right again. but they could scarcely get it in place
again. Grovy would not go until morning for the doctor he wanted to dream about the pleasant
ending of his harvest that is about his bottle. Pa finished his
harvest last Monday he had no help [deleted: after] but Jackey one day & Mr
York & Billie one He could scarcely get done for people got to coming to mill and he
had
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to grind some by the way some have brought some grain for him to
grind that have not been patronizing his mill for some time. He had some one hundred &
thirty dozen of wheat and about seventy of rye. He has not had any of his grass cut yet. Things
are going on in just about the same old humdrum sort of way nothing of interest transpiring in
the neighborhood. Captain McHenry was still improving the last I
heard and thought he would be able to come home the last of this week. I suppose Bess Kerr will
feel considerably elated on account of his promotion. We have not received the letter you sent
by mail yet had we not received one by hand we would have been wondering pretty considerably by
this time
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We have got a little black boy here of Mr Steele's he is some 9 or
10 years of age We find him mischievious enough too. I don't know how some people stand them.
As I have nothing interesting I must close I don't know where to direct
to for this reason. Mrs Kerr has just sent a letter down and says her last was sent to staunton
and is certain that it was not received.
Dont forget to write soon and often I remain as ever your affectionate sister
Mary
I suppose that the boys have nearly all got In by this time I expect John Beard will feel sort of flat if they say anything to him about staying so long after orders back
