Augusta County: Jesse Rolston, Jr., to Mary Rolston, March 11, 1864
Summary:
Rolston discusses options for enlistment and the price paid by his
family for having another son go to war.
March 11 1864
Orange County Virginia
Sumerville Ford, Virginia
Camp 52
Infantry
Dear and affectionate wife,
I seat myself this morning to try and answer your welcome letter that I
just received a few minutes ago. I had been looking for it some day past,
but it did not come to hand until this morning. It found me in good
health and I was glad to hear from you and all was receiving the same
blessing of health but I feel somewhat vexed since I read your letter to
think of some things that is about reenlisting. I have not reenlisted nor
do I ever intend to under the present circumstances. If I have to stay in
service you can mark Jesse one that has not re-enlisted if you believe
what I write unless my mind changes very much from what it is now and what
it has been for some time past. Accordance with the late law that has
been [illeg.] for some time-between the
[page 2]
ages of 18 and 45
will have to be in service for the war. It makes no difference whether I
want to or not unless they can get a detail of some kind [illeg.] any
honorable detail that I can get, for I don't think
that duty would be any harder than it was on me. So if you have a chance
you need not be uneasy but what I will except of it [illeg.] so I hope
that you may meet with success in what you have
undertaken and I hope that this will satisfy you about re-enlisting and it
may give you comfort and happiness to you, it don't do for a person to believe all they hear nowadays.
Furloughing is still a going on. There is two ahead
of mine yet so I am still in hopes of getting one before long, we can have
the pleasure of talking in place of writing it. it would give me so much
more comfort. I have not heard anything about
giving up in Virginia. It may be so, but I don't
believe that they are going to do it, for I think if they give up Virginia
this cruel war will be over soon. I don't know what will be best for to do if John leaves.
If you can [get] someone to crop it would be
less trouble to you and if I should be so lucky as to get off-I would
rather do it myself, so i leave that with you to decide. I judge there is
no chance of hiring anyone to work with any
certainty. As they take what little you do raise - it won't pay you for to pay a big price for hiring. How
old is John and how long can he stay before he would have to go in
service? Does he want to go? There is some boys that goes in service
sooner than they need, but I don't know how it is
with him. If you have a chance and can if you would move some of your
corn out of the crib someplace else. They would not bother you so much.
It is right in the way. it shows too plain. Try to keep enough to do
you. If you can hide it. Don't think it will be
any harm in doing so. So must come to a close -
remaining your husband until separated by death.
Jesse Rolston
Mary C Rolston
