Augusta County: Mollie Houser to James Houser, September 5, 1864
Summary:
Houser retaliates against her cousin's assumptions by insisting that she would never run off
with a Yank and she denies that she is engaged. She also comments that her drinking habits have
been extending during the war.
Septemberthe 5 1864
Augusta County Virginia
Dear Affectionate Cousin Jimmy
It is with with the greatest of pleasure I comply with yours of
the 12 which found me enjoying the best of health hoping the same may be your present Condition
of health when Those few lines reach you I have nothing to write that will interest you at
present but Sincerely hope this will find you with plenty to answer I always thought you placed
more confidence in my Sincerity than to think I would go with the
yanks when they came through here they knew I was to strong a secessionist to go with them & I believe I am a purest one than ever they were the cause of a
great deal of excitement & I believe
a great many turned their long faces back to the Union but I never
intend to do so as long as there yet remains one secessionist left
& I expect I will be the last one going into the Union. although I would do most anything to cause peace once more but it looks like we
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will
never again See the same times we once did we have some of the finest opportunities to have Sport making Apple butter but I can never enjoy myself as long as
this war Continues I think we would all forget that times ever were to be enjoyed if this war
lasts two years longer I don't think I Can ever forgive the Enemy for
those they have killed I hope they will be made sorely repent for it but If they Continue
fighting as they have recently there
won't be a great number left on either side You stated in your letter
of a young gentleman saying he was glad that I had accepted his Correspondance & he
thinks I have already received his address I don't remember of writing about any young gentleman but Cousin
AM & your brothers I'm almost in the dark about it I'm Sure I have never received his address I have
a faint recollection since I have been writing of sending some word to you about something of
the kind but I had almost forgotten
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about it I want to know
his name now & what you told him I will have to give you a pounding the first time I
see you about that I would like to know your reason for doubting my
Sincerity when I told you that I was not Engaged you stated that you thought I was &
you Could guess his name etc. I would like very much to hear the
name I'm in the dark about it myself I am anxious to know what my name is to be well Cousin we are having Some brandy made & I expect
I will kill myself drinking I am going to save some that I may get drunk when this Cruel war is
over I was coming from greenville the other day & I met a soldier he was as drunk as
people generally get he insisted on me drinking but I told him I never drank any If I had only
been acquainted with him I would certainly have plagued him enough but I was too bad scared to talk much if they had only some person been along with me I
would have taken his brandy like I was
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going to drink & kept it he begged me
to Excuse him for being drunk & I told him I would if he would do so no more &
he promised he would do better but I know the boys promises are like pie
crust they are made to be broken when they can get liquor to drink they never think of a
promise he said the reason he had gotten so they was a lady Expressed a wish to see him so
& he had promised her she should I told him he was very excusable if he was fulfilling
a promise but I told him I believed it was because he liked the
taste of it instead of that I will Close by asking you to excuse this badly written &
Composed letter & Correct all mistakes
believe me to be yours affectionately etc.
Mollie M Houser
PS Please write soon again & a long
letter give my love to your brothers & other inquiring
friends if there be any & receive a due portion yourself please correct all mistakes I
have been losing so much sleep I can't write yours Devotedly
MMH
