Franklin County: David Hafer to His Wife, July 5, 1865
Summary:
David Hafer writes to his wife about the prospects of his return home, and about their need
to follow the scriptures as a guide to raising their family.
July the 5" 1865
Camp near Alexandria Virginia
Dear Wife
I sit me down to answer your very
kind letter which I just received this
morning. I was truly glad to hear that the children were all well, but
sorry to hear that you were not well, but I hope you are well now, and
do hope you all may remain in good health until I get home, for it hurts me to hear that you or any of the
children are not well, and that I cannot be there to see after you
see that you get the attendance that you need, but I hope if you are not well that we have some
friends, but don't let trouble be your complaint I don't want you
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to trouble yourself about me not getting home for
thats alright I think I'll get home pretty
soon I think in two weeks from now I'll be at home if not before, the order is issued to muster us out as soon as they can so it must hit us sometime before long, and if you can make shift without money until then I'll not risk to send any, some sends their money home in letters but there is so
many letters goes astray that I think I'd
better carry it myself I do not think it will be any longer than that
until I will get home that money that I got from the butter man just
let that stand as it is until I get home myself and then I'll settle with him, and if you can shift without going to town until I get home do so then you can buy all you need and I'll take you in right
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away. so George W Foper thought he had better save his life and lose his money, but the scripture says he that saveth his
life shall lose it, I think that was A nice cowardly off come for
Poper so that the people would give him right in leaving, but I think
he had better stayed and got his pay and an honorable discharge which he had so dearly earned for its
something that may be throwed up to him and perhaps to his children, I always said that I'd stay until I got that and if they would keep me until my time was up, I have had no
letter from Mr Keller yet I wrote to him before we left goldsboro and have no answer yet but
the next one I write he'll answer I give him my address if I mistake not but he neglected
writing so long that he thought that would hardly do anymore
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he requested me to write and I did so and of course I looked for him to to reply, but its hardly worth his while to
commence to write now anymore for if he
waits about two weeks more he can talk to me if he has anything
to say for himself, I'm glad you got the hay made, tell Abraham I
am very thankful to him that he sees that you have plenty of flour
and feed and he shall furnish you with flour
and feed until I get home, and then I'll pay
all and I want you to feed your hogs pretty well so that they make good hogs until fall, when you write again tell me where you put your hay and how
the hogs looks, you stated in your letter that I should not let myself be led into bad habits you don't
need to be afraid god knows the army would
never corrupt my morals I believe the longer I am in the army the more moral I get. for there is so
much hard swearing and all kinds of bad works going on in the army
that I get so disgusted against it so that it make me think about changing my way of living and do better, you know that when I came home from the army
before I did not [unclear: Swe] half as much as I did when I left but sorry to say
that
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got pretty well in the hang of swearing again
before I left and swore by times yet if I get provoked but I hope god may give me grace to
overcome all such bad habits for we are raising A family and I do
think we ought to change our way of living for I find in the testament what responsibility
lies upon the parents I read the scriptures
daily now and you do so to and I hope we may be profited by it religion
is what we all ought to have thats the only thing that is sure, I
often
study and consult myself about and I hope
that I may have to study and have no rest
until I take hold of the word
right I think the best we can do is to search the scripture and try to get an understanding of it
for that our guide, and the only
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true guide we have god grant that we may take hold of the work write before it is too late, I'll soon have to stop for I'll soon have to go on guard you must excuse this bad writing for I must write in A hurry for I am
on guard
today and must write inbetween the reliefs but I hope I'll not have many letter to
write until I get home for the prospects are good the day our muster
out rules are here now to be made out but I don't know whether thats correct or not. but our major said this whole division would be mustered
out inside of two weeks and I hope it may be true, for god knows
that I am anxious to get home I'll now close telling you that I am well
and do hope this will you all the same,
so much from ever loving husband
David Hafer
good bye write as soon as you get this
I forgot about uncle Wall I cannot tell you where is but he is
discharged and I suppose he is at home
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I did not get this letter backed and sealed
until I had to go on post so I'll put A few words more in I said I did not know whether it was true about the musterout being here but its true enough they are here and they will go to work in the
morning, I'll stop
