Augusta: William Brand to Kate Armentrout, October
4, 1861
Summary:
William responds to Kate's charge that he is trifling with her by also professing
his love to a Miss Hiss. He also described his week on picket duty within sight
of Washington.
Oct. 4th 1861
Campt Near Fairfax C.H.
Dear Kate
I have taken the presant opportunity of [deleted: writing] time, to write you a fiew lines for
the purpose of answering your last letter which I recieved a fiew days since. You wrote as if I was
trifling with your good nature. I would rather fall in the cause of our country
than to blindfold you in any way. You ware mistaken in
seeing a letter of mine to Miss Hiss as you stated. I recolect well at the last of my letter to her I had.- from your devoted friend and if you do'nt believe me I only ask you to look at it again none
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but Sam Fitch new my motive in writing her that letter
it was for his benifit she had lost confidence in
him, on account of some lies that had been told on him about her. Shee wrote to me stating that I was in Sams
presance when he talked about her. She said that if
the things ware true she was done with Sam for ever. It
was all a lie that some of his enimies had
[unclear: made] on him, through Sams
persuasion I tried to write a forcible letter for I new
that Sam still loved her. & I am sertain that
she once loved him. I suppose if she was my devoted lover I would have written
to her since wich I have never done. Very proberably this will
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be hard to believe
put it is eaven so; your
advice is good but in no way. I do'nt think that I have
tried to fool any one & God forbid that I should. I have had [deleted: ] blues ever since I recieved
[illeg.] letter. I used to think that [illeg.] nature was to strong to [illeg.] be subject unto grief but
alas it is far from it.
Thare are no news of importance to write. Our regament was on piket last
week. I could see the dome of the Capital in
Washington City on masons hill I could see vessels going up and down the Potomac
at Alexandria. I could see the Yankee fortifications to the right of Alexandria.
I couldent get to look through
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the spy
glass. Capt said he could see the Yankees working
on the breastworks. Capt counted eighteen pieces of
canon on one of thare
earth work entrenchments. I was the first one to discover after [illeg.]
ware put on post a large balloon up in the direction of
Washington that had climed a large white oak tree for
the purpose of getting a good view of the country thare
was some shooting evry day that we ware
thare; we could hear the Yankee drumbs beating evry night the last two or
three days it was very rainy weather. We had blenty of
rosting ears while we ware at Pagets tavern thare was a large field
of Yankee corn close. We had to fall back about three miles before our time was
out as the Yankees ware advancing but I believe it was
done to draw them on. Nothing more but remain your affectionately. Write soon
yours &c,
W.F.B.
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