Franklin County: Samuel M. Potter to Cynthia Potter,
January 31, 1864
Summary:
Potter writes to his wife about how much he misses his family and reiterates his
faith in God.
Cynthia Potter
Jan 31st 1864
Camp 16th Pa Cav, Turkey Run Near Warrenton
My Dear Wife
I recieved a letter from you this evening which not only gladdened me by hearing from you but I had the pleasure of seeing you again & think you are as good looking as ever. It makes the place feel brighter. In the letters written I have informed you of the move coming into camp. I have a very good cabin to live in. It has a good fireplace, a good bed & is daubed with mud making a fine loghouse. The Doctor has dismissed me from his featherbed, his wife & little girl being here to share it with him. I have a bed made of poles with an armful of hay on them. The man who is living in the cabin with me has 3 blankets & I have two so that we are prepared for the cold weather. The weather the last 2 weeks has been beautiful. Some of the days we have had no fire & felt very comfortable. Yesterday there was a change, foggy, drizzling all day. Today is clouday, though not raining. Several officers have their wifes here. There are two little boys here about the size of Josey, whiteheaded, they sing, "Rally round the flag boys" & it sounds for all the world like our little fellows at home sing, so you see Josey Lucy & Bell are brought & kept in mind all the time. I think I can hear them singing all the time. What are you doing this Sabbath evening. I would like to enjoy it with you being in good health & if I was in Good Intent you may be sure we would have a pleasant evening. I would like so well to hear the children singing at worship, no music would sound sweeter. This being the last day of the month I had my report of the sick & wounded for month to make out. It takes up a good deal of time, as we have to give each mans disease & in case of wounds we have to give a full history of them. So you see my Sabbath has not been spent as we spend it at home by our fireside. This evening will be a pleasant one to me as I will spend the remainder of it with you. Knowing that you & your little ones will join in a Psalm in the praise of God I will suppose you to sing the 23rd and at bedtime I will join you. Although we will not hear one another yet he to whose praise we will sing will hear us all & may we not hope unite our songs in Heaven uniting our prayers too. I feel confident that yours & the children are offered to God in my behalf & mine are offered for you. May we not hope for his blessing on us all, that we may not be led from the path of Duty, that his blessings may be on our labors, on our lives, on our children on us in all our relations in life, that we may be good soldiers, good citizens, good christians & then we will be happy in each others society & in the love & respect of our children. We have no news of any importance. There was some picket firing around our camp last night & I felt glad that my wife would not be alarmed by it. There was no cause for alarm the picket said he saw a man approaching on horseback, he halted him the man wouldn't halt so the picket fired a couple of shots at him making the people in camp uneasy for awhile. Some of the officers think it was only a bush moved by the wind. I am glad you got so fine a lot of wood. Josey will have time to play after school is over. How is Lucy & him getting along with their studies. Sam Porter came here a week or two ago & the next morning reported himself sick. The Dr. asked him how long he had been unwell. Sam told a doleful story of his sickness & he was sent to the Hospital at Warrenton where he is now. Hoping to have the pleasure of spending some of my Sabbath evenings with you I remain your most affectionate
husband
S.M. Potter
Will you please send me a few stamps as they are hard to get here.
