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ASHAEL SUMNER DEAN
CIVIL WAR LETTERS TO
HIS FAMILY
I sent
$100 draft last mail have you rec'd it?
Port
Royal Oct. 17th, 1864
Dear
Virginia,
Your
dear good letter came this afternoon how glad it made me heart. When the
Pay'r said as we sat down to breakfast, "The ARAGO is in", I said to myself,
will I hear that Virginia and her little ones are well, than I for a moment
thought of God and his way of dealing with us and I said can it be that he
has......from us all those evils which we have so justly deserve. Can it be
that he still leads us in the green pastures and by the still waters, and my
query was answered when I read your letter. He has most signally led us in
goodness and mercy through the danger of storm and sickness, I hope I may
thrust him for his goodness toward us. You must see the reason of my
cheerfulness, it does make a man cheerful to know that his family are well and
happy. You are a dear, dear, good wife. You draw me nearer and nearer
towards you. I feel often that a few only are so happy as I trust I may soon
be able to see you. It seems a long time and the time passes swiftly. Oct is
nearly gone. Very soon I shall have been in the service a year. I hope
before another year to be in my own home and our country have no need of
"Arsenals and Forts". The time will come that I shall see you, I do most
fully believe. You must not try to please me by denying yourself. I do not
want you to give up everything you think will please me. No I am not either.
I became used to seeing it a long while ago but I cannot help contrasting
your conduct towards me and that of other wives towards their husbands
I am
sure you must be a happy wife. You have a husband who loves you dearly, you
love him. The more for his being away from your arms. You have a dear little
Nellie and a little man whom you love next to Sumner! You need not stop to
consider you love him because he is a boy, Sumner's boy, and the more because
he is so sweet a nature. He will love his mamma always. You will never lose
his love. His wife will never get his mother's love away. Keep him near.
Make his mother's home sweet to him so he will always go there for her love
and his sister's embrace.
He
must have his room. One no one else will have. No he must have a cosy room,
so must they both. A mother and sister can make a boy love his home and a
mother and brother can make a sister love her home. Neither need go to the
neighbors for a congenial if worthless friend. O keep your boy, keep your
girl in a cosy place in your heart and in your home then their father can be
happy with them and will not find it in his heart to fret as he comes to be
led in stead of leading.
Those
instances of mortality came near to us. Can it be that Mary Louise has
followed John (deceased family member?-ed.) that family has diminished
very rapidly, half are gone, the remainder must be lonely. God speaks to us
plainly
Father, it appears, is not at all well this fall he works too hard and has too
much to plague him. He does not enjoy his life so much as he might. I don't
believe he is happier then when he has Fred out in the barn with him and I
think mother loves them both and is proud of them. It pleases me I admit to
see them notice them I think mother cares more for them than yours ever did do
(PAGE PIECE TORN AWAY-ed.) (you?) (hear?) from P. tell me about your (PAGE
PIECE TORN AWAY-ed.) and also about your visit to Canten. I think you can
buy E. A. at Mr. Philps'-Tickner & Fields publish it. They will send it to
you if you enclose $1.35. You may stop the "Advertiser" when the year expires
which is about the middle of March and take a paper which you like better, if
you know of one. I am pleased to know you are indeed trying to maintain your
place and I am sure you can advance. I think a wife need not fear who can
write so perfect a letter as your last. So much difference anyone would
notice you would you can't always take pains very soon you will not have to.
No
change has taken place since I wrote last we have both been away even we shall
go up to C(Charleston-ed.) to meet the next mail and the return. We are very
quiet. The officers are busy cleaning and repairing the ship. We shall have
the Ad.(Admiral-ed.)when the ship shall be ready for him. I have not
been out of the ship since I wrote last. I shall again write upon the return
of the supply ship and will also write to some of the family if I have the
inclination wh (which-ed.) I dare say I shall. Dear wife I would like
so much to see how you look at this time. I can't see, you can't see me.
Can't see you too far away to play "pec ( PAGE PIECE TORN AWAY-ed)
Sumner loves you
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HARVEST
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March 2006
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