ASHAEL SUMNER DEAN
CIVIL WAR LETTERS TO
HIS FAMILY
Port Royal Dec 25th, 1864
Dear Virginia,
You did not get a long letter the last time, may be you will not now I
write often so you may be assured of my safety So far as human eyes can see
I am as safe as you I am liable always: I hope I may live in the fear of
God Certainly we believe, but we do not always fee that when we are the most
secure we are to the eye and in the purpose of God in the greatest danger
I feel the happiest when this fine - dependence- is the most vividly before
me I am not certain but , this feeling is the measure of ones Christian
condition I am certain a person feels the highest degree of security when his
trust in God is the greatest It is only ;then he can say from his heart
that part of the Lord’s Prayer “thy Will” etc
It is a glorious thing to be sustained by the “everlasting arms” You want
to know where I am. We came in for coal last night and as soon as the fog
rises we go again [to] Savannah Not a gun will be fired near that town nor
has there been We shall have a long job to clear the river so large vessels
can go up It is full of obstructions which will have to be taken out The
property, munitions of war are immense, the people who remained are morose and
sullen, they shut themselves up in their houses and have nothing to do with
us. Yesterday we went up the Wilmington River past the batteries below the
City they looked trim and formidable We could not have gone by them without a
land force They left them all, we do not know how long before Sherman will go
to Charleston
Yesterday the Payr’ came back He brought us apples, chickens and beef also
a turkey We had to day a nice dinner all to ourself The staff left us to our
joy Saturday We were tired of them. The Paymaster brought me a pair of nice
warm gloves His wife, boy and father met him in Philadelphia and were with
him three days, he telegraphed from “Old Point” She had not strength to open
it She had heard of the fight, but when she was to see her husband she felt
in a measure as you would
When can you see your S [ Sumner djt-ed.] ?
W E Rice is ordered to a fine ship in New York Has he been to see you yet?
I expect you had a Christmas Dinner and also that Nellie and Fred had each
stockings full ! Papa could not help fill them Louise gave her only
niece a present of course Dear wife no one gave you anything Your husband
could not give you even a kiss you were sad. Did you have a “Merry
Christmas” I did the best I could I sent you two books one for Christmas
the other for “New Yorks” They may make the hours go more pleasantly One a
useful one, “House and Home Papers” by Mrs. Stowe, the other “English Sketches
“ by Hawthorne You have got them now You can date them and say “From
Sumner” Keep them nice and don’t let them go the “rounds”
No closing that i could find. There are single sheet
“letters” at the end but I couldn’t tie the continuity of the above with the
start of any of those pages Maybe in the future djt - ed.
Next Letter
Return To
Index
HARVEST
MOON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
March 2006
all rights
reserved
