My dear Launcelot,
I was much pleased to meet
with Mr McGuire, not only as an son of an old friend
& school mate, but as one just from your camp
and who could give us all the news about you,\.
I invited him to dine with us today, but he decli
ned but has promised to spend the evening with
us. Your letters written on Sunday 20 and on thurs
day 24 came to hand–Nos. 5 & 6–I think–There seems
no number missing — We got one yesterday, of 24
from Eugene–He is in command of Batallion in
the curtain of redoubt no 4 just adjoining the
lines near Yorktown. He is exposed day and night
to the fire of the enemy and endures great pri
-vations without a murmur. He has lost or mis
laid his baggage & has not changed his clothes
for a month–I trust in some of the reorganiza
tion he will be made a field officer, You have
doubtless ere t his seen Charles & learned that he
has been unanimously re-elected. He writes in
a sad spirit, however. The death of his little boy
affected him very deeply–the remains of the chil
-dren were brought over and this day week
[page 2]
I superintended their re-interment in the lot
which Charles bought in the Greenwood Spring hill
cemetery. He has had a tent[?] monument erected
over them and will spend a good deal in orna
menting the lot, which is large enough for all the
family–I have heard nothing from Wm It is
nore than probable he will not be, or has not
been, re-elected. His Colonel we learn was not.
I think the holding election at this time very
prejudicial to the service–though I venture to
say, generally speaking, there has been improvement
in the officers, though some excellent ones may
have been appoint defeated–We took to our house Easter
day L. Rich. H. Lee, of 2d Regt., who was woun
ded severely at Kernstown–a very intelligent person
& interesting man–brother of the late Revd Sm
F. Lee of our church. He has with him a nice young
fellow named Howell–You can tell Col. Botts
who is a friend of his that he is in our charge.
There are now some fifteen hundred sick here. a
vast number came on before the requisite
preparations were made and there was
much suffering in consequence–& then too
the weather was horrible to remove patients
in–Dr. James McGuire is here and Dr. Magruder
of Woodstock. Sue has seven boarders and
gets on very well indeed. The necessary at
tention keeps her from brooding over her
loss–She does not suffer any how as Charles does
[page 3]
The news from N. Orleans is stunning. I dont
comprehend it–and am sure there is mistakes
in some of the details. It is not a fatal blow
to the cause but must be attended with the
most serious consequences–then too here is the
fall of Fort Macon just announced this morg.
We want now a soundly decisive and great
victory–We cannot achieve such on the Penin
-sula when events will yet be [?] in
[?] Now that Ewell has joined Jackson
I trust [?] he will pitch out Banks and fight
him whenever he can–If he can be drawn
out of the Valley it would do much to restore
our fallen fortunes–Bev Rudd is to be mar
-ried tomorrow night in church, and to spend
four days here & then go south–she is a very
silly young woman. Most of our friends in
Fredericksburg stand their ground and ve
wisely I think. On the 24 the enemy had
not yet crossed the river and would not
do so until the bridge was repaired and Dr.
Herndon says he saw no signs of preparation
If they attempt to march to Richd they will
be whipped. I send you by Mr McGuire
a real India – rubber blanket which Grantham
procured in Richd by good luck–Mrs. Kean
has returned & will stay here a while. Garlick
[page 4]
is chief clerk of War office–Salary 3000. He
is very hard worker. We had a large Congregation
Sunday and it seemed to me more than half were
strangers. We have perhaps 30 refugee communicants
with two exceptions all the families which have
come here are Episcopal. We have some very
interesting additions to our society. Mrs. Gen Stuart
is here and a very nice person she is–Your
Uncle Thomas has two Doctors & their wif wives
boarding with them. Ben has a hospital at
Liberty–Dr. Green, formerly [?] is at the
head of the hospitals here–He is a brother of Dr.
Green of Richd. I have suffered much from
my eyes & still have a bad cold, which
will not leave me until the weather gets [?]
[?] I have written this in great haste &
with an aching wrist & doubt whether you can
read it–I suppose your mother will write
something. We dont know where to direct to
you. I must now close. God bless you
Affectionately yours
Wm M. Blackford
MSS 4763
