Letter from Charlotte Elizabeth Mitchell to John Milton Binckley, August 5, 1865

[Charlotte Elizabeth Mitchell near Bedford, Virginia, to John Milton Binckley, August 5, 1865].

Belle Vue, August the 5^th 1865

Dear Brother,

Yours of the 31^st reached me to day. I need not tell you how glad I was to get it. We had almost despaired of ever seeing Willie at home again. [H]e arrived on [T]hursday the 3d of August, having been on the road 10 or twelve days. William [William Lewis Wingfield, 1837-1911, Lt. Col., 28^th Virginia] is very sorry about not having gotten your letter and its contents, after writing to you and not hearing from you, being a stranger, and having no claims on you, except what humanity might prompt you to extend to him, he felt of course that he could not write you again, till he should hear from you. [H]e says about that time they were discharging a good many of their soldiers, and there was a good deal of money stolen from the prisoners, and you having enclosed this money in your letter, there could be no proof left of the fraud if the letter was withheld, it is a pity the world is not more honest, poor Will was a long time without any funds whatever and would have been so grateful could he have gotten what you sent him, will there be any chance to recover it you think?

Will has a dreadful cough, and is not at all well.

I am just from Hennie Campbell’s wedding, she married Mr. Tom Kelsoe, a young widower, with one child, tell Ma I saw uncle Robert and the young people there, they were all well but aunt Lucy, she isn’t in good health.

Am so sorry to hear of the sickness in our family, I hope my Father and aunt Binckley will soon be well. I am almost crazy to see you all, but unless Father can come to Bedford, I see no prospect for my seeing him, no one here has any money, and very slight prospect of ever having any. I hope you will be able in the course of time to come and see us.

Give much love to the family for me, and kiss your babies. Will will send you a few lines in this letter. [Y]ou must have thought him a strange character, not to have acknowledged your letter or the money. I assure you he is greatly troubled about it.

Let me hear from you when convenient. Thank Lou and Ma and Father for writing. I would have answered some of their letters, and also have written to aunt B as Lou desired, but I cannot yet procure any stamps. [W]e have no mails, but the Federals are accommodating enough to send such letters as are delivered them through their mail. I will try and send this in that way, unless I find some one going at once to Richmond.

Love to all and believe me your

Affectionate sister

C.E.M.

“William” = William Lewis Wingfield (1837-1911) Lt. Col., 28^th Virginia, son of Gustavus A. Wingfield and Charlotte Griffin, grandson of Dr. Samuel Griffin, brother of John Richard Wingfield and Samuel Griffin Wingfield, who were also VMI cadets and Civil War veterans.

“Willie” and “Will” = William M. Mitchell/Michel (1839-1908)

Thomas Kelso (1834-1867) married Ann Henry “Hennie” Campbell (b. 1839) in Bedford, Virginia, on August 2, 1865; his first wife, Jane L. Mosely (b. 1838), had died in 1862.

"Uncle Robert" = Robert Crump Mitchell (1807-1872)
"Aunt Lucy" = Ann Lucy Phillips Mitchell (ca. 1809-?)

"Aunt Binckley” = Charlotte Stocker Binckley  (1788-1877)
"Your babies" = Harvey Mitchell Binckley (1864-1928) and Nella Fontaine Binckley (1860-1951).
John Milton Binckley (1821-1878)
“Lou” = Mary Louisa Mitchell Binckley (1838-1930)
“Father” = Harvey Mitchell/Michel (1799-1866)

“Ma” =  Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel (1811-1892)
Sue Henry Mitchell/Michel (1847-1940)

Original manuscript in the John Milton Binckley Papers, 1816-1943. Library of Congress Manuscript Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. This is my rough transcription. Paragraph breaks made for easier reading. 

Many thanks to William Myers for sending scanned copies of the documents from the Binckley papers, and also to Mary Davy and Sally Young for their assistance.