Harvey Mitchell/Michel to John Milton and Mary Louisa Binckley, June 5th, 1864

Harvey Michel [Mitchell] to John Milton and Mary Louisa Binckley.

Eastville, June 5th 1864

My beloved child,

I have been intending to write you for some time, but my writing hand has been given to fits of swelling here of late and has prevented me. Even now, I write in pain.

Your mother and myself busy ourselves working in the garden & try to live as near as possibly on nothing; milk being out principal diet. Our cow gives just enough to furnish us with a little butter and plenty of milk. We indulge ourselves in one cup of tea each, in the morning, & none at night. When strawberries came we had some, & Jane could not refrain from making up four pounds for your use when you come down this summer. I expect to come up for you when I send my potatoes to market. I have a fine crop of that Irish root, & if I get a fine price, it will enable me to bring up arrears down here. My dear child I long to see you & the children. Tell my dear Nellie, I hope it will not be long before I have her in my arms once more.

My dear Son,

You made me believe that you were soon to write me a letter. You asked me not to answer George Mitchell's letter until I hear from you. Of course I looked for one directly. I have not yet answered his letter & will not until I hear from you. I shall have almost ten acres of corn. Three acres of early potatoes. One acre cabbage. One acre an[d] a half of fall potatoes. One acre of rutabaga turnips. A large sweet potatoe [sic] patch. A small cotton patch & a good garden full of vegetables. I can not tell how much kraut I shall throw into market but can approximate it closely. Dr. Smith will have one acre in cabbage, which I am to cut up on the shares. I get half & find labor & casks. This will  give 25 casks for my share from him. My own acre will give me 50 if I cut it up into kraut. Now if I get as much per cask as I did last year I shall make more with my kraut than I shall with all my other crop besides. I shall put my tall kraut in ten gallon kegs, ironbound. We have tomatoes blooming. 

If I come up for Louisa & the children may I take them down with me? 

Give my love to your mother & to all enquiring friends. God bless you all. Kiss Nellie for her Grand Pa. I have not strength in my hand to write another word.
Your affectionate father,
H. Michel

N.B. May the Devil sieze [sic] upon all Politicks & politicians say I. I would not give my prospect for a crop for the Presidency. I can go to bed & sleap [sic]. Can he, as they who follow him?

Tell Sue her young companions are complaining of her for not writing to them. My love to her. Oh my hand.

Cessford, Eastville, Northampton County, Virginia. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952). Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South (Library of Congress). Link here.

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. 

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.