Your letter to Charlotte[,] my beloved one, reached her last night, & came to me this morning. The picture it gave of your state of distraction is so much like what I have felt myself, that I thoroughly enter into your feelings. Oh husband, these are dreadful times! We must suffer with the rest. Our country, all the States, have sinned with a high hand against God. His justice sends this punishment upon our nation, and all must be partaken. I see sorrow and trouble everywhere. Can we expect to be exempt? Surely not, for we are sinners too -& we must have our share in the general woe.
Your letter, full as it is of grief & perplexity, has yet been a comfort, a great satisfaction to me, for it shows plainly that I read your heart aright, intuitively, when I thought your first wish would be to come back. I have been most deeply pained by what Milton [John Milton Binckley] expressed in his letter from Richmond, blaming me so bitterly for my refusal to go back with him. I even began to fear that you would think hard of me, too. And that made me wretched -- but no! [Y]ou trust me as ever, & I am content.
This letter, the first reply to any we have sent, has done me so much good. You do no condemn, but encourage the course I have taken. That is enough. As long as I believe we are trying to do right, I am satisfied to leave the event in God's hands. I know He will provide for us in some way. If you do not come here, I shall still endeavor to be satisfied. I know you will do the best you can under the circumstances. May He into whose gracious hands we have committed all our interests, continue to us His care & protection and guidance. If my child is with you, kiss her a thousand times for me, & say that I love her more than ever. I have been most cordially invited to John's [John Warfield Johnston, 1818-1889] house (in Abingdon) but will not go until I know what you will do. My friends will do anything they can for me, but no one here can spare money now.
Yours most fondly
J.W.M.
[Jane Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel at Bedford, Virginia, to Harvey Mitchell/Michel at Washington City, August 14, 1861].
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. Original has pencil notation "1865" but from the textual content, it dates to 1861. The only Wednesday the 14th in 1861 was August 14th. Charlotte's [Charlotte Elizabeth Mitchell/Michel, 1829-1921] response is here.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Commentaires