John W. Johnston to Nicketti Buchanan Floyd Johnston, January 9, 1848

[John Warfield Johnston at Richmond, Virginia, to Nicketti Buchanan Floyd Johnston [at Southwest Virginia], January 9, 1848, folder 161, Trigg-Floyd Collection, Special Collections, John Cook Wyllie Library, The University of Virginia's College at Wise (formerly Clinch Valley College), Wise, Virginia. This is my rough transcription].

Richmond Jan 9^th 1848

My dearest wife,

I wrote to you some three or four days since by Robert W. Davidson & not reflecting that it would be some weeks before he would reach Tazewell, I fear you will think that I am becoming slack in my writing. But I write every three or four days at farthest, not at regular times, but whenever I feel in the humor.

Your last letter reached me day before yesterday, bringing the glad intelligence that you were all well except for poor little Johnny’s finger. He is a hero, however, & endures anything of the soul better than most men would do. I have no doubt, but that it would be favorable to his health to take him to the Scott Springs next summer, which have a great reputation in all eruptive diseases. I think it likely that he will be afflicted for some time like I have been, tho’ I hope that it will be a sort of clearing up of his system & leave him in good health. But, I can’t help feeling uneasy about yourself. You say nothing about the pain in your side from which you have been suffering so much. But my dearest wife do all that can be done to preserve your health. Think what would be the condition of our poor babies if both of us were stricken down by the hand of disease. Perhaps the medicine I sent you will afford relief, but if it does not, consult your brother Will; explain to him fully your symptoms, & follow his prescription faithfully. I know that I have set a bad example in that particular, but pray don’t follow it.

My health continues good. I have escaped so far the cold so common to Western men on coping & hope to get through the winter without it. I don’t think that I look as well as I did when I got here, but otherwise, I am about as I was. I yearn impatiently for the time, which will release me from this life, both that I may be in the bosom of my family where alone I can be happy, & that I may engage again the practice of law. For a new passion has taken possession of my mind & I actually burn to gain the double prize of wealth & distinction.

I think now that the session will be a short one. They have gotten through business with more than ordinary dispatch in the lower House this session. The senate met on Thursday, but no quorum being present we adjourned over until Monday next: when we will get to work in earnest. I see nothing to keep us beyond the middle of February unless we engage in the criminal code, which I am in hopes will be continued for the present & made the business of an extra session, in which way alone it can be properly done.

Your brother John is going to offer a resolution giving a sword to Uncle Jo. A gentleman in Congress who was his companion in arms in Florida, has furnished a very interesting account of his services there & a sketch of what je has done in Mexico can readily be made up from the newspapers. Col. Garland & other officers here, who knew poor little Pres, says that he was by common consent, the finest man of his rank in the army.

I have not been to Williamsburg yet. Holmes left here I thought, in a fret & I fancied that his irritation to me was rather a matter of course for having brought his wife down than because he really wanted to see me. But in this perhaps I am wrong. No body knows what a misfortune it is to have such a temper as mine, for while no one has warmer feelings than I have, I am a stranger to men I meet almost every day of my life, & repel or cool down the advances of people that may even love me. I will go to see him, tho’, some time during the winter, as it [is] only half a day’s travel. He told me that he had about thirty in his class.  

Is Bill Holly going on with the work I employed him to do? Practice the plan I suggested as to Tom & I’ll answer for it that it succeeds. Get Benham to but any provender that you need for the horses & cows. I am glad George sold the horses. Get the notes from [him] & put them in my smallest note bag in the proper letters. Kiss my babies. Give my love to all & believe me your

devoted Husband

John W. Johnston

[John Warfield Johnston (1818-1889), Senator in the Virginia General Assembly, 1846-1847 and 1847-1848, representing several SW Virginia counties. Married to Nicketti Buchanan Floyd, sister of Elizabeth Lavalette Floyd, who was married to George Frederick Holmes (1820-1897), and "your brother John" John Buchanan Floyd (1806-1863), member of the Virginia House of Delegates, 1847 to 1849 and Governor of Virginia from 1849 to 1852, who was married to their cousin Sarah “Sally” Buchanan Preston (1802-1879), who was a sister of Elizabeth Henry Preston (1796-1876), who was married to General Edward Codrington Carrington (1790-1855)
Robert W. Davidson = Robert Wallace Davidson (1801-1868)
Little Johnny = John Warfield Johnston III (1842-1851)
Your brother Will = Dr. William Preston Floyd (1809-1871)

Uncle Jo = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891), well-known at the time for his heroics during the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848

Colonel Garland = John Garland (1793-1861)

Poor little Pres = John Preston Johnston (1824-1847), killed in action at Contreras]

[Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]