Subject  | Path | | | | | • | UVA-LIB-ValleyOfTheShadow | [X] | | • | University of Virginia Civil War Collection | [X] |
| | 1 | Author: | Spillman, Robert B. | Add | | | Title: | Robert B. Spillman to Amanda C. Armentrout, March 17, 1864  | | | | Published: | 2002 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Civil War Collection | UVA-LIB-ValleyOfTheShadow | | | | Description: | You kind and welcome letter of the 8th inst reached me safe today which found me
well & very glad to hear from you for I was anxiously awaiting your
reply. I felt so lonely lying in camp with no excitement but at last your dear
letter came which was indeed a healing talisman in writing & anxious
hearts if ever I prize a letter it is when such circumstance I
am satisfied there is no one who is more fond of communicating with dear friends than I am. Letter writing is a
pleasant mode of binding a vivid remembrance of friends & I think I
enjoy it as much as any one but some
times it does not suit my purposes. I pine for a more general & extended
chat, I wish very much that I could have the pleasures of meeting with you again
& again that we might become better acquainted my short stay with you I
have discovered many qualities in you which has made
undescribable impressions on me ours is a very singular case it is not often the
case where such a friendship springs up two between two
relative strangers Ever thankful I hope our friendship may be a lasting one
&c Sister you say that you have lately hurd
that I met with one of your neighbors & made enquiry in regards to your
self. I am indeed surpised to hear that
it is indeed a mistake let me assure you that I have never met with any one from
your county since I saw you it is not my
interest that I should have done as you heard I did but I assure you I did not
have the opportunity I dont claim to
be all Sister but I dont hesitate to say that your pleasant
appearance gave me entire satisfaction as regards your definitive worth Many
thanks, Miss Kate, for your favorable oppinion of me
I am very sorry that it is not a matter you asked if I was in
the fight near Richmond, I was not. I had not been relieved from duty in
Westemoreland, I returned to camp on the 9th of this
month. have not been very quiet since I
got here as the enemy kept us moving untill two days ago at which time we settled affairs all
is quiet now. Our losses were very slight. Well Miss Kate fearing I may bore you
with my uninteresting letter I guess I
had better close. My kindest regards to your fair family, please let me hear
from you ever sooner. your letters are most welcome messengers, with my warmest
wishes for your wellfare & happiness | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 2 | Author: | Brand, William F. | Add | | | Title: | William F. Brand to Amanda C. Armentrout, March 24, 1864 | | | | Published: | 2002 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Civil War Collection | UVA-LIB-ValleyOfTheShadow | | | | Description: | I recieved your letter on the 21st was truly glad to
hear from you I had almost given up all hope of ever hearing from you again, but
it seemed that I was blest at the eleventh hour by
receiving a long & affectionate letter, Peace seemed a stranger to my
mind I went to preaching regular & often found my mind wandering on
things that didnt interest my soul. Salvation tonight
I am on gard and as I can not sleep I have concluded to
spend my lonly hours in writing to my best of friends.
My health is very good, I have no reason to complain of any thing. I am only in all things to say Lord thy will be
done not mine. Thare is no news astir in camp that would interrest. Evry thing is quiet along the
Rapidan. Our Brigade has to go on Picket Monday morning I hope we may have a
plesant time We had quite a heavy snow storm
hear last tuesday
& tueasday night It was from ten to twelve
inches deep the boys had a gay time snow balling; our Brigade bantered Roades
devision
thay come out and drove us back to our quarters we had
no General to command us in the first Battle they had two. Walker seeing us
drove back came out & rallied the old brigade and drove our opponants to thare quarters
capturing one of thare Gen I suppose thare was two thousand engaged on either side. Thare was none killed on either side but a great many bloodly nooses. Dear Kate wish I was by your side to
night I am sure I could talk much easier than write I do not feel my self
capable of answering your letter but look over my many short comings & I
will try Dear Kate you spoke of kneeling at my feet to implore mercy I pray thee
never kneel to no man, but rather to thy creator in hoom
is our only help, he can change the hearts of those that hate us; to love
& repect us; Dear Kate can you imagine my
hapiness when I came to the words "Willie I
love thee; & my love has been tryed; ah
methinks I can hear those words comming up from thy
noble but storm tossed heart; and they make me feel like a strong man. Then
again Oh God is it not sinfull, you entreat me to
forget, who, my first, my only, and I hope my last lover. Dear Kate is this not
crual; one that loves me one that I love, to advise
me to forsake her, what have I done to bring this judgement upon me have I committed some foul deed that will leave a stain up on my character or am I not
good enoughf for thee I can not bring my self for a
moment to think that you would advise me thus on account of my need of worldly
goods; oh I know you know to well on this last, that God is the giver of all
such gifts you said you cared not for your own hapiness but that you would be hapy in seeing
your friends hapy Dear Kate let me pray the never speake thus again I for
one of thy loving hands will never seace striving untill it may please the almighty to plase me in a condition to make you hapy
Then & not till then shall I be berfectly
hapy, then if you refuse me I can live my days as I am;
when I learn to quit using tobacco I will do it for your sake you asked me
whether I went to see your cous, Lizzie I did not I wanted to see her but could
not I was in trouble I had left a face that I loved with out seeing it &
no other face seemed familiar. Dear Kate let us forget the past & try
& live as two loving friends for awhile; then if it may please our
master may I hope we may be drawn closer friends | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 3 | Author: | Brand, William F. | Add | | | Title: | William F. Brand to Amanda C. Armentrout, January 9, 1866 | | | | Published: | 2002 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Civil War Collection | UVA-LIB-ValleyOfTheShadow | | | | Description: | I recieved your letter yesterday. after reading
& rereading it my feelings ware tinged with a
degree of sadness now I have taken your letter before me, for the purpose of
trying to answer its details something I never tried before & believe it
imposible now. While I gaze on you epistle my
mind wanders & I cannot senter it on no one
subject. Now believe me I am going to try to write what my heart shall dictate.
You are well aware I once loved you devotedly yes passionately up to the time of
our first enstrangement
Since then I have never have seaced to love you. But I cannot confine it to the
burning love I once enjoyed. Can I help it that I changed, I withdrew my
affections at a time when I thought all was lost that was dear to me. Oftimes
since then I have tried to be the same loving Willie I once was, but it seems
that I have failed Now dont
belive that you are forgotten for no other woman has
ever tuched a tender cord within my breast. You are
in my mind from morning till eve, yes my only desire to live is to perpetuate
your hapiness, give your hand to annother & I will leave this country wich will be a proof of
my feelings for you I am so carless my bright visions of the future may soon fade
your mind must have been pushed to an unusual degree of temperment when you wrote I dont
belive I could commit to memory all the charges you
prefered, I will not attempt to excuse my self
of any for very probaly I am gilty of all I spent a Mery Christmas
& a plesent New Year, Evry girl that fell to my lot to entertain was flatered to a limited extent So you may term me a cold carless
flaterer & of the world worldly my early
landmarks have all nearly been erased, what do I live for. My heart says thee
while my actions do not prove it you may doubt this writing put it is the truth
What more shall I say shall I fill this
page with loving ephithets or with the sad realities of my changed nature. You
once knew me as a devout flolower of our meek
& generous Savoir. But alas for a long time I had only a name to live
while dead. This may be the sadest letter you ever
recieved from me I never intend to hide any of
my faults from you. I know not what kind of a reply this may bring be what it
may I hope it may have its desired effect. Alas you will say Willie will soon be
a ruined youth it may be so, but I hope to the contrary I am certain the
intoxicating cup shall never drag me down in its ruinous path of misery. Since I left Augusta The grate I am has called for some of her fairest duels. It
seems that the fairest flowers are always smitten first. I recieved a letter some time ago from my darling sister oh how I long
for her emprace. Brother C was up to see me last
night got here late yesterday eavning &
started early this morn. He is looking quite well, dont
seem to take it very hard about loosing Bette, mans hard heart is hard to brake Dear Kate I pick up your letter and look at it.
Then say I cannot answer it, do not know how to commence so I will wait hoping I
may soon see you, when I can answer it more satisfactorily than by writing I expect to
make my apperance in old Aug
Sadurday week will call on you unless sooner
prohibited Do not let this uninteligible
letter give you any truble. If your hand is given to
another before I get down I hope you will let me have the plasure of thaking it once more Bro C told
me that J.V. & J.H. was at a party at your house some time ago very good
joke on them | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 4 | Author: | Brand, William F. | Add | | | Title: | William Brand to Kate Armentrout, August 10, 1861 | | | | Published: | 2002 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Civil War Collection | UVA-LIB-ValleyOfTheShadow | | | | Description: | I recieved your kind and affectionate letter by Mr
Britton I was happy indeed to hear from you and to hear you ware well with all the rest of your brothers and sisters. My health
is very good and hope when theese
uninterresting lines come to hand you may be
enjoying the same with all the pleasure this poor world can afford. I have the
blues this morning and you must not exspect as long a
letter as usual. Brother John & Tom Graham got to disputing about a very
trifling matter. John was left out of his mess to get breakfast, and it not
being ready when we came of
ove drill Graham commenced cursing John when he had been
swearing as John thought long enought he told him to
stop. Graham yanked up a stik and let him have it over
the face, at that moment the Capt
intofeared & sent Graham to the Guard
house. Capt told John when ever he got a chance to
give him a good whipping I am sorry the fus
occured but it can not be helped know. The Staunton band has came down to blay for the regament. We ware marched
ut yesterday morning to be reviewed by the prince
Napolion. Thare was
tow brigades making ten or twelve regaments all drawed up in
line of Battle it was a magnifisent view. The
Prince just passed along the road. I should have liked to have seen him; Cousin
Joseph R Brand was over the other day. I think he wares
the same old face he use to ware
he seems to be a very kind & tender hearted young man he seems to be
acquainted with young men all over the State his school mates at Colligge. We took dinner with one
of his former Teachers he had a very nice diner such
as Chicken pork and good light bread & blackbury
gam
wich we used instead of putter. I renewed Jo's acquaintance with J.P.L. Jo. said he did'nt know any in our Co.
put your Brother, Charles & my self, he said he
never would have none me if I had'ent
laughted when I seen him. Jo.
was at fairfax Court house when the Yankees came on them & they had to
retreat back to Bulls run. Another of our old school mates was to see us, Wm. Weeb. You would not know him for he has such a
large beard & mustache, he belongs to the Montosella Guards, has a very nice uniform. Weeb & Cousin
Jo. both belong to brigadeer General
Cox'es brigade. I have seen both my oncles since the Grate Battle of bulls run.
I shall know give you a short account of the Battle. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 5 | Author: | Brand, William F. | Add | | | Title: | William Brand to Kate Armentrout, August 15, 1862 | | | | Published: | 2002 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Civil War Collection | UVA-LIB-ValleyOfTheShadow | | | | Description: | I recieved your much wellcomed letter last week & was glad to hear from you. My
health is very good at present & hope theese
fiew lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. We
have had annother very hard battle on the ninth of
this month. I suppose you have hurd the perticulars before this. Brother John was slightly
wounded in the early part of the engagement. Charles was hurt in the hand with
his ramrod while loading his gun thay
ware both sent to the hospital at Sharlottesvill our loss was estimated at six hundred
killed & wounded. The enimies at three
thousand. Our Brigade recieved a grate deal of praise for its bravry on
the battle field. It sertainly did act nobly your
Brother was not very well and was excused by the Sergeon & stayed back with the waggons, he did not have the good luck of being in the fight he has got
right well again & I hope his health may continue to be good for we all
miss him when he is sick or absent. We captured four or five hundred prisoners
& two pieces of canon. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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