September 10, 1861. In the morning Mrs. Maxey Mother & I went to the Ladies association and to see Mrs. Drew. In the afternoon Mother & I went to Mary Flemings, Tina had gone to Mrs. L’Engle’s. Chauncy Hatch took dinner & tea with us. After tea Mr. Denny & Davis played on the flute & Chauncy on the guitar.
[Winston Stephens to Octavia Stephens]
Rose Cottage Sept 10, 1861
My Dear Wife
I was glad to receive your very nice & affectionate letter on Monday & was delighted to hear you all were well. I had not felt very uneasy but as there is so much sickness I thought perhaps you or Rosa might come in for a share.
I did not expect you on Monday & was not disappointed, but should have been agreeably surprised if you had come as you are missed no little I can assure you & I shall bee thankful when next Monday arrives.
Clark was not so fortunate as he had written to Tina to come & was expecting her & offered to bet she would come. I told him I felt confident she would not come until you returned. I have been in the Swamp all the morning getting out some Cypress blocks for the mill & this PM I have got out a light wood shaft & after that I have taken up the pen to write you as I have to go out to Mr Tyners in the morning to see if I cant get a beef, Clark is to go with me. We want to get one between us and drive it up & kill it. I shall pickle my half if we get it. Our fish give out last week and we have been on pickle pork ever since I shall leave room for a P.S. when I return tomorrow.
We are all well to day & the most of us have been well since you left, but on last Thursday morning Sarah was announced on the sick list & was sick until Monday. Jane had to cook & on Friday she washed & all the back sets together has put me behind some, the cotton opens fast. to day before dinner Jane got 60 Tom 60 Moses 45 Joe 40 & Jane 24 [lbs.] which will show you how the cotton stands, but if we have no more sickness we can get over this week. I had nothing done in the ditch last week & think the cotton pickers will not do any more in it but Burrel will have to finish it.
Mr. Simmons has not come yet but I saw him on Saturday & he told me he should com Thursday & stay until Saturday evening. You have surely forgotten My Dear when say you feel so glad that I do not belong to a Company. dont you remember I signed Genl Hopkins list some time ago? Well, that same Company was organized on Saturday & 45 men were present & elected their Officers. Genl. Hopkins Capt., Myself 1st Lieutenant, Capt Gray of Palatka 2nd Lt, and Mr Peter Peterman of Palatka 3rd Lt. I could have ben elected Capt if I had allowed my name in opposition to Genl Hopkins but I thought the Genl entitled to it & would not suffer the men to use my name. I had an opponet for 1st Lt a Mr Braddock he got 12 votes & I got 33 which is a nice majority. You remember this Company is for home service & is not to be sent to any part of the State but on the coast near our homes, say from Indian River to St Augustine, unless some point near by is invaded when we offer to go & help drive back the invader & then return to our usual range. Now My Dear I dont intend to Join any other kind of a company but I do think it is the duty of every man to help drive back the invader when they come so near as is contemplated in the organization of the Company. Clark was sick & did not participate at all & Mr Smith had three chills that day but voted before he went to the house, poor fellow he has a hard time of it.
It is after 5 oclock & Sarah has just come in from the cotton field & is going to get some grub, that’s proper is it not? As we have ticle tea or sas-fae. I hope you will get Mother to show you how she makes good coffee out of corn as I never saw any. I am glad you like it hope youl not complain when you get home. The first chicks are doing well, the last hen only hatched 2 & they are growing fast. I get about an average of one egg a day. Ben & Lewis had a letter from Banah & she sayed Ma had improved & the baby had no more fever Jess & Mary were well. My dear you wanted me to say about staying on the Darlington. I do want you to stay on it as Mr. Gabriel Priest left Palatka on Saturday & he told me he was confident Myzells oldest son had Measels & I don’t want you to run any risk. I will see Capt Brock & tell him about it. It will make it lonely & quite confining but its best. I would come down & bee with you but there is no boat to come in, so don’t look for m. You & Tina can pass off the time some way pleasantly. I guess Il stop now and add a P.S. tomorrow after I return. Do tell me what you call the machine as you say Henry is playing on it. And you ask me if I dont feel proud of Rosa. I say not more so than before you left as I am not disappointed, I tell you she is the greatest baby in the Southern Confederacy & she has got the greatest Mother in the same scope. Give much love to all & bring Mother if you can. Good evening My Dear Kiss Rosa for me & as many more females as you please but no males if you please. Winston
P.S. Wednesday 11th. I am well & have returned from Mr. Tyners & he came in with us I suppose we will get the beef. You will see by this that I have not run off with Mrs. Sams & Mrs. G has her Mother here & I have no showing. I want you to pay Willie for that paper & Caps. You know Mother had something on dollars for that purpose but I don’t know if it was enough lots of love to all, be sure to come.
Your aff husband always, Winston
P.S. No2
Clark told me he had written to Tina that he would perhaps meet her in Palatka and come up from there in a small boat but My Dear it is so hot & the load would be so heavy I think I will not come & I guess you will amuse yourselves in some way to pass off the day. I cant do without you any longer & so come & bring Rosa & Mother if she will come. Gardner carried off a negroe to sell & Davis had as will make him pay for 6 months as it will be due the last of this month. Winston
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