Dec. 24, 1861. Clark & his family spent the day with us, this is his 39^th birthday.

[Octavia Bryant to Winston Stephens]       

                                                                                                Christmas Eve 1861

My dear Husband

                Here I am seated here to write to you instead of sitting by you here and having a nice time, you dont know how much I do miss you and more since Willie & Davis have been here, and I think that I could not hear from you by letter this week but I had not set my heart on hearing from you, from what you had told me. Last Sunday night Mother & I sat up for the boat, & at eleven o'clock woke the little boys & Tom & sent them with the mules to the landing and about one o'clock they came.  Mother & I went out and met Davis & went in the house & I began pulling out of the fire some potatoes, when I looked up and saw a big soldier standing in the door, and "to be sure" it was Willie, and when he came I could not help looking for you, thinking that if good fortune had sent him she might have sent you, but no I suppose she thought we would then be too happy.  Davis is to go down to morrow and Willie will stay a week with us they have wished so often for you, the morning after they came Willie looked around and said he wanted to see something that looked like you & I showed him your old straw hat.  Clark and his family spent to day with us and we are to go there tomorrow.  Henry & George went home with them this eve we drank your health this morning in egg nogg.  Mother has just said give her love & say we wished for you to day.  we darkies had a Christmas frolic getting the pig out of the big pot it was cooked to pieces, but it was very nice to the taste.  Burrel killed six hogs on Thursday the whole weighed 294 lbs. the blue one weighed 68. since then the black one has got out several times, I put in  with him as I could not keep him even in a new large pen, but the black one fought him so that I did not keep him in there many hoursm, he now stays around with the sows, which stay about the yard most of the time, we have the trough under the kitchen window for slops. Burrel killed his two pigs on Saturday one weighed 68 lbs the other less.  There was not quite enough beef for rations on Saturday & I gave a piece of pork weighing a pound out, and wrote to Clark to know the rations, he said 3 lbs to a grown hand 2 1/2 to Tom & 2 to Mose or Joe, as you give Burrel & Jane 3 lbs & Sarah 6, until I hear from you, what shall I do with the beef brine.

                Well my darling I dislike sending you such a mean letter but I must close for it is getting late, and I think Rosa is going to wake, she has looked so cunning to day in her new dress & sack I made and a pair of new shoes Davis brought.  he also brought her a new dress, & me some rice & a broom.  Willie and Davis send their remembrances, & said I must give their oft repeated regrets about your not being here.  No letter came this week from any one.

                Good night, pleasant dreams & a warm bed to night & a merry Christmas tomorrow.

                                                                                                Lovingly

                                                                                                Your Wife

[Davis Bryant to Winston Stephens added to the above letter]

Dear Winston

                I write on board the “Silver Spring” between Palatka & Jack‑e on my return from Rose Cottage where I have passed two days very pleasantly, tho not as merrily as if you had been with us.  I suppose it would hardly be necessary for me to give you an account of the manner in which we passed the time while I was there as you will have heard all about it from Tivie when you reach this portion of the sheet.  It was very unfortunate for me that I was compelled to leave on Christmas day, and so early, as we had engaged to pass the day at Clarks and I had in prospect another Christmas dinner to say nothing of the other pleasures.  I found every thing looking well and comfortable which is saying a good deal at this time. Little Rosa looks as well as possible but was quite shy and distant until she [?] before I left when she ventured from her shell and was very entertaining, and I was particularly sorry that I could not remain longer to enjoy her acquaintance. I left Willie there for a week longer. Under almost any other circumstances I would have staid myself. We were disappointed on not hearing from you on Monday after your arrival at the, probably, seat of war, though I suppose we could forgotten to mention the fact as will day, there was no letter at Palaka for you – Palaka we visited your Camp and spent some time in conversation with the men, who seem to be well satisfied and happy, but think they would be more so if with the company nearer the foe. The horses generally looked well though some of them were complaining or rather ailing. I think of nothing else that will interest you and as writing under such circumstances – is rather disagreeable to me I’ll halt, hoping you may not deem these few lines unworthy of some attention as some leisure moment, and that I may hear good accounts from you soon

                                                                                                Very truly Yrs

                                                                                                Davis H. Bryant