Jan 4^th 1862. In the morning the boys & I set out some peach trees. In the afternoon Mother & I took a ride, came by Tina’s & stopped a little while.

[Rebecca] Jan 4^th 1862. A drizzling rain Tivie planted peach trees in the morng. After dinner Tivie, Rosa & I took a ride in the buggy.

 [Winston Stephens to Octavia Stephens]

                                                                                                Fernandina Jan 4, 1862

My Dear Wife

                I received your long & very interesting letter this morning & was glad to hear you & all the family were well.  I have an opportunity of sending this by Steamer St Marys & you can get it with the one sent by the Cars yesterday.  We had news by Telegraph that a fight commenced near Charleston on Yesterday & the Yankees were driven back, but had gotten reinforcements & had commenced the fight over.  We are looking constantly for news but as yet nothing has arrived ‑ Also we have news of the fight at Pensacola & hear we losed one man by the bursting of one of our own shell ‑ but dont know the damage done on their side.

                When I wrote you my first lesson, which it appears you have not received, I mentioned that Capt Mosely's negroes had threated to set themselves free on the 20th of this month if Lincoln did not do it for them.  I asked you to name it to Clark that he might have patrole & prepare against such an event.  Tell Henry to keep the guns in order & keep them out of the way of the negroes & ready to use in the event they should try to do such a thing ‑ dont talk of it where they can possibley get hold of it ‑ I do not think my negroes would Join in such a thing but Gardners might.

                I rec'd a letter from Willie with yours giving a description of some part of his visit &c.  I wish I could have been there as his time perhaps would have been spent more to his satisfaction, partly in the woods and ducking.  I cant tell how long we will be here but Capt H thinks we will return to our horses in the first of February ‑ if so I will see you then if not before ‑ If it was not for the boys that came in on my account & the horses I am responsable for I would resign My Commission & come home ‑ but my Dear I was the cause of several men coming in the service & it would not be treating them right to leave them, by remaining I am not afraid of losing any thing in the horse business.  I have purchased a barrel of syrup & it will be landed at the wharf by the first barge down the river.  My wife I have & do appreciate your worth & have ever done so & you may rest assured this will have me the same as ever & hope we may ever be to each other as we have been.  You say you cant see how I am to come out of debt this year.  This I can say, If I am spared my life & my family I shal feel thankful & be satisfied.  If I am left any poorer than now I hope my Wife will not love me the less & with health & your love I can support you & my dear Rosa any where ‑ This difficulty if it lasts will be the means of the sacrifice of much property & I may be one of the sufferers, if so we must learn to bear it.  I can bear any thing, but it will be hard to see you any worse off than you are ‑ We must hope & trust for the better times.  You cant say more of Rosa than I like to hear & you must give me in each of your letters the particulars of our home & those so dear to me!  You can bed the potatoes now but put them deep & the first of next month have some of the dirt taken off.  We had Dr Verdier to dine with us yesterday & a young Dr Andrews who was in the battle of Manassas.  Dr. V was in the Port Royal engagement & they gave us many interesting incidents of the two engagements – Mr Burges is here also -The Mr Haliday I spoke of in my last is the man that raised Tina.

                Keep the shirts ‑ love to all & many kisses to you & Rosa.  I wish so much I could give them.

                                                                                                Your ever affectionate husband

PS I wish old simmons had to dig in that branch for the next year then he would know what work is worth I cant tell yet what to do about the cotton but keep it locked up til you have other instructions from me. I will not gin it this spring unless I can sell it – Mr Greely returned from Palatka this morning or last night & sayed the horses were doing well and he brought a box full of good figs.

                                                                                                Your Cross old Man

PS 2^nd make burrel move the cypress sticks that were got out for the mill & left in the swamp & put them out of the weather. get Clarks advise about any thing you may not understand.

Jan 5, 1862.  Rain.  In the afternoon had the negroes all up in the house and Mother read a chapter in the Bible & had some singing.

[Rebecca] Jan 5^th 1862. A heavy rain about noon. Reading all day. Held a short service with the negroes in P.M.