March 9, 1862. In the afternoon Henry & Geo went to town to carry a letter to be sent to Winston & just missed a boat. Willie Stephens came over and brought a letter from Davis & dressing case of his. We heard that Jacksonville was given to the Enemy.
[Rebecca] March 9, 1862. Received a letter from Davis, with his trunk desk &c – Nearly all families leaving Jacksonville. Militia expected immediately – The enemy expected at the bar. Willie in good spirits.
[Octavia Stephens to Winston Stephens]
March 9, 1862
My dear Husband
I was very glad to receive your letter on Friday by Sergt Shedd. I did not see him, as the boys & I had gone to Clarke’s to inquire about you, he left the letter with Mother. I was glad to hear that you had gone to Ocala, & wish you could stay there until the enemy leaves these parts. Although I want very much to see you. My dear do be careful, dont think you must fight them anyhow, for you have so few men, what could you do against four or five thousand. I hear there are five thousand but suppose all those will not come up the river, too many though for you to manage. I think the fight near Baldwin was only a rumor, for I think the boat that carried you that news brought a letter from Davis which said they had possession of Fernandina, but we must not listen to any reports about their being at the mouth of the river &c & there was no chance of their having to leave Jacksonville for some days at least, he had only ten minutes to write but wrote considerable.
We are prepared for the "Yankees" or rather prepared to see them, which I hope we will not do, I shall try to be brave but guess I'll be tolerably "skeered", for I tremble just talking of their coming, night before last I woke up shaking dreadfully I suppose from dreaming of them. The negroes seem troubled about their coming, declare they'll take to the hammock. I suppose you received the letter I sent a week ago, if not the trunk for you spoke to Mr Dean about something contained in that letter about the negroes, & I am sorry you did, it would have been better to have keft it at home, for it will be made much more of than it really was, and now all is straight.
Clarks family are all well, but Clark has the blues dreadfully so that he looks as though he had been sick, and yesterday 100 pannels of his fence was burned, and I suppose everything killed by the frost, for everything of ours was, we had ice yesterday and the day before. I suppose you received the few words sent by Mr Wall. I will not write much, for I doubt very much that you will get this, as some of the boats (the Sumpter for one) are up the Ochlawaha, two passed Friday night carrying cotton.
Mother sends love & says we will keep a “stiff upper lip” until they come (the enemy) & then do our best. All is going on as fast as possible, but we are now where we were when we first began, as everything is killed, there is one piece of corn not yet up, if that is not killed in the ground, I went yesterday out to the new ground back of us, and you have no idea how thick the trees are on the ground. The melons were just ready to run when killed. my vegetables at the house though covered were killed. Perhaps Josy would like to know that Henry (his brother) is still in Welaka, or was on Friday, not knowing where to meet his company or what to do about the negroes. Gardner has made his leave, he & Miss Allen were to leave last Friday but suppose did not as the weather was very unfavorable. I limited myself to half a sheet, so as not to loose much paper if you did not get it. I shall send this to Sergt Shedd to send if her gets a chance. I have not yet received your letter sent by the boat. I shall expect you certainly on Wednesday, if you do not come before, but if you hear the enemy are coming dont come unless obliged to. I have many more fears for you than myself. Rosa is well and asleep. Goodbye, God protect my dear husband is the constant prayer of your
Wife
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