May 12, 1862.  Between 2 & 3 o'clk P.M. Mr Wm Priest came for a gun of Winston's & said the Gunboats were coming up & Winston wanted us to leave home so we prepared for camping out & took to the woods but returned soon after sundown as we heard no guns firing.  When we got home, found one of Mrs Hopkins negroes here with letters from Father to Mother & me.  The boats got aground & turned back, one was too large to come up.

[Rebecca]  May 12, 1862.  We are expecting the gunboat up all the morng. About 3 o’clk P.M. Winston sends to let us know they are coming and we had better go from home. We stay in the woods until sunset! On our return we find a negro here from Buffalo Bluff with letters for me and Tivie.  They were written on the gun-boat while they were aground - and my dear husband has been expecting to see us all but was obliged to return ungratified - And so near us!

[James W. Bryant to Octavia Stephens]      

                                                                                                May 12, 1862

My Dear Tivie

                Having scrawled off a Note to your Mother, and the Boat yet being aground, I will write a little to you, and say how sorry I am not to see you and little Rosa.  It will not be long however before I shall return and then I can be more Certain as I will come up in a smaller Gun boat.  Whenever a Gun boat comes up, by going to the landing with a white flag, or sending off a boat with a white flag, or putting up a white flag anywhere, there can be communication had with the Vessel, or You Will be safe from any injury, unless the Boat is fired upon, in which case no house where a secessionist lives will be spared.  The horrible system which some persons propose of shooting individuals either as sentinels, or upon Boats as steaming, must be put down, or it will induce a retaliation of the most bitter vengeance, and the retaliation will be tenfold.  The house of Every person in arms against the Government will be destroyed, and his property of Every kind taken.  Open Warfare is Expected, but the Government do not intend or wish to Prosecute a war upon individuals, nor destroy property of any private Persons who conduct themselves properly in their Positions.

                The Captain has just Come in and says he shall not attempt to go up any further!  It makes me very sad.  My Expectation was to have been with you all within a Couple of hours, and now I must go off for Probably a month.

                Your Mother can send open letter, address it the outer envelope to the Commanding officer at Jacksonville, for me, and he will forward it to Fernandina.

                I believe we are getting off, so I must send this ashore at once. 

                God bless you my dear daughter, Kisses for Rosa and all of you.  Yours Ever affectionably

                                                                                                J. W. Bryant

                Mr. Burritt is at the North – Mrs. Burritt is well – Mrs. Gower is quite sick in consequence of a Miscarriage – I did not see any lady in Jacksonville – Mrs. Douglas is at J! The Reeds at the farm.

                A longer delay permits a P.S.  In regard to myself I can only say that I am Engaged in East Florida, and I have no doubt but this District will soon be Engaged in its industrial Pursuits, with the ports of Fernandina, Jacksonville and St. Augustine open to commerce; the blockade will be withdrawn so soon as a Civil Goverment is Established, and that will be soon.

                It gives me great pain to find Winston, Willie and Davis, all engaged in opposition to me, but I hope there will be a speedy End to this terrible war, when we can be again united.