[Henry Bryant to Davis Bryant] 

                                                                                                Rose Cottage Sept 20, 1862

Dear brother

                I intended to write to you the last time Mother wrote but Georgie & I had to make a little house to put our corn & fodder in, so I thought I would put off writing until this week.  I have just returned from driving Mother and Tivie over to Mrs Stephens', they had to go over in the cart as the buggy has not come back from Mr Bright's, it was sent there to be mended three months ago.  When Col was up here I went deer hunting with him once, the dogs started one a little above the Mill dam but we did'nt get a shot at it, as we went up around the head of the branch towards Browards lake, the dogs would run through and come out on the other side, but just as we got to the end of the scrub we saw two deer jump and run towards the place the dogs ran in, Col jumped off his horse & ran back and just as he got around to see where the other one was, he saw something shake its ears but thought it was Clara and would not shoot it, it was a yearling deer and began to run along in the edge of the bushes, he shot where it would have come in one more jump, but it stopped just as he shot so he shot in front of it, after he shot, it came out within twenty steps of him & stopped and looked at him, he called to me to come there as quick as I could, & I thought the deer had gone on so I galloped around to him as quick as I could, and when the deer heard me coming it ran back in the scrub, I gave him my gun & rode around to the other side of the scrub & then came through but could not start it again, while we were after the yearling the dogs ran on after the doe, when we were ready to follow them we could not hear them barking at all, they ran her into a little bay on the branch, we went there & blew the horn but they would not come; Col says he is sure they caught it because he wounded her badly, the dogs did not come home until some time after we did.

                There was a hog that went into Mr Stephens' field every night, but the musketoes were so thick he only sat up one night, he thought it was one of Tivies hogs, so Georgie, Tom, Mose & myself went over a week a‑go last Thursday night to try & catch it, but the boys went to sleep and when I heard the hog coming I could not get them awake quick enough to hold the dogs, and when the hog began to throw down the fence the dogs barked before it got in the field.  The next night Tom & I went, but the hog came in at a different place & dodged us, we went over to the Still & caught the hog we thought it was, & brought her home, Mr S. has not been troubled since.

                Last Tuesday afternoon, while Georgie and I were saying our lessons, Sarah called me & said she saw some turkeys in the field up towards the old house, I took my gun & went out by the cotton house & then through the field towards the river, as I was going  I saw the turkeys run towards the fence so I hurried on & got over the fence & walked along on the outside, I had not gone far before I saw them just inside within twenty yards of me, but they saw me & ran back down the fence a little ways & began to fly up on the fence, I crept along the fence until I thought I was within gun shot then I raised up, there were four up on the fence, I shot at the nearest one but when I went there I found two.  So the first time I ever killed a turkey I killed two at one shot.  I think it was pretty good luck. I have not seen the screw to Zoar rifle since you left I think you had it in that little tin box you kept the balls in.

                As I have no more room to write I will close.

                                                                                                Your aff brother

                                                                                                Henry

 

September 20, 1862. Mother Rosa & I went to spend the day with Tina. It rained so that we had to stay for all night.

 

[Rebecca] September 20, 1862. Threatening rain but according to promise Tivie & I ride over to pass the day with Mrs Stephens. After dinner a rain sets in which increases towards night and prevents our return – Mrs S- makes ground-nut-candy and entertains us very hospitably –