September 26, 1862. The boys did not come to study as it was rainy.

 

[Rebecca] September 26, 1862. Cloudy and drisaling most of the day. Tivie & I sew steadily. The boys working on their corn-crib.

 

September 27, 1862. Wrote to Winston. The boys caught some fish in the morning & went to town in the afternoon. Rain.

 

[Rebecca] September 27, 1862. Another misty day. Write long letter to Sister Julia. Boys go to town mail letters and do errands after dinner – In the morning they catch some fine brim.

 

[Octavia Stephens to Winston Stephens] 

                                                                                                Sept 27, 1862

My dear husband

                A long long week has passed since I received your two letters by Mr Smith, oh it has been a long and dreary week, seems to me Monday will never come when I may expect to hear from you, though heaven only knows where and how you are, I am so anxious to hear from you. Last Monday morning I heard of the fight with five Gunboats & their defeat at the Battery with three men only killed on our side.  My hopes & spirits raised greatly, thinking the boats would not try it again very soon & if they did the Battery could stand it well, as I thought they would never send more than five boats, but Monday afternoon I heard that the boats were at the Bar waiting for larger ones to try it again, so that they might stand off a long ways & give your side shots which I fear will damage you greatly, & I know the high tides which we have now will help them much, I wish the Battery had never been erected.  I am glad though that you have to scout instead of remaining at the Battery for I suppose there is less danger. I went to town last Mon- hoping that I might get a few lines from you, as Mother thought you certainly would write at Baldwin or some place on the road if you did not get to Jacksonville in time. I would have given a great deal for even a few lines from you in the middle of this week, I am now trying to wear away the three more days until Monday hoping I may then certainly hear from you and that it may be good news. All of us are well now, Sarah is up again & her five risings dwindled down to two.  Burrel is at last well again after going with Henry to Palatka & having two teeth out, I am doing pretty well, but can not stand half as much as when I was with Rosa. I have a sore throat but no cold.  Clark is sick with cold and fever & Willie is sick.  Rachael seems to have a bad cold but I have not heard of any bad feelings.  I fear if this weather continues all will be sick, October was the month last year.

                And what do you think? Old Simmons has backed out of his trade, after publishing all around that he had traded with you, Clark went out to see him last Tuesday, & he said he had promised Braddock the refusal, & that his crop had turned out short. Burrel sent word to him to be ready to come here to go to work next Monday that I was to send the cart for his tools, but he says he cant come until a week from then.

                I hear that the dam is very badly washed by these last rains, I few you will have it all to do differently or have a smash up when it is finished if it ever is.

                Burrel has gone after that black sow again this morning as she got out & bothered Clark again.  Burrel & Tom caught a wild shoat out of that wild bunch the other evening.  They say it is brother to my little one, he is very poor now but Burrel has great hopes of him & talks strongly of having a mate for him.

                We heard last week that out forces had taken Washington & Baltimore but have heard no more since. I could not believe it, but hope it may be so.

                Mr Basford has not been yet to take our measures & Tina says if we wait for him to come we wont get them, so how shall we do?  Who do you want to have shoes, if you can not get any shoes for Rosa I shall have to try & make some of buck skinn & shall I get it from him, or how?  She will soon have to wear shoes most of the time, I have one pair of my stockings done, I began them the first day of this month, & have done a great deal besides, I have forgotten all you said would happen before I finished one pair.

                The boys have just returned with a nice string of fine large fish.  I wish you could dine with us, but I guess you get mullet down there, which I wish for often, we will have Kershaw for dinner too, I tried to save some of them until you come but they decay so fast we have to eat them, we will not be able to save a seed of them this year, & almost loose pumpkin seed, so if you should come across any you had better save them, we are at last enjoying green crowders they are very fine.  Are you not going to let us enjoy some potatoes before very long ‑ when the green peas are done?  How often may I give the negroes peas?  Every thing seems to go on very smoothly.  Pet looks miserably, but the colt & mules rolling fat, the mules tried to run away with the wagon the other day.  I can not keep the puppies fat, they and Pet seem determined to look like hard times.

                By the way, I forgot I will get my mail tomorrow night instead of waiting until Monday night, for Dean is to carry the mail Sunday instead of Mondys, so there is one day taken off of my anxious list. Now if I should be disappointed. I suppose there is no use to ask you when you expect to come home, for I guess you can not tell yet.  Mother sends a great deal of love, but not more than does

                                                                                                Your own

                                                                                                Tivie

 

September 28, 1862. Not a line from Winston by the mail. Rain.

 

[Rebecca] September 28, 1862. Showery – Read sermons of Dr Huntington with much interest – The mail comes but brings only on newpaper!