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Camp Winder April 5, 1863
My dear Nannie,
This is Easter Sunday the boys say and if a hard snow storm is any proof then it surely is Easter. The wind has been blowing a perfect gale here for several days and last evening about dark it began to snow and continued snowing and blowing hard all night and now at ten A.M. it has stopped snowing but the wind continues very high. Our Reg. is on picket duty at the river and had a very hard time of it last night.
Your letter of the twenty-seventh .... was received early last week. I would have answered sooner but had written the day before, which trust has reached you ere this. Henry Billings got to camp several days since, but did not give me much news. I suppose there was none afloat. The fishhook arrived safe and is just the size. I made a nice line and had everything in readiness to go fishing yesterday but the day was too cold and windy. I hope to have a chance to use it. I sent down the river for a pair of Shad And Oh! what pleasure then would be to share them with my Dear little family but so long as the pleasure is denied us we must make the best of it. I trust it will not always be so. I hope all will soon be able to enjoy life and the companionship of loved one by their own fireside these cold days - but matters look gloomy enough I admit - although I am not without hope - our affairs inside the Confederacy look worse than around the edges.
You probably have not heard of the Women Riot in Richmond last Thursday and will only hear of it by flying reports. The papers will not publish anything. I have it from Col. Bushwell of Pa ... who was in Richmond and saw as much of it as one man could and came to Camp next day. Gov. Letcher could have could have prevented any serious disturbance but he was too light for the emergency. About 800 women first went to him and demanded relief or asked him to do something to relieve them. He at once ordered them to disperse and accompanied the order with a threat that if they did not disperse at once he would have done it at the point of the bayonet. They did not disperse, however, but pitched into the provision stores and jew shops and all sorts of shops and not only took eatables and something to wear, but stole everything they could lay there hands on. One woman was seen carrying off a pair of Cavalry boots. The military was called out and threatened to fire on them but I think they were stopped by kindly appeals from some benevolent Gentlemen and by an assurance from all that their wants should be attended to. The Young Mens Christian Association is doing a good deal but as they have no system it is feared their charities do not reach the proper persons.
I have no doubt that there were some honest suffering women in the crowd -wives of Poor privates but I am inclined to think the majority of them were undeserving women (foreigners) whose husbands are not in the service but at home and instigated the riot - some of the ringleaders have since been arrested. - If they had confined themselves entirely to robbing the extortioners I would not care a farthing about it - There is a house in Richmond with over a thousand barrels of Flour which cost the owner 13 $ per barrel. The day before the riot he was offering 35 $ per barrel but would not sell. Such men as he are starving the wives and little ones of the brave men who are fighting to free our country from the tread of the foul invaders. I see no difference between the invaders and extortioners except the extortioner is far worse of the two and ought to be dealt with according to their deserts and if the men will not put him down, I glory in the spunk of women.
There has been a great Cry about impressment in paying market prices and my notion is if it is right to impress a man into service it is also right to impress the bread and meat to feed him and also his family if they are poor and most of them are. I have considered this is a righteous war on our side but I fear it is being conducted on very unrighteous principles. It is hard to do justice at all in this world. Our Generals aim to do what is best for the cause but there are some things done which I would not like to have to answer for in this world and in another world - although like the publican I do not thank God that I am not like other men for I am sure my own sins are greater than I can bear. I think it wrong to shoot a poor man for going home to see his starving family, especially when his rich neighbor can remain at home with impunity. A man of property can prove he is over forty years old. A poor man is brought to the army and if he is fortunate as to be placed under humane and gentlemanly Officers he will succeed after several weeks suspense in getting his discharge. If we ever have another war I want those who make it to do the fighting. Rub Fry has been brought back here and according to the law of Congress and order from the Secretary of War he ought to be sent to the Cavalry. And this is only one case in which a soldier does not get his rights.
I hope Nannie that you will be able to get away from Mount Jackson before the Yankees come up. I cannot bear the idea of your being shut in their lines again - and should you do so you will be almost certain to lose Mat. I know you are not prepared for that. I do not much think they will get up so far but much depends on our success here and the good use we make of it. We are sanguine of course and have no fear of the result - but I shall feel better when I know we have whipped them. A Yankee deserted yesterday and came to our lines with his carbine and he says the government are making great efforts to get men to enlist again but they all swear they are going home when their term of enlistment expires. There will be something done I suppose as soon as the weather changes and the roads become firm. I did not think of Robert's birthday. I was quite busy on that day.
We are doing much better in the way of meat. We got new bacon and most of it is quite sweet. My dried fruit helps me very much. We have been giving the men molasses of late. I had a taffy pulling a few nights since succeeded first rate. I could not help thinking of old times. I am looking a for another letter from dear Nannie and shall be disappointed if I do not get it in a day or two. Write soon. Love Robby and his ma.
From your Affectionate Husband
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