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WCU - Civil War in Southern Appalachia

Kezia Stradley Osborne to Roland C. Osborne, April 22, 1862

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Kezia Stradley Osborne to Roland C. Osborne, April 22, 1862

HL_SM10_02_08_01
Item 2 - Kezia Stradley Osborne to Roland C. Osborne, April 22, 1862
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Kezia Stradley Osborne to Roland C. Osborne, April 22, 1862

HL_SM10_02_08_02
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Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • In this letter of April 22, 1862, Kezia Stradley Osborne mourns the loss of her brother in active service, reports on the health of their son, and agonizes about being separated from her husband, recipient Roland C. Osborne.
  • April 22, 1862 Pigeon River NC April 22d 1862 My Dear Husband As I promised you that I would write once a week I will try to do so though I have no news at all to communicate excepting little family matters perhaps that will be better than none at all. The River is up now and has been for a week so that we have not had any papers or letters. It is so provoking when we are so anxious to hear. I think we ought to build a bridge across Pigeon but so it is. We have heard rumors of a fight near you and we are very anxious to know all about it. I feel so bad when your letters fail to come. It gives me the blues in spite of all I can do to prevent it. Time [?] and I have been talking today about what a nice thing it would be to give Mr. Lenore’s [?] company a diner when they return. Right when they had a diner before they started, when I think of the time for you all return I can hardly sit still and wait. Then it makes me feel bad to think how many brave fellows have been sent home in advance who have been utterly unconscious that they were among their native mountains again. I have had experience enough to make me feel sad, even when I think of returning Soldiers I allude to my poor Brother . His company, the Rough and Ready guards will soon be home, and I hear of many who are preparing to welcome them home. Some girls are ___ing to be married then, and are anticipating a great deal of pleasure. But Eby [Ely?] has long since been at Home. We will not have the joy of clasping his hand Welcoming him back. No, no sweetly he sleeps. Then rest on my Brave brother until the Resurrection morn I do not know whether my last letter has reached you or not. If it has you are anxious to know how Rufus is by this time. I am happy to tell you that he is mending. He has dreadful sore eyes. It makes me think of what you said of yourself. When he first wakes in the morning, he can’t see one bit till I bathe his eyes. I saw Miss Sallie Cathey the other day. She says the baby looks more like you than ever. Since you was ___ened. I begrudge Sallie that little chat [?] she had with you. I little thought when you went off that you would have to stay all the time without coming back to see me, and your little boy Well I hope and pray that the time is not very far off when you will be at home for though I can’t walk with you like I used to do yet we can have many a pleasant long talk. I never saw vegetation so forward as it is now at this season of the year. It is pretty cold now and very wet. Farmers are very much behind hand it would do your very soul good to ride up Pigeon valley now and see how pretty and green the meadows and wheat fields look. It is said that there never was a finer prophet for wheat than there is now in the western counties. We hear that the Militia is all called out of Burnsville to fight the Tories in Madison. I hope they will not have to stay long. If they do I don’t know what will be done for some one to make bread there. You see I am nearly [?] done you must excuse such a foolish letter from me this time. I want to quit writing to you and talk awhile don’t you want to chat with your loving wife Osborne Civil War letters Annotated versions prepared by George Frizzell
Object
?

Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).

  • In this letter of April 22, 1862, Kezia Stradley Osborne mourns the loss of her brother in active service, reports on the health of their son, and agonizes about being separated from her husband, recipient Roland C. Osborne.
  • April 22, 1862 Pigeon River NC April 22d 1862 My Dear Husband As I promised you that I would write once a week I will try to do so though I have no news at all to communicate excepting little family matters perhaps that will be better than none at all. The River is up now and has been for a week so that we have not had any papers or letters. It is so provoking when we are so anxious to hear. I think we ought to build a bridge across Pigeon but so it is. We have heard rumors of a fight near you and we are very anxious to know all about it. I feel so bad when your letters fail to come. It gives me the blues in spite of all I can do to prevent it. Time [?] and I have been talking today about what a nice thing it would be to give Mr. Lenore’s [?] company a diner when they return. Right when they had a diner before they started, when I think of the time for you all return I can hardly sit still and wait. Then it makes me feel bad to think how many brave fellows have been sent home in advance who have been utterly unconscious that they were among their native mountains again. I have had experience enough to make me feel sad, even when I think of returning Soldiers I allude to my poor Brother . His company, the Rough and Ready guards will soon be home, and I hear of many who are preparing to welcome them home. Some girls are ___ing to be married then, and are anticipating a great deal of pleasure. But Eby [Ely?] has long since been at Home. We will not have the joy of clasping his hand Welcoming him back. No, no sweetly he sleeps. Then rest on my Brave brother until the Resurrection morn I do not know whether my last letter has reached you or not. If it has you are anxious to know how Rufus is by this time. I am happy to tell you that he is mending. He has dreadful sore eyes. It makes me think of what you said of yourself. When he first wakes in the morning, he can’t see one bit till I bathe his eyes. I saw Miss Sallie Cathey the other day. She says the baby looks more like you than ever. Since you was ___ened. I begrudge Sallie that little chat [?] she had with you. I little thought when you went off that you would have to stay all the time without coming back to see me, and your little boy Well I hope and pray that the time is not very far off when you will be at home for though I can’t walk with you like I used to do yet we can have many a pleasant long talk. I never saw vegetation so forward as it is now at this season of the year. It is pretty cold now and very wet. Farmers are very much behind hand it would do your very soul good to ride up Pigeon valley now and see how pretty and green the meadows and wheat fields look. It is said that there never was a finer prophet for wheat than there is now in the western counties. We hear that the Militia is all called out of Burnsville to fight the Tories in Madison. I hope they will not have to stay long. If they do I don’t know what will be done for some one to make bread there. You see I am nearly [?] done you must excuse such a foolish letter from me this time. I want to quit writing to you and talk awhile don’t you want to chat with your loving wife Osborne Civil War letters Annotated versions prepared by George Frizzell

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Civil War in Southern Appalachia

The Civil War, fought between the Union and the Confederate States of America, occurred from 1861 to 1865. This collection of items related to that conflict includes correspondence that dates to th...

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