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Kezia Stradley Osborne to Roland C. Osborne, February 16, 1862

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  • In this letter of February 16, 1862, Kezia Stradley Osborne reports miscellaneous details of family and friends serving in the military to her husband Roland C. Osborne.
  • February 16, 1862 Beaverdam February 16th 1862 My Dear Husband The day for writing to you has again rolled around and it is a cold wintry day. I wish I could be in some little warm room in S.C. with you today; or rather that you could be by a good fire in N.C. with me and Rufus. Don’t you think we would know how to appreciate such a comfort to day. I guess we would not get lonesome. Well may be we will be so situated someday. But it seems a long time coming. I have been thinking since I wrote last week that I ought not to have spoke so positive [?] about not going to see you for I would go if you was sick or anything the matter with you at almost any risk. I hope I may never be called to your sick bed yet it may be the case and if it should be nothing that I could possibly overcome should hinder me from responding to that call. We had a right smart snow last night and it was so cold this morning that Father could not go to Asheville [Nashville ?] to preach to day so I will not get your letter to night. I hate that but I can’t help it. I will hope that you are well today and as usual writing me a long loving letter. If it was not for your letters I don’t know how I could pass off my time and then I love to write to you in return or you would not get such great big letters from me. I have not had a letter from Haywood for some time. I heard yesterday that your Father and Aunt Tisson was to be married next week. I don’t know whether to believe or not. I think they might have let me know something about it if true. However I am not very much concerned about it though I know I know you would hate to have a mother that you could not like. I will take that back. I know you will never have a mother again. No not one like the one you lost. Yet you have not lost her. She has only gone before you and she has shown you by her example the way to Heaven. I sometimes think that her pure spirit watches over your camp and that she is a ministering Angel to her soldier boy, for we read that Angels are sent forth to minister unto the Heirs of Salvation; and if that is so why may not those Angels who attend us be the spirits of our departed friends. It is a pleasant thought, and one that should influence us at all times, to live as we think our Angels friends would like to have us live, or rather God commands us to live. Are you tired of my preaching. We had company last night, two volunteers from Col Coleman’s Battalion. They are now in camp at Reems Creek Campground but are ordered to march to Tenn. next Tuesday. Their names is Kinsey and Kelly. I told the girls they had a beau apiece. They both knew you and said that Rufus was just like you. You may take that as a great complement for I tell you he is a good looking little fellow and so smart sometimes I fear that I will think too much of him but God intended us to love him through not supremely. I felt badly when I heard that your Reg was removed from N.C. but if you had have remained there I expect you would have seen harder times than you have done. We have heard that there has been a hard battle fought at Roanoke on our coast and that the Yankees took our entire force at that point prisoners. Gen Mark Erwin from Asheville is said be among the prisoners taken. It is said that our men fought two days and killed near a thousand Yankees and lost about three hundred themselves. I hope it is not so bad as it is now thought to be. We usually hear the worst first. I expect you get all such news before it reaches us here. Do you get the Tenn. Baptist now. I don’t wonder that you find it hard to be a Christian. If soldiers are all as mischievous as those two who have just left here, and I know you are placed among some who are a great deal worse. You told me once that you would not care if I knew your whole history since you have been in camp, except one thing that you mentioned. Now if you do hold out faithful among so many wicked men, won’t I be proud of my noble Husband and thankful to my Savior who I trust has washed [?] you in His own Blood, and who I trust will keep you in spite of all the temptations of your camp associates. Monday morning. It is raining very hard this morning; I have not got a letter as usual from you this week, but I will try to write as usual. I hate for you to be disappointed when you look for a letter from me. I guess a good many in your Reg get letters from Asheville. You know James Queen in Captain Gradey’s Company don’t you. Well he is writing to Uncle Sam Stradley’s daughter (not the one in Summey’s store) it is a sister of hers, and folks think they will marry when he comes back. Don’t you think that will be a bad speck for her. From what I can find out about him he won’t do to tie too at all. There is to be a big meeting at the Baptist Church in Asheville next week. I don’t guess that I will go to it you know it would not do for my boy to cry in town and I would not leave him to please any body. My boy is a particular somebody in my estimation. I have been trying for some time to get his likeness taken for you but keeps raining so I can’t go. I took him down to Mrs. Killian’s last week. The first time I have ever taken him out visiting. He looked at everything along the road and never pretended to cry. I think he took cold as he has not been so well since then. His teeth are still troubling him I don’t expect you would know his likeness if you was to see it, unless you was expecting it. He has grown so much since you left here. Tell me how you imagine he looks I have been asking him how he will like his new grandma I am afraid she is too stiff a Presbyterian. If it is so won’t they all ways have a fuss on hand. I had rather have a Baptist Mother would not you I wish I knew the straight of it. I think they ought to let me know or wait till you get back. I guess Aunt Mira will leave there double quick. It will most break her heart she has long expected to be Mistress of that House. It will be a sad disappointment for her. Poor old Lady. I think well of her but I can’t help being amused at her sometimes. I have filled up my paper with my foolishness. You must excuse me this time I had nothing else to write. May God bless my darling Husband in the prayer of your Wife Osborne Civil War letters Annotated versions prepared by George Frizzell
Object
  • In this letter of February 16, 1862, Kezia Stradley Osborne reports miscellaneous details of family and friends serving in the military to her husband Roland C. Osborne.
  • February 16, 1862 Beaverdam February 16th 1862 My Dear Husband The day for writing to you has again rolled around and it is a cold wintry day. I wish I could be in some little warm room in S.C. with you today; or rather that you could be by a good fire in N.C. with me and Rufus. Don’t you think we would know how to appreciate such a comfort to day. I guess we would not get lonesome. Well may be we will be so situated someday. But it seems a long time coming. I have been thinking since I wrote last week that I ought not to have spoke so positive [?] about not going to see you for I would go if you was sick or anything the matter with you at almost any risk. I hope I may never be called to your sick bed yet it may be the case and if it should be nothing that I could possibly overcome should hinder me from responding to that call. We had a right smart snow last night and it was so cold this morning that Father could not go to Asheville [Nashville ?] to preach to day so I will not get your letter to night. I hate that but I can’t help it. I will hope that you are well today and as usual writing me a long loving letter. If it was not for your letters I don’t know how I could pass off my time and then I love to write to you in return or you would not get such great big letters from me. I have not had a letter from Haywood for some time. I heard yesterday that your Father and Aunt Tisson was to be married next week. I don’t know whether to believe or not. I think they might have let me know something about it if true. However I am not very much concerned about it though I know I know you would hate to have a mother that you could not like. I will take that back. I know you will never have a mother again. No not one like the one you lost. Yet you have not lost her. She has only gone before you and she has shown you by her example the way to Heaven. I sometimes think that her pure spirit watches over your camp and that she is a ministering Angel to her soldier boy, for we read that Angels are sent forth to minister unto the Heirs of Salvation; and if that is so why may not those Angels who attend us be the spirits of our departed friends. It is a pleasant thought, and one that should influence us at all times, to live as we think our Angels friends would like to have us live, or rather God commands us to live. Are you tired of my preaching. We had company last night, two volunteers from Col Coleman’s Battalion. They are now in camp at Reems Creek Campground but are ordered to march to Tenn. next Tuesday. Their names is Kinsey and Kelly. I told the girls they had a beau apiece. They both knew you and said that Rufus was just like you. You may take that as a great complement for I tell you he is a good looking little fellow and so smart sometimes I fear that I will think too much of him but God intended us to love him through not supremely. I felt badly when I heard that your Reg was removed from N.C. but if you had have remained there I expect you would have seen harder times than you have done. We have heard that there has been a hard battle fought at Roanoke on our coast and that the Yankees took our entire force at that point prisoners. Gen Mark Erwin from Asheville is said be among the prisoners taken. It is said that our men fought two days and killed near a thousand Yankees and lost about three hundred themselves. I hope it is not so bad as it is now thought to be. We usually hear the worst first. I expect you get all such news before it reaches us here. Do you get the Tenn. Baptist now. I don’t wonder that you find it hard to be a Christian. If soldiers are all as mischievous as those two who have just left here, and I know you are placed among some who are a great deal worse. You told me once that you would not care if I knew your whole history since you have been in camp, except one thing that you mentioned. Now if you do hold out faithful among so many wicked men, won’t I be proud of my noble Husband and thankful to my Savior who I trust has washed [?] you in His own Blood, and who I trust will keep you in spite of all the temptations of your camp associates. Monday morning. It is raining very hard this morning; I have not got a letter as usual from you this week, but I will try to write as usual. I hate for you to be disappointed when you look for a letter from me. I guess a good many in your Reg get letters from Asheville. You know James Queen in Captain Gradey’s Company don’t you. Well he is writing to Uncle Sam Stradley’s daughter (not the one in Summey’s store) it is a sister of hers, and folks think they will marry when he comes back. Don’t you think that will be a bad speck for her. From what I can find out about him he won’t do to tie too at all. There is to be a big meeting at the Baptist Church in Asheville next week. I don’t guess that I will go to it you know it would not do for my boy to cry in town and I would not leave him to please any body. My boy is a particular somebody in my estimation. I have been trying for some time to get his likeness taken for you but keeps raining so I can’t go. I took him down to Mrs. Killian’s last week. The first time I have ever taken him out visiting. He looked at everything along the road and never pretended to cry. I think he took cold as he has not been so well since then. His teeth are still troubling him I don’t expect you would know his likeness if you was to see it, unless you was expecting it. He has grown so much since you left here. Tell me how you imagine he looks I have been asking him how he will like his new grandma I am afraid she is too stiff a Presbyterian. If it is so won’t they all ways have a fuss on hand. I had rather have a Baptist Mother would not you I wish I knew the straight of it. I think they ought to let me know or wait till you get back. I guess Aunt Mira will leave there double quick. It will most break her heart she has long expected to be Mistress of that House. It will be a sad disappointment for her. Poor old Lady. I think well of her but I can’t help being amused at her sometimes. I have filled up my paper with my foolishness. You must excuse me this time I had nothing else to write. May God bless my darling Husband in the prayer of your Wife Osborne Civil War letters Annotated versions prepared by George Frizzell