Horace Hutchings to Cassandra Hutchings
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Dear,
Camped at the Arkansas Post, October the 14, 1862. I have another
opportunity of writing to you. This leaves me well and hope when you get
this it will find you and the baby Siney enjoying the same blessings. (?)
... we started (for) the Post the day before (?) ... left White Sulphur
Springs. Got 16 miles below Pine Bluff then was ordered to Clarington on
White River. We went back to the Bluff and went on to Clarington, then was
ordered to this place.
We landed here yesterday. Don't know how long we will stay here. Some say
we will stay here all winter and some say we won't. So I don't know how
long we will stay at this place and don't know, as I don't (when I) go to
the Stay at home ... to be the hope one time will soon come when I will be
permitted to get home and stay there.
They are fortifying here like they aim to make a stand here, but I call it
a bad place for that business. We may stay here some time and we may not.
Dawson's Regiment and Portlock's Regiment are here. Grandsted's Regiment is
gone to the North part of the state. We have orders and then they
countermanded them so often there is no certainty where or when we will
move to, for I don't know more than you do. So I tell you how to direct
your letters if we stay here long. Ben Davis will start this mail again.
I have not heard from you and Nath since we left the Springs. Would like
to hear from them. I look for (?) ... to come. (?) ... has got well which
I hope he has. We hear that Price and his army has got a flogging and Van
Dorne has been captured. That is the report, tho I don't know whether it is
so or not. Hope it is not the case. I don't write this for the truth, it is
rumored in camp. So I never believe anything without I know it is so. We
never hear nothing but camp news. We get (?) ... and bread to eat and some
molasses and sugar. I have not learn(ed) to cook yet. Some time I cook. If
you could see the bread I bake, you would laugh at it. When I get home, I
will show you what a good cook I am. I hate to cook worse than anything
else.
Saney, you must write how much corn you made if you make enough to do you
(?) ... or not - hogs are all (?) ... can get your meat out of them or not
and what you do for tobacco. And the first opportunity you get, send my
pants, shirts, and shoes to me. Then I will be prepared for the winter in
that respect. We have not drawed any more money yet and don't know when we
will draw again, but will send you (?) ... (and) If you & pa or Nath (?)
... home or not and how Joe was getting along when you heard from him last.
Write what you do for paper. I tried to get paper to send to you, but could
not get any. I try to get enough to write to you so as to keep you informed
where we are as well as I can, and you must write every opportunity you
get.
Tell your pa and ma I send them my best respects and all the children. Hope
this will find them all well, Press and family, too. Tell Linzy to be a
good boy while I am gone and soon as I get home, will take him to see (?)
... Tell my Baby to be good and I will give her a little present when I get
home. Give my respects to Dave Campbell and family also. Joe Stringer and
family. Write soon as you can. I love to hear from you. Give my respects to
all the family and for you and the baby, the endearest love ... (?) absent
husband.
Horace Hutchings
To C.C. Hutchings
Kiss the Baby twice, once for me and once for you.
Horace Hutchings
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Letter, Horace Hutchings to Cassandra Hutchings, The Gems, Fall 1999,
Volume 10, Number 4.
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Update 03.25.01 David Kelley 2001 CVL-0022.HTM