Hdqrs: Fredg
27 March ’63
My dear Mary
I will not let pass the day devoted to thanksgiving to Almighty God for His mercies without holding communion with you. I know you will unite with me in fervent prayers for his manifold individual & national blessings. I wish I could be sufficiently thankful for all He has done for us, & felt that we deserved a continuance of the protection & guidance He has heretofore vouchsafed to us. I know that in Him in our only salvation. He alone can give us peace & freedom & I humbly submit to his Holy will. I have been able to take no part in the services of the day. My poor prayers have been offered in the solitude of my tent. Too feeble I fear to be heard or answered. I enclose the order for the day. The troops are not encamped near me & I have felt so unwell since my return as not to be able to go anywhere. I have been suffering from a heavy cold which I hope is passing away. The weather has been wretched. More unpleasant than any other part of the winter. The earth has been almost fluid & my tent even muddy. But the storm has passed & the glorious sun warming & drying us. We have our blankets out & tents up & a wonderful change has occurred in the ground & atmosphere since morning. I have recd your letter of the 20th & have distributed the socks & gloves accompy it. I send you a letter from Miss Kitty Stiles which has come to me. I should have liked to have read what she said, but her hand is so pale & fine that I will not make the effort. I send you also a pair of gloves. They were knit by a pretty little lady at the South & I think you who have given so many to the army are entitled to one pair. I also send Mr. Caskie an English paper, & a speech at a Convention of Coloured Gentn by Mr. Cole to shew what a sensible view was taken of their interest in the present war. The commencement of the proceedings was torn off, but they appear in a Baltimore paper. I am very sorry for poor little Agnes’ attack. I fear it originated in her ride that story night. See what suffering her papa brings on everybody. I am glad Mildred is alive & hope she will derive the pleasure I enjoyed in the study of Astronomy. I think it afforded me more pleasure than any other branch of study. I am glad that Parks has been heard from. Harrison is on a farm of Maline to whom he was hired. I have written for him to be sent to Mr. Eacho. Please inform Custis. I am sorry to hear of Reuben’s death. Seanthe & Jim can remain with Mrs. D. this year if they choose & receive their wages. I do not send the pillow case for it is pretty good. Broken but a little & answers well. The other is a great comfort to me. Genl Hooker sent me yesterday the account of the death of Genl Sumner. He died at Syracuse after a week’s sickness from a cold. Col. Long is now with Mrs. L[ong] & I sent it to him.
You must give much love to everybody & believe me always yours
R E Lee
Source: Transcribed from photocopy of original letter, Lee Family Papers, Mss1 L 51 c 441, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2017 April 13
