Camp 15 Jany ‘64
My dear Mary
I take advantage of Col Woods return to Richmond this morg to acknowledge your letter of the 9th. The socks arrived safely & have been distributed. Sis Nannis eight pairs to the Marylanders & yours to the most needy. I hope others are being recd though I hear of great want in the Army. I am glad you are comfortably arranged in your big house. I have feared that you would suffer in many respects & would have preferred that you were more retired. In my own case I would rather be in a hut with my own family than a palace with others. The gentlemen too I suspect feel the encouragement & it will end in their going to Church Hill or some other eminence. I hope that your new Dr may if he cannot relieve at least assuage your affliction. What is his name & reputation? I pray that God may bless his labours. As regards myself I am pretty well & comfortable enough in my tent. I should be more so I know in a house, but I have none to go to. The people are very kind in giving me invitations to take a room in their house, but they do not know what they ask. I of course cannot go alone or be alone, as a crowd is always around me.
You must thank that kind lady for the socks she sent me. An accident befell a pair I have been wearing & I want one to replace them. Custis can either send me a pair from my trunk which I had in use last winter or you can send me the one you have. I gave away three pairs of the new ones I had here.
I recd a kind letter from Mrs Jones the other day sending me a field glass. The glass was lost aboard the “Ceres” Coming into Wilmington with Mr Wards baggage. Mrs Jones was Miss Mary Savage of Savannah & one of the Belles of that city in my younger days. But I will enclose her letter.
Give much love to all & believe me very truly & affy yours
R E Lee
P.S. Custis Can send the socks by Major Taylor or Col Baldwin
REL
Source: Photocopy of original letter, DeButts-Ely Collection of Lee Family Papers, Library of Congress
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2018 September 10
