Editor's Note:
Enjoy these lines. To the best of my ability I transcribed the letters just as I saw them. But the handwriting is hard to read at times (these letters were probably written in the trenches of war!), and the spelling is not accurate. So it was a challenge. If I thought a translation was necessary, I put it inside of [ ]. Also, the custom then with a double s was to write it as fs. That is intact in the letters where I found it.
New Port News Va.
May 10th 1862
Dear Daughter - I read your kind letter and was glad to hear that you were in good health as this leaves me in at present. Your news of casualties was also interesting to me, I do not know as I will be home exactly (as I promised) at corn planting. But I think. But I will (if living) be home in time to eat green corn-
This war will soon be played out. We have got them in the corner. We have in our posefsion the great Crescent City New Orleans, which contributes so richly to carrying on their war from the nett proceeds of cotton, sugar, and molafses besides it commands the great Naval facility of the Mifsifsippi. We have drove them from their (two months ago) Gibralttor at Yorktown and are in pofsefsion of a great many of their cannon, besides amuniton of War and Doctors, Stores, they have run for Williamsburg and their Stood and fought, got whipped and run again. Now they are off again for Richmond leaving Williamsburg in our hands. That is all of them that could escape a great portion are surrounded and will never get there and before two weeks We will be in posefsion of Norfolk and Richmond and that will ending the fighting in the Secret Soil of Virginia.
The Run from Richmond is plaed out, they being surrounded they will have to fight or yield for as one of their Genls said at Yorktown (that was McGrudes) If We can't whip them here We cannot any where as We will have a McDowell and a Banks and a MClellan to fight. We have information from Jeff's own coachman who was taken prisner by us that he heard Ms. Davis say in an official conversation with Jeff and some of his Generals that if New Orleans and Yorktown was taken that the Confederacy was plaed out. Now they are both in our posefsion. He further adds that Much to the information of Ms. Davis. She went into a dry food store in richmond purchased a few Domestic necefsaries after which she introduced a ten Dollar bill with the Signal of her husband Lord and Master on it and the [ ] was refused as a payment of her purchases. So now you can prety well [ ] when we will get home and when the war will be over, I have no more new of any importans to let you know at present from your father
L[?]_ Spawn
Mack Clemons heade qurtrs the armey of the potomick at Richmond June the 13, 1862 i rceved youre letter to day and i was glad to heare that you was well and i am well yt nad ingoy good helth at presant and i hoape that thes five luns will finde you all the same [.] we lay rite by side of the rebals we change shots evrey day with them and our picket is closte to thare picket sow thay can talke to each outher [.] we drive them back slow but sure [.] we lay within six miles from richmond [.] i think we will have a fite in a five days at richmond [.] we have a large armey heare now thre hundred thousand of men and thay are still a comming on [.] we will have a hard fite [.] i think this will deside the ware i think and we will lick them out [.] all the boys are in good sperrets fore the fite [.] i donte now [know] how will [we'll] fall in the battell [.] we are goto march to march to nite [.] i think we have marching orders now [.] if we will goe i cante [can't] tell but i think we will goo to advance on them [.] the weth [weather] is verrey worm [warm] heare [.] now i wante you to tell Ann note [not] to sell the tools to keepe them [.] i got the postage stamps that you sente me and i was glad to git them [.] i cante [can't] get enney heare fore the monney sow i can write to you to lete you now [know] how i am gittinge a longe [getting along] [.] i thinke i will bee not longe now before i will com home if i have good luck to live thru it and i will write as often as i can to let you now [know] ware i am and how i am gittinge a longe [.] i am well and in good helth now and in good sperrets [.] dereck [Direct] your letters the same as beefore and thay will come all rite to mee [.] nomore [No more] at presante to write as soon as you git this and all the peticklers and all the news is goinge on in bellvill and how is the twon offorsses [town offices] are and how all the foalks are gitting a longe and i wante you see a littell a bout wat is going on in Bellville and let mee now [know] in the nex letter you rite to mee and if the riste sell wickkey in Bellville and gow and tell Ann to shut upe the hous and the barne and take the sine down till i com home and stay in the hous and take care of the things i have sente a nuff to keepe hur and i will sende soom mor in five day [.] she can live with out the trubell [trouble] to kepe tavran and worke the garden and ras [raise] some stuff to git a longe and if thay donte wante a tarvern in Bellvill sut [shut] upe and let them gow ware thay can git it and nale upe the pup [pump] sow thay cante [can't] git anney warter [.] i wante you gow and tell hur to dow sow and i wante gow and dow it for hure and see that is don [done] [.] sow now more at presante
Lewis Spawn
