Washington City, May 11 1861

My Dear Wife

I received two letters from you to-day one

dated the 9th and the other the 7th, I also received a

letter from Mr Biggs brother rather complimentary in

its tone.

You think a nice soft pillow for my mattrass would

make me more comfortable, well perhaps it would,

but my rough straw one answers pretty well, and I am

satisfied, particularly as the men have none of any

kind. There are some things I would like to have,

for instance, some towels and handkerchiefs, but I do

not see any way of getting them, if you find any chance

to send them, you may. I wrote to Mr Beers last night

but did not write for anything. I would like to have

some small stores such as preserved meats, pickles etc. You

may tell Mr Beers to have a small case of these things put up,

for me and I will pay him for them. Our men have

been very generous to us and furnished us with many

delicacies, and I would like very much to reciprocate

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You ask me if I cannot come home and stay a few

days. I should like to come very much, but I do not

see an opportunity at present, perhps I may have

one. Our men need so much drilling to make them

as good as they ought to be that I would be wrong

to leave them in their present condition, although

they are in no mean state of discipline. [Name] and

Livermore are doing good service and will both

make good officers. I have not had any time to

write to Abe or your Father as yet and hope that I can

find an opportunity soon. We have had good weather

for two days and this evening is quite in contrast

with the weather we have had.

You say that Uncle Charles' boys have not enlisted

I should think there was enough of them to spare

one or two for this war, especially as they are un=mar=

ried.

My health still continues good, in fact I am gain=

ing in health & flesh and I hope that I may be spared

to return all safe. You can not tell anything ^about what you

hear there are so many rumours that we know to be

false. I really do not believe that this city will

be attacked, and if it is we are ready, at the same time

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I think the government will invade Virginia and

fortify the hills, and occupy the important military

positions as it will be half the fight in case of an at=

tack to be well entrenched outside the city. I certainly

think there will be a battle between Washington & Richmond

but whether we will be there or not I can not say, but

I only hope that if we are we may be enabled to per-

form our whole duty. Dear Ceal, I know you love

me more than all else besides, and would rather have

me home than here, but you must also remember that

the cause of our Country is the cause of our homes

and our friends. The traitors if they had been

successful here would not have stopped. Mary-

land would have been out of the union before to day

and it would have been Philadelphia and New

York which would have been [t…ed] instead of

Washington. Do you see that by meeting it here, you

are safe from danger where you now are. The

cause of our country is always the cause of our families

and therefore worth fighting for. Keep your cour=

age up Ceal and all will be right yet, and when

we come home it will be with flying colors

Ferguson got over that march very well considering

the circumstances. I had his knapsack carried for

him but it made him limp terribly. he has been laid

up for several days but will be all right in a day or

two.

The Civil War Letters of Benjamin and Cecelia Trafford