Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1913-06-20
A War Letter.

i a war Letter.
The following letter was pre-
! lserved among the relics OF. the
war. The writer, an only son,
in the next battle, after this let
tier was written, was captured.
and was never heard of after
ward. His fate can only be sur
missed. The letter was written
on paper with gilt border near
the edge:
"Dear Miss---:-
If l could without, temporarily
lat least, renouncing sentiments
VERY dear to my heart, / would
defer the surprise which this
mote will occasion you, until that
brighter day when grim visag-
ed war shall have smoothed his
wrinkled brow and the winter of
Jour discomfort shall have been
made glorious summer but how
eyanescent and fleeing are our
resolutions when they are not
sustained by the sanction of the
heart.
Neither the effort to subdue or
mask the emotions excited in my
bosom at our first interview, nor
the anxiety and apprehension in
cident to my situation have been
sufficient to divert my thoughts |
from the contemplation of your |
peerless excellence. The memory
of that eyentful occasion has
never ceased to dispense a cheer
ing radiance through my heart
and all other feelings shall be
but tributaries to its dominion.
You can imagine then, the in
spring emotions which thrilled !
my heart when exchanging, for
a brief season, the dreary routine
of the camp for the elevating as
sociations of home, l was greeted
by your presence.
That meeting was indeed |
providential and a delightful
prelude to the happiness of re-
union with my friends and rela-
tives here. Our family are much
pleased to learn that you had
consented to visit them in the
spring and already the name OF
is as familiar as a house
hold word.
In closing I must beg pardon
for the Impotence which impe1s
me to avow in frankness the Lowell
which burns upon the altar of
my heart and to request the pleas
ure of corresponding with you
until the expiration of my term
of service in the army.
With sentiments of the highest
esteem, am III
P. S. Although temptations
many and importunate have
beset me, since my arrival here,
yet | have obs we'd with fidelity
the pledge made you. 1t may
prove the most suspicious of my
life and therefore l ought tol
congratulate myself that / have
a friend whose influence l could
not resist if l would.
P. S. The later disasters
which we have encountered has
engendered feeling akin to dis
pondency amongst us-and l con-
fess to myself much difficulty in
REFRESHING the melancholy fore
bodings which a calm review of
all the surroundings of this
mighty struggle necessarily ex-
cites, Do not suppose that en-
terrain any misgivings as to the
ultimate result; for who can
doubt it with the God of battles
on our side. and when virtue, in
dependence and all the elements
of a refined civilization, as we'll as
the prayers of the glorious
daughters of the south are weigh
ed against remorse1ess fanaticism
and spurious christianity, the
cannibal instincts of the. South
Sea Islanders are comparably less
revolving than yankee vorac1ty.
1t is the fiery ordeal through
which we must pass, and the un-
told calamities we must endure
that excite our concern.
But these considerations so far
from enervating our faith or
weakening our patriotic resolves
lhaye aroused the universal senti-
ment of hostility against all
yankeedom.
l must close this hurried letter
Nv offerino aS an aDOlopy for its