Dr. Robert Peel Links to A. L. Peel Diary
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Dr. Robert Hunter Peel Civil War Letter Surgeon, 19th. Mississippi Regiment Letter From Robert to "Sister"
Surgeons Office - 19th Miss" Regt" March the 2nd - 1864 Mr dear Sister, Hoping there will be an opportunity of sending this letter to Oxford?[O?ford] By private conveyance in a day or two, I will write it at once for fear I shall not be able to communicate with you again soon. I wrote you by mail from Richmond on my return, and also by Albert the evening he started home. The former , I fear you will not get for many weak perhaps, but the latter - if the Adjt" has met with no serious impediment in his rout - has probably reached you by this time. After two weaks of delightful weather since my return to camp, the scene has changed so suddenly that it scarcely seems the same world I have been living in for some time past. The clouds are dark and heavy, and the rain has been falling, and freezing as it fell for twenty-four hours. The whole forest of pines and cedars, appears to be one huge icicle. We were suddenly called-out last night while the rain was pouring down and all was as dark as [Erebus?]. The enemies cavalry had crossed the Rapid-Ann above and below us - with the intention we suppose of cutting the R.R. communication in our rear but have no doubt been driven back [e're?] now. I have heard the distant roar of artilery at intervals since last eavening and expecting a demonstration on our front, the infantry have been in line of battle all day, guarding the fords on the river. I have just returned to camp, from the front, to look after a few sick of the Brigade, and now it is so very dark I shall hardly be able to find my command before morning. T'is a fearful night for men to be exposed in the open air on these mountains yet not a murmur; not a word of resining is heard amongst our brave boys as they gather close around the camp fires and pile-on logs of wood to prevent them from being extinguished by the heavy rain. God must bless the efforts of such devoted and patriotic men, and I sincerely hope that [e're?] another year has rolled o'er our heads, we may reap the reward for so much toil and suffering. Never did I see the spirit of our army so high; the recent acts of Congress have done much to cheer the hearts of the soldiers and strengthen their confidence in our final success. The Tax Bill will give us the means to defray the expenses of the war for this year! The Bill in regard to substitutes will place all able-bodied men in the field, who can be spared from agricultural pursuits, and the Currency Bill -we hope- will do much toward improving our money and our credit, and thus relieve our financial difficulties. Ask the Doctor what he thinks of those Acts! I have just seen the eavening paper and from the tellegram I learn that there has been some fighting in Georgia, along Genl" Johnsons lines, and the enemy have fallen back to Chicamauga. Genl" Longstreet has moved his forces - back- I believe though the papers will not say where. I have been greatly elated with Genl" Forrests success in North Mississippi and I trust he will make Old Marshall too hot for them for the rest of the war. Where is Volney now? I am uneasy about him whenever I hear of a fight down there, though the Cavalry has proved a pretty safe thing in the South West up to this time. Add is in fine health and certainly one of the Model soldiers! Over at his post, and always cheerful about his duty. Sam Pryor is another one of the noblest boys in the world! Kind, warm hearted and generous to a fault, he is beloved by all. Lou" Alexander is quite well and in his usual quiet way is doing all he can in the commissary department. Sergt" McKie has just returned from the front, and says the Regt" will come into camp directly and remain until 3'o'clock in the morning. He is acting Adjt" now, until Albert returns. I and Col' Hardin rode into Orange C.H. yesterday to hear a lecture on the Life & influence of Genl". Jackson, by his former Chaplain - Mr. Lacy- a very able and eloquent man. The Episcopal Church has been crowded to overflowing every Sunday since I returned, and it almost makes one forget he is a soldier and in field, to see the crowd of elegant ladies who show themselves on these occasions. I have been constantly wishing that you were here since my return and often regretted that I did not beg you more earnestly to come with me, but now that I am to be on the move perhaps immediately, and for many months, I am satisfied that you will be happier where you are, with the dear ones at home. I shall look forward with pleasent anticipations to my return next fall or winter, for it will scarcely be possible gor me to get-off sooner. Oh! How long this year will seem & I wish I could sleep from now until the first fo December, and then awake in Holly Springs - always - provided there are no yankees there. Tell Miss. Finley that I have not let her Beaus rest since our return to camp, for telling how he left her fathers house at a "double-quick" one night - she will remember when - and after riding some miles into the woods, standing with his back to tree and his arms folded, looking at the moon for the rest of the night. The scamp wont tell me anything, but if a mans actions are any index, to the workings of his heart, my friend is in a most critical condition. If you should receive this before Albert leaves home, I shall expect a long, very long letter in reply to my three, for I have not received a line from you since we parted. Sisters Martha & Julia will write me I know, and sis Olivia will be sure to do so; that will make four letters at any rate, and to know how I will appreciate them you would have to be just situated exactly as I am at present, and feel just as I do. Tell Aunt Jane I am very proud of the hat she gave me, and now that I have all of my good cloths I have had a beautiful gold band and tassel put on it, so that every girl I meet wants it for a riding hat. I fear some fair rogue will steal it. I head from Bob two days since; he had gotten off the cars somewhere below Decatur to see his Sweetheart, he said to one of our men who met him on the rout. I shall write to him in a day or two at Decatur. Write and give me all the news about town, and please have something sweet to tell me Sister, for I shall be so disappointed if you do not. Remember me to my friends, particularly to Mr. Wait, Miss Julia & Mrs Watson, also to Mrs Hull and daughters , they were very kind to me! Give my kind regards to Lieut. Crump, should you see him & tell him to write me. In conclusion my sweet Sister - give my love to all the loved ones at home, and believe me as ever ["Sister" is a nickname Robert used for Alice Maud Matthews. Robert was courting Alice after the death of his first wife, Virginia. Alice was Robert's Sister-in-law.]
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