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Camp near Bolton Mis Dec 7 1863
My dearest Jennie
Your affectionate favors per Lt. Holman were received yesterday and really they were a rich treat coming at the time. I was somewhat hurt by not receiving letters by [?] but your letter of the 10th November is satisfactory. You can imagine my joy when they were received when I tell you that I had given up all hope of ever hearing from you again after months returning from your own town. When Holman came I did not go down to the 3d Texas to inquire for letters because if Nath right from Marshall brought none how could I expect a letter by Holman living a hundred miles from you. And I admit all Jennie I began to fear that you had commenced to cease loving me and were transferring your affections to J.L.N. This was caused by your long silence as rather by not getting your letters and the continual sport about you and him. But I am now convinced that I was in error and from the bottom of my heart do ask your forgiveness in mentally accusing you so wrongfully. Your affectionate letters clear up everything and you my dear one are dearer today than ever, but I ask of you a simple favor if you can not write so long letters in future without writing concerning him. I will gladly put up with short ones without allusions to him.
Object Description
| Title | Letter to Jennie Adkins, December 7, 1863 |
| Creator | Coleman, John N. |
| Creator Role | Author |
| Creator Information | Major John N. Coleman, Commissary, Third Texas Cavalry, CSA |
| Date | 1863-12-07 |
| Language | English |
| Content Description | Letter written by John N. Coleman to Virginia E. "Jennie" Adkins. |
| Physical Description | ink-written text on 7.75" x 9.5" lined paper -- paper shows signs of creasing, very minor staining and very small tears; overall quality is excellent -- [4 pages] |
| Subject - Library of Congress | Coleman, John N. -- Correspondence |
| Coverage - Place | United States -- Mississippi -- Bolton |
| Coverage - Time Period | American Civil War |
| Coverage - Date | 1863-12-07 |
| Transcription |
Camp near Bolton Mis Dec 7 1863 My dearest Jennie Your affectionate favors per Lt. Holman were received yesterday and really they were a rich treat coming at the time. I was somewhat hurt by not receiving letters by [?] but your letter of the 10th November is satisfactory. You can imagine my joy when they were received when I tell you that I had given up all hope of ever hearing from you again after months returning from your own town. When Holman came I did not go down to the 3d Texas to inquire for letters because if Nath right from Marshall brought none how could I expect a letter by Holman living a hundred miles from you. And I admit all Jennie I began to fear that you had commenced to cease loving me and were transferring your affections to J.L.N. This was caused by your long silence as rather by not getting your letters and the continual sport about you and him. But I am now convinced that I was in error and from the bottom of my heart do ask your forgiveness in mentally accusing you so wrongfully. Your affectionate letters clear up everything and you my dear one are dearer today than ever, but I ask of you a simple favor if you can not write so long letters in future without writing concerning him. I will gladly put up with short ones without allusions to him. I don't know how to repay you for such devoted letters, unless I go home and cause you to realize (besides sharing it with you) that peculiar pleasure known only to devoted hearts by caressing you as in days past. I don't know whether I can get off yet or not but if I can, I shall be at Marshall about the 1st or 10th of January and advise you to be ready and look a little for me, but not enough to be sadly disappointed if I don't come. But you must not leave home on a visit of any length until you hear from me again. I wish you to make such arrangements as you deem best about my visiting you when I do come. I advise you to mention the subject to your father and ask him if he is willing for me to visit you at his house. I don't know whether to advise a marriage now or not, that we can determine when I meet you. He will have to mention the subject to me if it is ever mention [sic] between us. I candidly think I have done all that is due from me to him and you know well his treatment, therefore advise you to bring up the subject to him and let him know your intentions, positions, intentions so on and learn his objections. I f we do not marry, I wish to visit you at home but can not do so without his consent, hence the importance of knowing his positions. You will not mention my intention to come home to any one, not even your father only to ask him if I should visit Marshall would he object to your receiving visit from me. This should be brought up in a conversation not permitting him to know that I was coming home. As I may not get off, but I rather think I will go. If I am not there by the 1st of January, can't you spend a week with Isabella Graves(?) as I wish to see you there first as I will have to go by there. Say go down and spend the first week of January. If I go I shall try and make time at night, and oh! how pleasant it will be to meet you, we could sit up as long as we please and enjoy ourselves so much. Isabel would make it convenient to leave us in the parlor and then with a cheerful fire we could talk over everything. Besides I would thus feel easy as "an old shoe" and at your fathers [sic] I would feel cramped - even more so than when I did visit your last year. Be sure to visit her as above; as then and there we can concoct and perfect any plan we wish. But I visit you this time not to marry but to see if I can be transferred next summer. Be sure to visit Isabel as requested, for then you will be doubly yes tribly [sic] convinced that I love you better than ever, such a happy times [sic] we will have, don't disappoint me! I would criticize your last letter but wish to do it in person at Maj. Graves about the 1st of 5th of January. I'll teach you what "friend" and he only has a sigh to your sweet lips and warm embrace. Such exquisitiveness [sic] belongs to me and not to any other of your friends as your letter indicates - your intentions were pure and good but your grammar and rhetoric bad. Take the above in a good humour [sic] if you don't when I do see you I make you hollow. You must be prepared to settle those old claims I have against you having compound interest. When we meet your must tell me that "sweet and pleasant dream" that you in a good humour [sic] with the world. I hope you will realize it if [sic] in my to cause you the sweetness and pleasure you will be sure get it. You ought not to get so low spirited. You are far better off than hundreds of girls. You have a pleasant home surrounded by wealth and the same sweetheart chosen before the war who loves you devotedly, which many girls have lost. He has proven true to you, under all circumstances and will ever do so, only [don't] be low spirited! We will be sure to gain our independence then we will be much happier than if I were to be with you now - yes Jennie - no one can say that your husband shirked out of the war and brought no [sic] upon the country by speculation. I forwarded your letter to your brother George and endorsed on back to send his letters to his brigade and they should be forwarded by hand. I don't know what has become of him - I could never learn what Corps the Arkansas post prisoners belong to, therefore could not tell where even his corps is but believe they are at Dalton, Georgia. Gen. Bragg at his own request has been relieved and Gen. Hardee takes command for the present, perhaps permanently. Hardee succeeded in checking the enemy at Dalton and gave their front a good drubbing - Gen. Longstreet has retreated by way of Bristol then to Virginia. No news to write from this depot as such. The enemy seems to have forgotten us and I am not sorry. Nath got a letter from his wife giving an account of the discovery of a plot to burn the arsenal at Marshall and to release the Federal prisoners at Tyler. All the actors ought to be hung without judge or jury without the benefit of the clergy and if we (this brigade) move over there we could teach the people how to dispose of such characters. Remember to visit your cousin Isabel the 1st week of January. If you don't I shall feel hurt with you and believe you don't love me. I want to meet you first of all my purdy [sic - colloquial for "pretty"] and spend one night with you in a free and easy position. This can be done by your going to Isabel only - a lover's kiss and embrace and belief sure as ever Your devoted affiance J. N. Coleman |
| Collection Title | Guthrie Civil War Letters |
| Institution | Baylor University, Waco, Texas |
| Rights | http://www.baylor.edu/lib/digitization/digitalrights |
| Resource Type | Letter |
| ID | 1863-12-07 |
| Custodian | Baylor University - The Texas Collection |
Description
| Title | 01 |
| Transcription |
Camp near Bolton Mis Dec 7 1863 My dearest Jennie Your affectionate favors per Lt. Holman were received yesterday and really they were a rich treat coming at the time. I was somewhat hurt by not receiving letters by [?] but your letter of the 10th November is satisfactory. You can imagine my joy when they were received when I tell you that I had given up all hope of ever hearing from you again after months returning from your own town. When Holman came I did not go down to the 3d Texas to inquire for letters because if Nath right from Marshall brought none how could I expect a letter by Holman living a hundred miles from you. And I admit all Jennie I began to fear that you had commenced to cease loving me and were transferring your affections to J.L.N. This was caused by your long silence as rather by not getting your letters and the continual sport about you and him. But I am now convinced that I was in error and from the bottom of my heart do ask your forgiveness in mentally accusing you so wrongfully. Your affectionate letters clear up everything and you my dear one are dearer today than ever, but I ask of you a simple favor if you can not write so long letters in future without writing concerning him. I will gladly put up with short ones without allusions to him. |
| Rights | http://www.baylor.edu/lib/digitization/digitalrights |
| Custodian | Baylor University - The Texas Collection |
