Letter from Thomas Taylor to his wife, Sarah E. Alexander Taylor, from Manassas Junction, 
Oct. 30, 1861, Autauga, Alabama

http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/autauga/history/letters/tstaylor11.txt
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June 2003


Manassas Junction 
October 30th, 1861 
 
My Dearly Loved Companion:
 I have been anxiously looking for a letter from you for several days Manassas Junction 
but the mail has so far brought me no letter since about 2 weeks ago.  I believe you have written 
though & I have not received your letters.  I wrote to Sister Mattie a few days ago in answer to 
her letter & will write to Sister Matilda today.  I have no news of importance to write about.  
When I hear news I never know whether to believe it or not because there are so many false 
reports flying about in camps that are not at all creditable.  My health & Brother Wm.'s are not 
as good as we would like but we have not been very sick.  We both have had severe colds with 
sore throat.  2 or 3 days ago I had a very severe headache.  I suppose bad cold was the cause.  I 
am better to day & think I will be well in a few days.  I tell you my Dear Wife I missed you 
when I had the headache.  It was the first severe attack I have had since I left home.  I then felt 
the need of a kind sympathizing wife.  Yes I thought of our humble home of the happy hours we 
have spent around our old fireside & of the times that you dearest one have with your own dear 
hands bathed my head & ministered to my wants.  I never knew how much I loved you until 
since I have been in the Army.  But I now know how to appreciate you & all your virtues 
Dearest.  I think of you every hour & in my sleep I frequently dream of you & think I am with 
you at our old home, but when I awake I find it to be nothing but a dream.  I live for you dear 
one & if God our Father spares me to again see you & live with you I will be the happiest of 
men.  I believe that I will be spared.  I have so much faith in the word of our Lord Jesus that I 
can't help believing although there are 2 chances to one against me, Oh dearest I know not how 
or what to write.  I am sad today.  I can think of no one but you & write about nothing but you. 
Oh how I would like to see & be with you but I try to banish all such thoughts from my mind.  I 
do not know of any way for me to see you until my time expires, & when that time comes I don't 
think I will be long in getting to where you are.  In my meditations I frequently ask myself why it 
is that we are separated.  Why is it that I am not now living happily with you as once did?  I can 
not solve the mystery. 
	 If it be true that all things work for good to them that love God & I have no reason to 
disbelieve for I find this in the word of God.  The Southern people will be a happy people some 
day.  We are certainly engaged in a righteous cause & the Southern people generally are a God 
loving people.  But if it applies to individuals then I think the application can be made to me.  I 
know I love God & try in my weak manner to keep his commandments.  But we should not think 
the Northern people the worst of all because they are trying to subjugate us & make us worse 
than slaves.  We should think that God intends to chastise us for our sins for those whom he 
loves he chastens.  We believe that God is on our side & that we will in the end be victorious, but 
we must not think that God intends that we should hate our enemies for he commands us to pray 
for our enemies & to love them while we give God thanks for past victorious in this unjust war. 
As we think it to be, we should pray for our enemies & ask God to show them their error.  Then 
we would soon have peace.  Now dearest I must bring this letter to a close. I need not ask you to 
pray for me I know this you will do.  I know that you will think of me when you retire to your 
room to rest at night & breathe a fervent prayer for your poor soldier husband.  But on request I 
would make of your friends through you that they will all pray for me.  Trust God may take care 
of me & shield me from the snare of sin & Satan another request darling.  Write Oftener, Write 
oftener & tell all my friends to write to me.  You can have no idea how much pleasure it affords 
me to hear from home. 

Adieu My Devoted Wife. 

Your affectionate husband, 
T. S. Taylor. 

Mrs. S. E. Taylor

Number 3