登陆注册
15456700000020

第20章 Chapter III Letters to Wife and Daughters(6)

"I have been wishing, dear Mary, to write to you for more than a week, but every day and every hour seem so taken up that I have found it impossible.... The news from Tennessee and North Carolina is not all cheering, and disasters seem to be thickening around us. It calls for renewed energies and redoubled strength on our part, and, I hope, will produce it. I fear our soldiers have not realised the necessity for the endurance and labour they are called upon to undergo, and that it is better to sacrifice themselves than our cause. God, I hope, will shield us and give us success. Here the enemy is progressing slowly in his designs, and does not seem prepared, or to have determined when or where to make his attack. His gunboats are pushing up all the creeks and marshes of the Savannah, and have attained a position so near the river as to shell the steamers navigating it. None have as yet been struck. I am engaged in constructing a line of defense at Fort Jackson which, if time permits and guns can be obtained, I hope will keep them out. They can bring such overwhelming force in all their movements that it has the effect to demoralise our new troops.

The accounts given in the papers of the quantity of cotton shipped to New York are, of course, exaggerated. It is cotton in the seed and dirt, and has to be ginned and cleaned after its arrival. It is said that the negroes are employed in picking and collecting it, and are paid a certain amount. But all these things are gathered from rumour, and can only be believed as they appear probable, which this seems to be.... I went yesterday to church, being the day appointed for fasting and prayer. I wish I could have passed it more devoutly.

The bishop (Elliott) gave a most beautiful prayer for the President, which I hope may be heard and answered.... Here the yellow jasmine, red-bud, orange-tree, etc., perfume the whole woods, and the japonicas and azaleas cover the garden. Perry and Meredith are well. May God bless and keep you always is the constant prayer of your husband, "R. E. Lee."

To his daughter Annie:

"Savannah, March 2, 1862.

"My Precious Annie: It has been a long time since I have written to you, but you have been constantly in my thoughts. I think of you all, separately and collectively, in the busy hours of the day and the silent hours of the night, and the recollection of each and every one whiles away the long night, in which my anxious thoughts drive away sleep. But I always feel that you and Agnes at those times are sound asleep, and that is immaterial to either where the blockaders are or what their progress is in the river. I hope you are all well, and as happy as you can be in these perilous times to our country. They look dark at present, and it is plain we have not suffered enough, laboured enough, repented enough, to deserve success. But they will brighten after awhile, and I trust that a merciful God will arouse us to a sense of our danger, bless our honest efforts, and drive back our enemies to their homes. Our people have not been earnest enough, have thought too much of themselves and their ease, and instead of turning out to a man, have been content to nurse themselves and their dimes, and leave the protection of themselves and families to others. To satisfy their consciences, they have been clamorous in criticising what others have done, and endeavoured to prove that they ought to do nothing.

This is not the way to accomplish our independence. I have been doing all I can with our small means and slow workmen to defend the cities and coast here. Against ordinary numbers we are pretty strong, but against the hosts our enemies seem able to bring everywhere there is no calculating. But if our men will stand to their work, we shall give them trouble and damage them yet. They have worked their way across the marshes, with their dredges, under cover of their gunboats, to the Savannah River, about Fort Pulaski. I presume they will endeavour to reduce the fort and thus open a way for their vessels up the river. But we have an interior line they must force before reaching the city. It is on this line we are working, slowly to my anxious mind, but as fast as I can drive them.... Good-bye, my dear child.

同类推荐
  • 韦十一娘传

    韦十一娘传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大智度论

    大智度论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 富国

    富国

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 内家拳口诀释义

    内家拳口诀释义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 陶庵梦忆

    陶庵梦忆

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 悲伤的史歌

    悲伤的史歌

    整天无聊的云生被神带到一个世界体验生活,却不想,来了任务。“你在这个世界也呆了一段时间了,现在有一项任务交给你。算是带你来这个世界的报酬吧。”摧毁这个帝国,或者守护这个帝国。看云生如何抉择。
  • 咏梅之乱世离殇

    咏梅之乱世离殇

    ——爱到深处是落寞,情到浓时是离殇——神魔在这世界真的存吗?如果存在为什么无人遇见;拥有神的传承,又为何只拥有仙术,而不能像神一样长生不老。这背后的真相又是如何,是上古神魔大战时,神与魔同归于尽了;还是神与魔一同被吸入到了另一个空间,卷入到另一场纷争;还是这一切另有“阴谋”。这一切的一切背后将隐藏着什么秘密。敬请期待本小说的形式是以电视剧的形式写出来的,也就是说这本小说是以多角度去写的,一会儿写这个人一会儿写那个人。大多数是以女生的视角去写的
  • 史上最强宗主

    史上最强宗主

    新书《史上最强掌教》,同类型,希望大家支持。带着神秘的造人系统,叶辰穿越到了玄星大陆一个破落宗门“天灵宗”的少宗主身上。造人系统,各种神话和历史上的人物都可以创造出来,剑仙、人神、妖王……“神剑宗的那群剑侠说我们太嚣张,要来教训我们?吕洞宾,去调教调教他们!”“妖族联盟的那群妖兽想抢我们天灵宗的地盘?悟空,你去虐他们!”“书圣宗的那群儒生说我们徒有暴力没有文化?李白,你去教教他们写诗!”“还有西方佛门有几个佛陀说天灵宗杀孽太多,想要来度化我们?”叶辰眉头微微皱起,对着身后问道:“你们谁去解决这些秃驴?”如来佛祖从叶辰背后走了出来,双手合十道:“阿弥陀佛!”打造史上最强宗主,就是这么欺负人!
  • 动漫之永恒空间

    动漫之永恒空间

    30世纪末,天降流星,落在世界各地。让世界的人口消失了很多,而消失的人们得知,只有完成他们给的任务成为,他们的主人才能自由。
  • 不悔的剑

    不悔的剑

    追命到,无处逃;杀神起,白骨练。且看天下第一杀手李不悔仗剑江湖,煮酒英雄。
  • 新雨后

    新雨后

    一场雨,改变天地。“世事无常,天道确平常的很。”(ps:新人,更新慢,嗯,还有感谢徐正航提供的封面)
  • 火澜

    火澜

    当一个现代杀手之王穿越到这个世界。是隐匿,还是崛起。一场血雨腥风的传奇被她改写。一条无上的强者之路被她踏破。修斗气,炼元丹,收兽宠,化神器,大闹皇宫,炸毁学院,打死院长,秒杀狗男女,震惊大陆。无止尽的契约能力,上古神兽,千年魔兽,纷纷前来抱大腿,惊傻世人。她说:在我眼里没有好坏之分,只有强弱之分,只要你能打败我,这世间所有都是你的,打不败我,就从这世间永远消失。她狂,她傲,她的目标只有一个,就是凌驾这世间一切之上。三国皇帝,魔界妖王,冥界之主,仙界至尊。到底谁才是陪着她走到最后的那个?他说:上天入地,我会陪着你,你活着,有我,你死,也一定有我。本文一对一,男强女强,强强联手,不喜勿入。
  • 火澜

    火澜

    当一个现代杀手之王穿越到这个世界。是隐匿,还是崛起。一场血雨腥风的传奇被她改写。一条无上的强者之路被她踏破。修斗气,炼元丹,收兽宠,化神器,大闹皇宫,炸毁学院,打死院长,秒杀狗男女,震惊大陆。无止尽的契约能力,上古神兽,千年魔兽,纷纷前来抱大腿,惊傻世人。她说:在我眼里没有好坏之分,只有强弱之分,只要你能打败我,这世间所有都是你的,打不败我,就从这世间永远消失。她狂,她傲,她的目标只有一个,就是凌驾这世间一切之上。三国皇帝,魔界妖王,冥界之主,仙界至尊。到底谁才是陪着她走到最后的那个?他说:上天入地,我会陪着你,你活着,有我,你死,也一定有我。本文一对一,男强女强,强强联手,不喜勿入。
  • 全能辅助系统

    全能辅助系统

    一生默默无闻的人,伴随着一个逆天系统重生,回到少年时代,他心中默默着:这一生不在平凡,我将要走到人生巅峰!
  • 给哥跪整齐

    给哥跪整齐

    一场爆炸,穿越了,玄幻小说看多了吧?祖上传下的满汉全席手艺,龙组第一高手,彪形大汉变成小白脸了?霍比特人?魔法?中土世界么......唱戏的腿,说书的嘴,写小说的爪子,这特码都是真理啊!