Letter of Joseph J. Hoyle to Sarah Hoyle December 29, 1863
Title
Letter of Joseph J. Hoyle to Sarah Hoyle December 29, 1863
Description
The 55th Regiment of North Carolina is stationed in Virginia where they have been for nearly a year now. Lieutenant Hoyle continually hopes to get time off to go see his wife. However, with the continued absence of Captain Mull this short leave never comes to fruition.
Creator
Joseph J. Hoyle
Source
Jeffrey M. Girvan, ed., Deliver Us from this Cruel War: The Civil War Letters of Lieutenant Joseph J. Hoyle, 55th North Carolina Infantry (Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company, 2010), 154-155.
Type
Document
Coverage
Wake County, North Carolina
Text
Camp near Orange C.H. Va.,
Dec. 29th 1863.
My Dear Wife:
I again have the pleasure of writing you a few lines, informing you that I am well at present, hoping these lines may find you enjoying good health. Your last letter was received and read with pleasure, as they always are. I was glad to know that you had heard from Isaac, and that he was well. We are all busy here now in building winter quarters. Our camp now is about 2 miles on the south side of Orange. We are getting up very comfortable cabins. I have a very good warm cabin, and almost feel like I was at home, no, I will take that back. It would not seem like home unless I could see my dear little Sarah by me. O happy day, when I could be with my dearest on earth again! We are having rough weather up here now, both rain and cold. There can be no army movements while the weather continues so bad, and we are all glad of it. Think we will get to rest awhile at least. I hope we will get to stay here all winter. We have wood plenty, and water tolerably handy.
Dear Sarah, I still hope I will get to come home sometime this winter. If I find I will not get to come at all, you must come and see me. If we both lie we must surely see each other before Spring somehow. Let us ask the good Lord to permit us to meet and enjoy each others company again on earth, and thereby may we be enabled to live more holy and prepare for the enjoyment of heaven. While I know we love each other to the fullest extent, let us learn to love God more. Sarah, often do I ask God to take care of you and comfort you with his holy love, and I know you ask the same for me. Sarah, I must tell you that I have enjoyed more of the comforts of religion since I have been in the army than I ever did before, and no doubt your prayers have been a principle cause of it. O Sarah, I would to take every thing else for your prayers. I know they come from a true and full heart and God will answer such prayers. Above every thing else, don’t neglect to pray for me, that I may be kept in the arms of almighty love. I remain, as ever, yours in hope and love,
Joe
Dec. 29th 1863.
My Dear Wife:
I again have the pleasure of writing you a few lines, informing you that I am well at present, hoping these lines may find you enjoying good health. Your last letter was received and read with pleasure, as they always are. I was glad to know that you had heard from Isaac, and that he was well. We are all busy here now in building winter quarters. Our camp now is about 2 miles on the south side of Orange. We are getting up very comfortable cabins. I have a very good warm cabin, and almost feel like I was at home, no, I will take that back. It would not seem like home unless I could see my dear little Sarah by me. O happy day, when I could be with my dearest on earth again! We are having rough weather up here now, both rain and cold. There can be no army movements while the weather continues so bad, and we are all glad of it. Think we will get to rest awhile at least. I hope we will get to stay here all winter. We have wood plenty, and water tolerably handy.
Dear Sarah, I still hope I will get to come home sometime this winter. If I find I will not get to come at all, you must come and see me. If we both lie we must surely see each other before Spring somehow. Let us ask the good Lord to permit us to meet and enjoy each others company again on earth, and thereby may we be enabled to live more holy and prepare for the enjoyment of heaven. While I know we love each other to the fullest extent, let us learn to love God more. Sarah, often do I ask God to take care of you and comfort you with his holy love, and I know you ask the same for me. Sarah, I must tell you that I have enjoyed more of the comforts of religion since I have been in the army than I ever did before, and no doubt your prayers have been a principle cause of it. O Sarah, I would to take every thing else for your prayers. I know they come from a true and full heart and God will answer such prayers. Above every thing else, don’t neglect to pray for me, that I may be kept in the arms of almighty love. I remain, as ever, yours in hope and love,
Joe
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Citation
Joseph J. Hoyle , Letter of Joseph J. Hoyle to Sarah Hoyle December 29, 1863, Civil War Era NC, accessed December 23, 2024, https://cwnc.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/items/show/251.