Lieut Robert S. Edwards
48th Reg^t N. Y Volunteers

My dear Rob.

     The last mail failed to bring me any news from you but I saw that the steamer from Port Royal had arrived at New York only a couple of days before the sailing of the "Persia" by which we received our home mail & I suppose Annie or Fanny still had your letters —
     I am very busy now we have lots of office work, and George Peirce is away, which throws a double share on me — Besides your neice I find is very engrossing and my odd moments are cut into on all sides —
     What good & glorious news we have been receiving from our ain Countree. I suppose ere long we shall hear something from Savannah & Charleston in which I s'pose your Regiment will have its share —
     I think the taking of New Orleans by the fleet was about the most dashing & plucky thing on record — Worthy of old Cochrane in his best days.

The Johnny Bulls are changing their tune & ere long we shall have, as an Englisham said to me the other day, the "Times" patting us on the back — I see that a good many of our folk are spoiling for a fight, but I think it will come off with France & not with England — The French intervention in Mexico will most likely prove the cause of a row, if one is really wanted — I most earnestly hope however that when we have settled our family quarrel we may be peaceable for awhile & make a beginning in paying off our debt —
     I see Gen^l Viele had been transferred to Norfolk, who now commands your brigade?
     I shall feel anxious about you dear boy till I hear that you have safely passed thro' the hot season — I have much more fear of Yellow Jack than of the Southern brave who is to die in the last ditch, & meanwhile makes his slave load his cannon for him not daring to do it himself — So take care of yourself Robin — the good ones are scarce & we can't spare any of them

25 Santiago de Compostella his day — The patron saint of Spain — The morn was ushered in with a salvo of artillery & endless ringing of bells, milatry bands marching to & fro but now things are quiet — Ned & myself are alone in the office — I have just left Miss Kate we have had a long conversation in which I told her all about her Uncle Rob & his doings when he was about her size or a little more so — She answered pleasantly enough laughing the while & tossing her arms about, but alas I do not yet understand her dialect which seems mainly to consist of monosyllables ending in oo —
     We cannot be too thankful that the babe is so healthy & good tempered — Nellie & I take turns in caring for at night as we cannot trust these heavy sleeping (though kindly) Indians out of sight
     By an arrival from China yesterday we got an abstract of Gen^l Hunters proclamation setting all slaves free in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina — I confess that I am surprised & puzzeled at it. It seems

to be quite contrary to the course hitherto followed by the President — Yet Hunter is of all others his especial favorite & intimate —
     I had a present the other day of a young buck, sent to me from the southern part of the Island — A graceful pretty creature but not a third of the weight of one of our Catskill deer.
     I just stopped writing to acknowledge a note from M^r James Tait sending in a quarter of mutton — It is his saints day & having killed the fatted calf he divides the same among his friends — You must understand that our mutton all comes from Shanghai & a present of a quarter is as acceptable a gift as the first I had of the season, by steamer from Savannah, used to be in New York —
If I get anything from you by the mail due today or tomorrow I will write more meantime goodbye dear boy — With love from Nellie, Kate & myself

ever affectionately yours
Ogden E. Edwards

Dearest Robin,

That you do not receive by this mail the promised letter is owing to your niece Kitty who sends you a long story of agoo.oo.oo, which, however, I fear will not be as expressive to you as her Mamma's letter might have been. I hope the latter will be ready for you next time, and meanwhile please receive warmest greetings and much love from me.

Ever most aff'ly,
Nellie