Dear Miss Leavitt

     Shall I wish you a "Merry Christmas."
     I am having a very pleasant time here just now but I assure you that I feel anything but merry.
     The news of Burnside's defeat, twelve or fifteen thousand men lost or wounded, rumors that Burnside has resigned, that the Cabinet have resigned, that Gen Halleck is at loggerheads with Everybody Else, nothing certain except that things generally are going to the old Harry.
     We look most anxiously for news from the North

giving further particulars and results. I am almost in despair of the war's ever coming to a successful issue.
     We must trust in God "though he slay us" but I am not able to find much Consolation in the idea that our overthrow as a nation will in the end be for the benefit of the world. Resignation is all that we owe I suppose.
     As wars now are Conducted Generalship is more important than numbers or material, and we can no more make a Great General than a Great poet. To add to our Gloom Banks expedition has gone past us to the Gulf, leaving us here to inaction still, though I confess I have no desire to have a share in

such a slaughter as that of Fredericksburg. but I did not mean to send you such a Jeremiad, but the subject will Come up.
     I believe I told you something about this town long ago, soon after my first visit here. so I wont repeat but tell you what I am doing here now.
Pretty Cousins are great institutions, is I believe an axiom. At all events you will Congratulate me on having two of them down here, even if several degrees removed, in fact we had not met since I was ten years old. Rev Dr Peck [i.e., Rev. Solomon Peck] with his wife and daughters are spending the Winter here He is sent by that Boston Society for improving the

condition of the contrabands [i.e., the New England Freedmen's Aid Society].
     I am spending a few days at their house and am enjoying it highly. A taste of home like life, a few days relief from military routine, & to be again a lady's Guest is quite a pleasant change and as a furlough seems quite out of the question I must make this answer instead of the hoped for visit home.
     If I go home on recruiting service I must stay six months and this I am not able willing to do.
     WE had a great time at Fort Pulaski on Thanksgiving WE invited all the officers in the department, besides the "Gideonites" as the teachers and plantation superintendants

before this has Caused a demand for his Coal. Charley is one who is pretty sure to land on his feet. I have not much fear for him.
     Annie is still at Andover and seems to be Enjoying her Winter there. Ogden and Nellie and their wonderful baby are well. O has at last been able to move out of town, a thing he has long wished to do. I am very well and have a pleasant if rather monotonous time of it.
     If we get some Good news from the North I'll perhaps write again soon to make up for past neglect.
Let me hear from you whenever you find time. I shall want to hear of Charleys wedding. Tell Charley

he need not trouble himself to send me those magazines any longer. I Can now get them here. Give my love to him, to Mrs L & Mrs B.

sincerely yours
Robert S Edwards