Distant Storm: Florida's Role in the Civil War

Tallahassee June 22nd 1862

My Dear Mother

I arrived at home in due time after parting with Ephraim Brevard and find were things in a more natural and cheerful condition than they are in the States further north and nearer the theatre of the war. There is of course great depression in the money market etc but there is no scarcity of the necessaries of Life and there are no war prices for provisions—if you will except coffee tea flour and a few other articles. There will be more corn and meat raised here than have ever been before and unless the Yankees actually occupy the country the people can at least live.

Mary and the children are very well and I am very happy to be with them again. If I could see you and them together I would but little more to ask. Carrie being older is of course more interesting than the boy who is very bright and in the most perfect health. Carrie is beginning to talk very severely. But it has not been so long since you saw them, that I need attempt

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to tell you much about them. Carrie has just given me a kiss to send you.

Tell E. Brevard that I think I will succeed in raising my Batallion, though there may be delay and difficulty attending it. There has been great activity of enlistment in this State and the men are really hard to find. I believe however that all will go well in the end. I have met with a great many already in service who desired joining me and they were very much surprised and disappointed when I told them that the Adjutant General had prohibited transfers from the line into Partizan Corps. Samuel Mayo, Pickens Bird, Lucian Duval and several others are endeavoring to raise companies. General Finnegan has indicated a disposition to encourage me so far as he can and the only trouble now is the great scarcity of men. Florida having already sent from the returns in the Adjt Genls office about 12000 (twelve thousand) men to field which is a greater proportionate number than has gone from any other State. It is probable that for the present (providing I am successful) our service will be in the State

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though it is my intention to ask a transfer to a more active field.

There are of course in Tallahassee as everywhere else all manner of rumors Connected with the war. It has been our misfortune to listen with open ears to all kinds of improbable stories—particularly those of an encouraging nature. The latest is a report of our recognition abroad. I do not rely upon a word of that or any future report of like sort. When re intervention comes it will be as likely to be against as for us. It is not improbable that European Governments will eventually interfere, but when they do so they will I think submit terms of arbitration as a basis of settlement to these _____ Belligerents and we must submit or have another row. While therefore the war may be one day closed by intervention, we must fight our way to the only satisfactory end.

Mays is not so well as he has been. He had a little fever with astheme yesterday brought on by cold but is much better and I hope will soon be entirely well.

Give love to all. Remember me to Uncle Robert and my cousins and believe me to be

Affectionately
Yr Son, W. B.