June 2nd 1865 :: Warren Jenkins to Frank

Rose Cottage June 2d 1865

Dear Frank,

Your letter of 25th ult is at hand and was gladly welcomed. Yes the dreadful war is over, thanks be to Him who has ruled & over-ruled preserving our Nation and Government intact and fixing it upon a firmer foundation than ever before. Now I pray that this same hand may guide our rulers & the conquered but not subdued rebels in the re-organizing & putting in operation the State Governments. There is great reason to fear on this score heart brimmings & bitter political strife. Your views & mine & indeed almost all men coincide as to the course to be pursued at present & for the future. It is quite probable there will be many differences as to detail.

For my individual self, to avoid bitter strife & feelings I would have preferred, that the whole gang of Confederate leaders had escaped from the country, but when I look at the horrid soul sickening record of the murder by inches of our poor prisoners to the number of perhaps 50,000 I cannot but feel that its doubly damned infamous authors ought to swing high as Haman. Jeff Davis & his chief officers are directly responsible for this infamous - nay infernal wholesale murder - a crime as far more infamous as light is from darkness, that the wholesale butchery by Santa Ana or by Forest at Fort Pillow. Horror & righteous indignation fill the mind at the very thought.

Most sincerely do I congratulate you & yours on the prosperity which our Heavenly Father has vouchsafed to you all. Surely such a family of children are a blessing indeed, & for much of this under God are you & they indebted to the wise christian training of a judicious self denying wife & mother. Surely her children & childrens children will wise up and call her blessed. She has her reward. Give my regards to Adelia & her husband. His name I have forgotten. I congratulate them on his good fortune as a soldier, while he has proved his devotion to that countrys best interests. May God bless him and his.

Nora Howard, that was, the widow Mrs. Duncan, that is, is now visiting us. A young widow of 27. She is just the same good affectionate Nora, that we parted with so many years ago. Her husbands relatives & her home are now at Evansville, Indiana. She may stay with us for the summer.

My own health has varied very much. At one time some six weeks since I was very very sick with Pneumonia. I thought it was the closing struggle but God did not so order it & now I am about the house & ride out a little. But I am a hopeless invalid awaiting my Heavenly fathers summons. May we all be ready is the prayer of Your affectionate uncle Warren Jenkins. We reciprocate your kind regards.

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I'm including this letter, even though I don't know who Frank (the recipient) is nor Warren Jenkins (the sender) because I found it interesting. I also don't know where Rose Cottage is located. I wonder if Warren Jenkins could be related in some way to James W. Rose and his sister Mary J. Rose.

Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, Virginia on April 9, 1865 and President Lincoln was assassinated less than a week later.

See The Berlin Family :: List of The Letters for a complete listing of all of the family letters.