Item Description: A letter from R. Roulhac to his mother regarding, provisions for clothes, his romantic pursuits at home, as well as his rank in his regiment. He speaks at length about how much letters from home mean to him.

Item Citation: From Folder 92, in the Ruffin, Roulhac, and Hamilton Family #643, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item Transcription:

Petersburg, Va
Feb 13th 65

Dear Mother,

Your long letter came duly to hand and would have been answered but I thought that you would have received my letter written immediately on my arrival here, before this & I might answer both at the same time.

I was very glad to hear from you and I think you might have answered my letter before this since I have been looking for an answer day after day for the past week but day doomed to disappointments, I have written to Hillsboro about a dozen times since I left there & your letters constitute the totum et tutum of mind, make every body answer my letters and please like a good mother set them the example, for although I love dearly to hear from all my friends your letters Dear Mother make me a better boy for a week afterwards if I could  you to believe this I know you would write once a week and that’s exactly what you ought to do. Give my best love to all at home, I suppose ? has returned from Columbia, if so kiss her & dear little Katya a thousand times for me. I would like so much to see them both.

I sent a letter Dear Mother from Major Graham you will send the length of cloth by xpress to Hillsboro. I hope you have rec’d it as it will be a great loss to myself & Lt. Barrett, they are in the same bundle but tied up separately. I presume, out is for myself (the finest) & the other I wish you would send by Wallie when he comes next. You have had my pants and vest made, I suppose, please send my whole suit by Walter Thompson when he comes in the valise, which is the very thing I want to carry with me in the army.

I shall want my suit to go to Shirling Suix wedding if I can get off at that time and when I get my suit I am sure I can feel like a white man & a gentleman all I want is a pr. of nice boots or shows to dance in & I shall be annoyed; the wedding will come off about the 12th of 15th of March. You need not say anything about it. I hope to go & shall try to do so but I do not know if Miss. Robert will let me. I hope you have my pants made with enough in the legs.

I expect I may soon be made Captain tho. I am not certain that are some promotions to make shortly.  in the Rg’t & Brigade and I have several friends of influence at work for me this is of course entre nous. I am ambitious you know & am working with all my might, should I succeed I suppose you will have no objection to my marrying on the spot or do you prefer my waiting until I am Brigadier General I believe I am in favor of waiting myself, in the meanwhile I have you to do my courting in Hillsboro with Lizzie Manly or Miss Lara. I am not particular, which provided Lizzie will get over the habit of fatiguing or exhausting, speaking of that remind me you said in your letter that “the young gentlemen say they will never have another storm here” What do they mean by “here” at your home or in Hillsboro. I would like very much to know. For if they mean at home they are a dirty set of blackguards.

I am sorry Robert Graham was not at home while I was there as I know any would have had a good time, he is a nice fellow and deserves he enjoy himself for his gallant conduct during the past campaign. I hope he may do so.

Write soon to me, John Long got your letter I am sorry you mentioned about the clothes for I had already done so. As you desired I tried to do it as politely & delicately as possible but I do not think he has the clothes, he has promised to look when we go to the Baggage Train which will be done after tomorrow Wednesday.

Love, to all. Kiss Becca Ruffin she the dearest somebody I know. Any which, Love to all friends. God bless you Dear Mother,

??

The R.R.