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Text translation of Esther Herndon's Letter from June 23, 1864. Some words I have question marks next where I had trouble discerning them. Esther Herndon is my great-great-great maternal grandmother. My grandmother Mamie Sonora Herndon Knott had the letters in her desk for years. George, Daniel Boone and William Herndon were her great-uncles. George was killed May 16, 1864 at the battle of Drewry's Bluff, he was 20 years old.
Madison County Virginia June 23rd 1864
Thursday evening my dear loved Sons
As Mr. Clark Ehart is going to his company, starts in the morning as I understand, I thought it a good chance to drop you a few lines to let you know how we all are at this time. We are all well but Panny (nickname for youngest son, 14 year old Nathaniel) he was sick yesterday with a throwing up and burning of the bowels but he is rite piant today. He has carried my wool to the machines today we are harvesting cutting rye. Willis cut today at Williams. I all of the hands one day I will help again as soon as I can. As soon as I get my rye that is ripe down. I have not seen them Williams family for several days nor heard from them two days but they are all well. I know if they were not I should of heard from them. We have mighty dry weather and everything burning up. It is scary times to look at everything but I hope it will rain soon. I have been to see Sarah Parrot last week, she had not heard from Mr. Parrot when I left there. I hope she has before now. I have been looking for a letter from you but have not got none. Tobe is in Mr. Frys pasture doing well I hope. We have cut some clover hay on shares and got it home. Very nice hay but they will soon eat it up. I got a letter from Mr. Chmillin(?) since you left he says he had your dear little brother buried in a pine coffin the best he could do and his grave marked knowing the feelings of a bereaved mother that if I so wished and could get his body that it should be known where it was. He said he got four of his men to get him under a heavy fire, risked there lives he said, could not bear the thought of leaving as good a boy as George was in the hands of the enemy. I wish you could see the letter he wrote it gives me some consolation to know he was so beloved and I hope his soul is at rest where no sound of arms can disturb his silent rest. I must give him up but it is hard to do. I hope if I live I will get his body and put it where his father is laid, its all that can be done. It will do him no good it grieves me that he never could get home and wanted to come so bad. I got a letter from your brother John he did not start to Richmond as he wrote to me and it was well that he did not go for if he had he would have been cutoff and don’t know how long he might not got back. William I will try and help Mat all I can it is so dry the grain is all getting ripe so fast I don’t now how they will do they must work fast. I tell them but you know how they work so slow and careful. I will keep trying to stir them up save it if I can. I hope if nothing happens to us we will be able to save all the corn. Is mighty little and if it don’t rain soon there can not none be made it is all twisted up and looks like it will dry up but we must hope for the best and keep trying. I want to hear from you both, I heard your regiment was below livesacoat(?) house when I was at Mr. Parrots by the soldiers that passed by there. My dear sons try and take all care of your selves you can and may the god of our fathers guide and protect you through all the rough paths you may have to go and return home to those that loves you dearly is the prayer of your affectionate mother.
Esther H. Herndon to her sons William P. Herndon, D.B.(Daniel Boon) Herndon
Of the 4th VA Cavalry