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Yours of the 5th only reached me Friday night, too late
therefore to communicate with Gov.
I think it best to take it as a fundamental notion that the college must be kept up. Come what may, its organization should not be
destroyed. The idea that it is a "sinking ship" is not to be tolerated for a moment. It must be kept
afloat somehow during the war, and then with proper management a prosperous
voyage & glorious results are certain. I feel
very earnest on this point, for I believe that if the college is disbanded now
it will begin its new life after the war a sickly affair, as will be the fate of
the numerous colleges in the South — While if it can be kept up during
this struggle, it will have a prestige which properly seconded by the
authorities who control the
It seems to me probable however, that hereafter it might be prudent &
might supply a felt want in the country to attach one or more military
professorships, the studies in that department to be elective, as in the case of
is thus made desirable, I confess I cannot
even give an intelligent opinion. You who are on the
ground are in the
And finally, as to the possibility of my assisting in this instruction, I am not
in a position to say anything definitely. My wound has been at a stand-still
since I left anything before February, and then will probably not
be able to walk readily. In that case I don't see that I could be of much
service to you in the way of drilling, which is the main thing aimed at I
suppose. And again I don't know but the Confed. authorities would say that when
I am able to take charge of a small squad of soldiers at college I had best
return & take charge of my big squad in the field. It may happen that I will never be fit for duty in the
field again & may be put on light duty at some post. It will be at all
events a month or so before the matter can be decided. But the selection of the man is subsidiary. The first thing is to decide
on the proper policy.
I have given you my opinions on this subject after thinking it over long
& often. I don't know whether they
I think I shall not make my visit to r makes me hug the bed very
closely & has changed the dressing on the wound to something more
stimulating than the simple curate. The granulations had come to look very
"flabby" & unhealthy. They have improved within the
past two days & I hope in a day or two to be allowed to sit up again. Is Lieut. Johnston1 out of the
service that he is making arrangements to spend the winter with his friends? I
have heard no news from the army since I left it.
I wish you would button-hole Gov. corn. I have told famine. And the
end— where is it? Who will survive to see it? But [Remainder of letter is missing.]