Dated “Baltimore, Sept. 9^th, [18]62.” From wife “Cusey” [?] to husband “Joey”. 4pp., in ink, measuring 8 x 5.25”. Light fold-marks. Else fine, and easy to read.

“My Own Dear Love…….Again all is excitement here as you doubtless are aware. Even just now as I sat down to commence this, a report is in circulation that the confederates are very near this city. The papers of this morning say that they are in possession of Harrisburg Pa. So you see dearest I have two fears, one for you my darling and one for myself. Joey love it would not be half so bad if we were together, would it? Each knowing how the other is faring, but this ignorance and doubt of each other’s condition is agonizing in the extreme…..”

Wife “Cusey” acknowledges receipt of a picture from her absent husband, but notes that “it has the look of care and trouble, and I fear Cusey is the cause of it.” “I have kissed the dear likeness over and over again. I have put it in a frame I had as the best way of keep-ing it, and hung it up in my room, and I kiss it every morning and night before I say my prayers, and do not forget in them to pray for the safety and prosperity of the dearly beloved original.”

Reverting to the theme of Confederate invasion, she wonders at the destruction that may occur if the Confederates march both on “Maryland, My Maryland” and on Pennsylvania. Fearing for Baltimore, she also fears the confederates have…….. “expressed determination to make PA taste the “horrors of war” and have an eye on Pittsburgh and her immense number of foundries [which I hope they will not get]……So dearest take our affairs on which horn we please, the prospect is not very cheering is it?......if this city [Baltimore] is destroyed, I in all probability lose all I have here, and if Pittsburg you lose all your worldy wealth. It’s a gloomy prospect but we might as will face it. And try to bear it….”

She attempts to lighten the mood, writing that “things remain just the same with me as ever, nothing doing. F is well, and trying to get a situation as nurse in one of the hospitals……Enclosed I send a scrap of Orpheus Kerr’s wit, it is very amusing.”

Then concludes as follows: “And now dear, dear love I must close. Do not worry yourself any more than you can help about our desperate state of affairs. Take good care of my darling for the sake of his loving and/ devoted Cusey.”

Superb and touching civilian letter, by a wife highly worried about the approach of Lee’s Confederates.

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