Dear Wife
I recived
your letter of the 2nd day before yesterday evening__ and am truly sorry that the letters I wrote
to Addison and Susan had the effect to make the matter worse for the intentions
of the letter was to settle the fus and to gratify
Susan as much as possible Lt Girly
requested me to write to Susan as she was very much troubled on account of the
reports concerning him__ I did not
mention in my letter to her anything about his having the pock__ I only
contradicted the report__ that Girly and
Franklin was lying about drunk I said
everything in his favor that I possibly could say__ (and tell the truth) for I had und=erstood
that Susan was setting about and crying all the time__ and I thought that I would console her if I
could__ as her and more was already
married and the reason that I wrote to Addison was __ that I was fearful that
they might think from what I had wrote to Susan__ that I was trying to deny
what I said about More__ and I just
stated to him what I told Sarah__ and
why I told her so__ and that for the
future I was in hopes that there would be nothing more said about it for the
sake of Susans feelings__ that you may better understand I will tell
you the sub=stance of what I wrote to him__
and that I told her as there was a probability of Susan and More
marrying that they would do well to enquire into the matter before the marriage
took place__ that it would be to late
after__ (and I do think they acted very
imprudently__ to mention it to him after he was married as they did not do it
before)__ I stated to him also that I
had answered some points to you direct and that I had never said or wrote to
you anything that I could not prove__ I
told him that More was conducting himself well at present__ and that all men was was
subject to misfortunes and that I did not know that More was any worse off by
his misfortunes__ You may rest assured
that I did not contradict anything that I had ever said in either of the
letters__ my intentions were to give
satisfaction__ and to stop the matter
where it was and if they are disposed to keep up a fuss about it let them__
rip__ they cannot injure me by it__ Girly did not mention it to me for some time
after hi got back and when he did he told me that Addisons
folks had told him that I had told that him and Franklin was drinking and
gambling and spending their money with loose character about Savanah__ I told him
that much of it was false and told him precisely what I did say about it__ and asked him what else I could have said and
he appeared to be satisfied__ and said
that he knew that he had done things that he ought not to have done__ and asked me to write to Susan__ myself Franklin and More is as friendly as we ever
were__ you said that you wanted me to
send you transportation by Sid Williamson__
that you wanted to come back with him__
Turner Johnson has gone home in his place and I do not know when
Williamson’s time will come__ Franklin will go home in June and you had better
wait and come with him for Sid is a very poor chance__ transportation will entitle you to half
fare__ I will send you transportation as
soon as I can get the chance to go up to Savanah__ and it will be good to you whenever you a
chance to come__ I want you to come when
you get a chance__ If you can save money
enough to pay your way [---] here__ I
have been detaled on a garden for nearly two months
and have not had the chance to make any money this year__ and I do not know when I will get off the
detail__ I did not know that Lt Grisley had sent and instrament
of writing home proving his character__
when I wrote to Susan and Addison__
they did not show it to me__ but
I have learned that my name was not mentioned in it__ He only tried to prove that his
character as far as getting drunk was concerned__ his pock care was not
mentioned in it__ and I have no idea
that he will ever try to prove that never had it__ for I can prove to the contrary by the whole
company if it is necessary__ do no say
anything about what I have wrote in this letter__ keep dark and rest easy__ I will send you the books as soon as I
can__ everything is quite here no news of importance__ this leaves me well tell Susan [Sarah?] and Louise to let Susan
alone do not say anything to aggravate
her__ write soon and tell me all the
news__ how you are getting along
farming__ and gardening etc. have the hogs come back__ my love to the children__
Your Affectionate Husband
H. F. Scarborough