From Edward Fitch to Dear Parents
What is the matter that I do not get any word from home now for a long time? With all the excitement about war when I want to know what Hopkinton is doing. I have not heard a word in a long time.
How are all the folks at home, Mother especially? She was not well the last I heard. We are all pretty well here now. Charlie has had a little sick spell with croup etc. but is well now I think. He will be eleven months old tomorrow. He can get up onto his feet by my clothes or his mother’s now and walks along a very little by the chair & lounge etc. He is quite strong of his age I think. If you want to know how he looks, all the folks that see him say that he looks just like me exactly.
I may direct some money to be sent to you from Worcester to paid to Geo. If I do and it comes, please pay it over to George when he is there or if it should not get there till he has been there send it to him if he says so. If not keep it subject to my order. It will be from Mussy of Worcester if it comes.
Who has gone to the war from Hopkinton that I know or that I dont know? How is the feeling there? Are there any that sympathise with the South now? If so, who? What is the prospect of a crop this year etc.? Who is helping on the farm? Who manages the work department? Elijah? I hope he is able to do it and do it well. Has he grown any bigger than he was when I was there?
Do please some of you write to me a little oftener as long as we can get letters thru. I dont know how much longer that may be if Mo. should secede. She may stop the mail. If she does we shall have to fight. We have several military companies now formed here that will give good acct. of themselves if called upon. Was the old Hopkinton Military all dead or is it on a war party now or on the way South? I hope the South wont back down now that we have had a chance to whip them once at any rate.
Whipping them once in a good fair battle will I think show them that the Yankees can fight some when they get roused up to it. It takes considerable to rouse them but when they do begin I hope they will not stop as long as there is a Slave in the country. War is terrible but sometimes it is necessary for the good of the whole world as a whole.
Please write to me and tell me the news from old Hopkinton. I am very anxious to hear. We have heard from George as far East as Cincinnati and suppose by this time he is in Massachusetts. Hope you will see him before long there at Hopkinton.
I am alone here in the store. Father is at Topeka to take Geo.’s place so I have just about as much to attend to as I can get along with anyway. It is pretty hard getting [along] alone any way. We have just about as much as two good hands can do, that is those that are used to the business, so I dont have much tiem to write letters that is sure. Last night I did not get thru so as to shut up the store till eleven O’clock.
Your aff Son Edward P. Fitch
[ ] How are Uncle Dr’s folks? I have not heard anything from John for a long time.
