Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/166

Rh who was in the 97th at Canterbury, had four or five balls in his clothes; one of them took off the tail of his red coat, in which was his purse, containing nine pounds! The night before last, one of my beautiful dreams was dispelled by a shaking of my tent, and in answer to 'Who is there?' I received the reply, 'Please, Sir, a staff-officer has just ridden into the camp to bid us be ready at a moment's notice; the Russians are moving on our right flank.' 'All right,' said I, and commending myself to my Heavenly Father, fell fast asleep again, knowing I was all ready for a moment's notice. However, we heard no more of it. While I write, musketry is hard at work and cannon roaring. Our fellows say the Russian cheer is a pitiful whine, very unlike the British war shout! I am so glad to hear you had such a pleasant visit from —— and ——. They write with so much love and affection of you, dearest sister, that I love them more than ever. I trust we shall yet have many happy meetings of our united families in this world; but if God wills it otherwise, we cannot, after all, be long separated.

"I often feel sad and low when I think of dearest ——, for I fear that he has not yet been reconciled to God, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. If I am to die in this war, it would soothe my last hours were an angel to whisper that he was safe — safe for time and for eternity. If he once tasted how good and gracious the Lord is, and felt in his own soul the safety, confidence, and peace of abiding m Jesus, all worldly pleasures would lose their charm for him. Give my best love to our dearest mother. Oh, how my heart yearns for one more embrace!

"It is with difficulty I manage to scrape together time and materials for writing. My best love to dear Edward, when you see him, and to dear Lord Rayleigh. May God bless him in body and soul. My love also to dear aunt Caroline, my darling god-