Stonewall Jackson Papers. 1858 October 23

About this Document

Read the full text (below)

Lexington Va.
Oct. 23d, 1858

My dear sister,

Your letter of the 19th inst. reached me this morning. Thomas reached here as you expected on last Saturday and has been a very good boy and we are all much pleased with him. He commenced going to school on Tuesday last to Mr. McFarland & is studying the English & Latin languages. His teacher wishes him to study arithmetic also, but I am unwilling for him to undertake any more at present, until I see what success will attend his present studies & also what kind of health he will have. I don't wish him to go over any thing without his understanding it thoroughly & hence he must not have too much to study. I regard it as a great error to require a child to study what his mind is not capable of appreciating. The tendency is to diminish his fondness for study, to give him a vague way of thinking (since he is not accustomed to see the precise points) & by overtasking the mind his health both of body & mind are endangered. I have been much gratified as seeing Thomas' mind so good; it has improved very much since I last saw him & I think it is partly due to the light course of studies which he has been pursuing.

I will attend to the directions of your letter & I am glad to see that your views with regard to Thomas' education & my views on the same subject are so much alike. I don't think that Thomas will get much home sick. I regret that I have not got some occupation for him & also regret not having some good companion for him to always associate with. I wrote to you about pocket money for him, but as I stated that probably he had reserved enough for that purpose, so I find such to be the case, as he since gave me three dollars to keep for him. Should you send him any clothes at any time, I would not send them of the same style as those he wears, as they are not worn here by boys as large as himself. I find that his dress makes him too marked, I will get him a suit, better adapted to his age.

My greatest concern about him is his eating. When he first came, he would use neither milk nor coffee, since then he drinks a little coffee; but I am a little afraid of his doing so, as he has not been accustomed he says to its use. I don't wish him to change his home habits in any respect unless there is necessity for so doing. I wish you would let me know how he lived at home. He gets his lessons well. Anna joins me in love to yourself & the children.

Your affectionate brother,
Thomas