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July 17 [1861]
Mr. J. E. Gilmer
Dear Nephew I recd. your letter some time previous to the one Rives & yourself addressed to James and now I send my love and respects to you and through you to all our esteemed Nephews; and all our friends from this region; who prompted by a noble patriotism, an attachment to our bloved Virginia, the Mother States-Our rising & promising Confederacy, our homes, our alters our Honor our lives our common country. To preserve all these unesteemable blessings, bequathed by God, unto us through the instrumentality of the Fathers of our Country. You have left home, relations, personal Interest, exposed to all the perils and dangers of war. May your lives health be precious in the sight of him who giveth live and taketh it away. The God who holdeth the destiny of Nations who raiseth up one & putteth down another We should rejoice that we are all in the hands God our hevenly Father; who careth for us, and without whose notice a sparrow falleth not to the ground. The race is not the swift, nor the battle to the strong. There is a power above the arm of flesh, and in this war North and South we should not forget the power & providence of of the Supreme Ruler on the Nations of the earth. There is doubtless much wickedness by us as Americans on all sides I fear we have not appreciated and improved our civil and religious privileges as we should; God may intend to chastise us all to say nothing of his judgements. It is true that our enemy is both the agressor and invader which gives us many natural advantages, and will doubtless give us favor in the eyes of all civilized nations. As to the bone of contention betwen the Federal government and the States of the Union as formerly existed the Federal Constitution was the map & chart the bond & strength of the Union, This constitution of the general government violated & trampled under foot then a peacabe separation or war must be the consequence, unless a dishonerable submission which would amount to a destruction of our civil polity and government This latter alternative might have proved to be a greater evil than war its self. To sum up the whole matter in regard to the belligerent state of North & South we say the South has adhered to the constitution and when violated by the North to the injury of the South, we have borne these wrongs for years patiently, and when the rupture & separation commenced the South exausted all means to affect a peacable separation and even a reconcilliation & reconstruction, while at the same time the North was collecting men & arms to subdue us by brute force. Under these circumstances we we were compeled to take up arms. Ira Runnels son Johnson died a few days ago & there have several young folks died lately in the New Garden with the flux but I think they were not relations of any of the volunteers at that place The General health of the country has never been better The crops of grass & small grain are good & abundant corn crops are also promising Our relations & yours on all sides are well so far as I know except a child of Isaac Gilmers day before yesterday was quite un well We all join in our prayers & ardent desire for you all your success, halth of soul & body, as well as a safe return home, sweet home, may God bless you all I will receive communication from any or all of you, as a great favor Your affectionate Uncle
Wm Gilmore Sr.
To J. E. Gilmer