fear that "wicked, designing men & scheming politicians may hold the day a far off", but we know that wicked men cannot defeat the purposes of God & the permanent evil will befall those that walk uprightly & put their trust in Him, if I did not believe that there was a God that choose & appoints the destiny of nations, I should despair, for I must admit that the future looks very dark to me, but you must remember that it is the Christians privilege to look above & beyond the designs & even the sucesses of wicked men; I believe that our Father had a wise purpose in establishing this government & that that end is not fully attained & if unjust men do weild the armies of this nation for a time that we shall yet rejoice in a happy peaceful country, firmly established on principals of justice & equity; you will doubtless hear befor this reaches you of our defeat at Charleston; we have had no news from Vicksburg for a week, I hope that the plan of attack will be better laid & executed if you do attack them than there it was at Charleston, I don't believe that it (Charleston) can be taken by a marine force alone, they will have to be attacked on the land side; I want to see that city burned to the ground & never be rebuilt, but be a barren waste; that it may be a reproof a warning to traitors in future; my eyes & getting heavy & I will finish tomorrow, I am looking for a letter from you very anxiously; I am curious to know what HC has done for you by this time, write me all about the matter just as freely as you would tell me if you were here.
 Saturday morning 9 1/2 O'clock.  Dear Lyle, I had expected to get a letter this morning, but am disappointed, but if I should not get one for a month I should not blame you, for I know that you will not neglect me it is not quite a week since I got your last, but you know one every day would be acceptable, I am going down to
