"Cousin Anna," as he called our aunt, and he wrote to my mother,
urging her not to remain there. He sympathised with her in having
to leave her home, which she never saw again.

"Richmond, May 25, 1861.

"I have been trying, dearest Mary, ever since the receipt of your
letter by Custis, to write to you. I sympathise deeply in your feelings
at leaving your dear home. I have experienced them myself, and they
are constantly revived. I fear we have not been grateful enough for
the happiness there within our reach, and our Heavenly Father has found
it necessary to deprive us of what He has given us. I acknowledge
my ingratitude, my transgressions, and my unworthiness, and submit
with resignation to what he thinks proper to inflict upon me. We must
trust all then to him, and I do not think it prudent or right for you
to return there, while the United States troops occupy that country.
I have gone over all this ground before, and have just written Cousin
Anna on the subject.

"While writing, I received a telegram from Cousin John Goldsborough [a
cousin of Mrs. Fitzhugh], urging your departure 'South.' I suppose
he is impressed with the risk of your present position, and in addition
to the possibility, or probability, of personal annoyance to yourself,
I fear your presence may provoke annoyance in Cousin Anna. But unless
Cousin Anna goes with you, I shall be distressed about her being there
alone. If the girls went to 'Kinloch' or 'Eastern View,' you and
Cousin Anna might take care of yourselves, because you could get in
the carriage and go off in an emergency. But I really am afraid that
you may prove more harm than comfort to her. Mr. Wm. C. Rives has
just been in to say that if you and Cousin Anna will go to his house,