I am sorry this letter reaches you so late as I know you are eager to hear about my visit with Mrs. Lincoln and to inform you of the manners and behaviors of the troops that lay to the right and left of us in the open field. Mrs. Lincoln was finely dressed, even down to her fingertips which were gloved to protect her delicate skin from the sun, as that is the fashion of our time.
She shared with us the health of her sons and her concerns about her dear husband's disposition to this "Dreadful War." Such is the humor of this Lady that she regaled us with such stories of her courtship by Mr. Lincoln and their courtship cake but for which she never did give us the recipe. I'm told the recipe is from France and the cake is made of almond flour.
There were other Ladies of similar rank and position including, Miss. Nancy. She came down from Iowa and was so generous in her explanation of the buttons we use to adorn our dresses, waist-coats and the cost of items such as these, that I will be forever grateful for that learned Lady's discourse. Miss. Minor was in attendance as well and spoke at great length of the Woman Suffrage Association. Also, there was a woman at table with us who wore a marvelously wrought chatelaine around her ample waist.
The small wicker basket holds her thimble, the locket contains a lock of her husband's hair, a pair of scissors and a shell snuff box. Quite often she is overcome by the vapors and is in need of her snuff to revive her. The sound of the troops readying for battle had more than just a few of us reaching for our snuff boxes but it brought our minds back to our purpose - rolling bandages. I must admit I was not very good and required the assistance of none other than Mrs. Lincoln herself...
Your loving Sister, Susan.
