Kindness done to Thomas and William by thier father; reasons suggested for selling an old house; bills for repairs to some property; mention of the Baltimore Fair; excitement in Virginia over politics and an expected Democratic victory; bad weather for farming. 4 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Request for letters from the family and for the weekly Union; Robert's poor health; duties in a regimental hospital; quarters "in the house of one Lombardo, a very intimate friend of Santa Anna"; relations with other Army officers; peace negotiations by Mr. Trist; mention of General Scott. 2 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

"Uncertainties of war"; mention of General Brooke; medical inspection of 80 men and rejection of 9; need to justify the reasons for rejecting the 9; entertainment of some soldiers; reference to Robert as "a son of old Tom's"; mention of Col. Wilson; possibility of traveling to Vera Cruz or New Orleans; questions about the family. 3 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Coffee as an essential in the daily life of a soldier; Robert's duties while on march; robert's encounter with Mexican cavalry; description of an area surrounding Cuernavaca; position as "Medical Director to the brigade"; query about a possible peace settlement and mention of Mr. Trist; desire to remain with the Army, but not in Mexico with inactive troops. 4 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

"Witness in the court of Inquiry into the conduct of Col. Borham"; troop movements around Cuernavaca; organization of a temperance society to help curb disease "attributable to the too free use of Mexican spirits"; exploration of a large cave and reference to Madame Calderon [?] who wrote about it; experiences upon taking a wrong turn into the mountains; Robert's financial staus; Army appointments. 6 pp. ALS.

Plans for trip to Washington; willingness to attend to several matters for Belle; attempt to see Mrs. Orgain; comment on the rainy weather; William Harrison at Ampthill. 2 pp. ALS.

Anne Eliza's health. 1 p. ANS.

Scope and Contents

Visit from Mr. Branch; sale of wheat; low on flour; Mr. Harrison's depressed state; "day at Westover and another with Dr. Selden"; weather around Brandon; concern about his father Thomas Ritchie and suggested tombstone inscription "He loboured day and night to save us from dissolution and divil war"; greeting to Dr. Stone. 3 pp. ALS.

Refreshing return to the country; dinner with Dr. Osborne; health of Mrs. Ball and her baby; sale of wheat; return of the Orgains; thank you to Margaret; Robert's decision not to leave Brandon; pencilled list on envelope. 3 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Care of a patient and a ride in "a cold drenching rain"; goods delivered for Mrs. Orsborne and the servants; letter to Mr. Milson; suggestion about sending letters; request for fruit; trouble with the drew on the ferry; fever in the area; Dr. Marks' health; dining at Claremont [?]; effect on the rains on the wheat; trip to White Sulphur by Mrs. Osborne and the Orgains; butter from Mr. Ball. 2 pp. ALS.

Number of sick patients; danger at Old Point; return of the Orgains; Osbornes to White Sulphur; present from William Cross; love to the family. 2 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Weather in Richmond; "arrangements...to take charge of Mrs.Micke [?] as far as Brandon"; need for "Charlotte to be very prudent in regard to the talk"...she had with Robert; talk with William and Cora Ritchie. 2 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

"obstinate form of dysentary amongst the servants"; improvement in the weather; arrangements about preserves; mention of Capt. Davis; recovering all the current jelly; letter from a woman that Robert is quite serious about and his inability to "fathom the working of the female heart".

Poor health of the Osbornes; letter to Cora Ritchie's sister; acceptability of Mr. Murdaugh as the local minister; sale of wheat; dinner with Crenshaw; love to members of the family. 2 pp. ALS.

Extended stay in Richmond because of ill health; William in Tennessee; inclement weather; purchase of seed wheat; good corn crop expected; painting the house; securing someone to plant the wheat; health of the old Colonel; mention of Mr. Murdaugh and Ben's wife. 2 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Finances in regard to rent from a house; William's "parting with the old Enquirer"; sickness in the area; repairs being done to the house; sale of wheat; "braking up a few retail whiskey shops"; brief encounter with Randolph Harrison. 3 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Letter from Brockwell [?] in regard to Mr. Bishop; eviction of the Brockwells; question of whether or not to pay Brockwell and wage; "survey of farming operations" at Brandon with William Ritchie; need to be more direct when giving orders to the plantation's overseers; foraging by Capt. Whiting for General Magruder's army. 4 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Robert being "stunned at late disasters"; "effect of giving up Norfolk and James River"; prediction of Richmond's eventual fall; troops near Petersburg; brief summary of deliberations in regard to Brandon; burning of the wharves; sale of Robert's horse; key for Belle's watch; mention of the Monitor. 3 pp. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Desire of all the servants to stay at Brandon; fate of Richmond; Robert's schemes to save the city by either "a series of obstructions" or an Englishman who leveled a hill scientifically; travel on the river; desire to secure the services of Mr. Hammondsl "Capt. John Rogers proclamation to the ladies & gentlemen on James River". 3 pp. ALS.

Regret that the Tylers cannot accept a dinner invitation to Brandon. 1 p. ALS.

Scope and Contents

Answer to Ritchie's letter by "the Superintendent of Negro Affairs or York County"; inquiry about property "leased by Govnt to thirty negroes"; decision that the property "cannot be given up to the original owner until the expiration of the term of lease". 2 pp. ALS.

The leasing of ten acres of land belonging to Indian Fields Farm [once owned by Robert R. Ritchie] Witnessed by Jonas Gilderlen. 2 pp. Doc.Cy.

Scope and Contents

that Robert R. Ritchie took "the Oath prescribed by the President...in his Proclamation of May 29th, 1965". 1 p. DocS.

Scope and Contents

[i.e. McCandlish] on Indian Fields Farm as a result of "'An act for the collection of direct taxes in insurrectionary districts'...approved June 7, 1862". Included also is a note from Tho. P. McCandlish attesting that the "land...referred to, is the property of Dr. Ro. R. Ritchie". 2 pp. DocS.

Bonds secured by Robert Ritchie to purchase Indian Fields; collection of Money on these bonds; need to have a reliable tenant on the property; suggested release of Capt. Wilder in favor of General Howard. 1 p. ALS.