He was writing a letter home to his family, not a treatise on U.S. political or economic policy or application.  He wanted the War to end so he could go home to his family.  He wanted the Northerners to go home themselves and leave Virginia alone.  (He clearly believed in the right of states to secede from the Union, though I do not know if or how he voted on secession in May 1861.)  

He did ask his wife in the letter to thank the area Negroes for their many kindnesses to his family and said he hoped he could repay their kindness some day.  He owned no slaves; neither did any of his ancestors in Va. back to 1746, the earliest ancestor I have been able to prove on that line. In fact, one uncle was disinherited for owning 1 slave.  

Joan
a Southside Virginian through 11 proven generations

___________________________
Did he express any specific rules or influences of Northerners that he
found oppressive?  Did he feel oppressed by laws that forbade folks to aid
a slave seeking freedom?

                                         Anne

_________________________________
At 04:04 PM 2/20/03 -0500, you wrote:
>A letter written in May 1862 by one of my many Confederate ancestors makes
>it very plain that he was fighting to defend his home and the state of
>Virginia from the Yankees' invasion.  He expresses a wish for independence
>from the rule and influence of the Northerners. He was a yeoman farmer,
>though educated, and his grandfather fought in the Rev. War.
>
>Joan

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html