https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000011396573&view=1up&seq=75
http://www.alexanderpalace.org/letters/november14.html
Alexandra wrote this letter to Nicholas on November 18, 1914. He replied in telegram and wrote a letter along with it the next day.
The letter:
Tsarskoje Selo, Nov. 18-th 1914
My own beloved One,
As a Feldjeger leaves this evening, I profit to write & tell you how we spent the morning. Such pain fills the heart without my Sweetheart being here — so hard to see you having all alone. — We went straight to the hospital after Fredericks had given me a paper to sign at the station. We had a good deal to do, but I sat long whilst the children worked. A. was in a stupid, unamiable mood. She went off earlier to see Alia who arrives, & will only come back at 9 & not to our lecture. She never asked what I would do — once you are not there, she is glad to get out of the house. Its no good running away from ones sorrow. But I am glad to see less of her when she is unamiable.
What dirty weather! I am going to the Childrens' hospital & then to the big palace.
Marie & Olga go rushing about the room, Tatiana has a lesson, Anastasia sits with her — Baby is going out after resting. The Governor calls me quickly. — I just received M-me Muftizade & then the business manager of my Tsarskoje Selo red cross of Suvalki. He has come to fetch things & ask for a motors. —
Beloved One, my very own Huzy dear — me wants kiss you, to cudle close & feel comfy.
Now the children call me to the hospital, so I must be off. The man goes at 5. Goodbye lovy mine, God bless & keep you now & evermore.
All the children kiss you tenderly.
Ever your very own
Wify.
Nicholas's reply telegram:
Telegram.
Stavka. 19 November, 1914.
Have arrived in good time; thanks for letter and telegram. The weather is as it was yesterday, without frost. Kyrill and Dmitry are at present here. Embrace you and the children.
Nicholas's reply letter:
Stavka. 19 November, 1914.
MY PRECIOUS WIFY,
Sincerest thanks for your sweet letter (the second), received to-day after dinner. I arrived exactly at 12.30. N. met me at the big station behind the wood. He looks well and calm, though he has lived through terrible moments, more correctly days, when the Germans were penetrating deeper and deeper. The only great and serious difficulty for our troops is that we have again an insufficiency of munitions. In consequence of this, our troops have to observe economy and discretion during action, which means that the brunt of the fighting falls upon the infantry; owing to that, the losses at once become colossal. Some of the Corps of the Line have become divisions; the brigades have shrunk into regiments, and so forth.
Reinforcements are coming in well, but half of them have no rifles, as the troops are losing masses. There is nobody to collect them on the battlefields.
Apparently the Germans are drawing the Austrians up to the north; several Austrian corps are fighting on our soil, as if they have come up from Thom.
And all of these troops are commanded by Prussian generals. It is said that the Austrian prisoners abuse their allies for that. Petiusha is here again and is feeling well. I also saw Kyrill, Dmitry and Yoanchik, who has asked me to appoint our Olga president of the committee for the building of the large cathedral, if he should be killed.
Four foreign generals dined with me. I had a talk with them in the evening. They have travelled not a little round the places where there is heavy fighting at present — Soukhachev, Seradz, Lodz, etc. Today we had no detailed reports from the front.
My beloved Sunny, I love you with an undying love; as you see, I could call it "un puits d'amour" and this after twenty years. God bless you, my darling! May He guard you and the children. I kiss you all tenderly.
YOUR Nicky.
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra.
Above: Anna Vyrubova.
Above: Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.
Above: Alexei.
Note: "Un puits d'amour" = "a well of love".
