1861 June 21 Belmead

My Dear Father

Your messenger with
letters arrived while we were at dinner
and we were greatly cheered and
gratified to secure so many kind
letters & also hear all were well at Bremo.
As Brother returns in the morning
I shall devote the afternoon to replying
to the letters received by him. And as
yours is the most highly valued and
appreciated coming as it does from the
oldest & most honored Head of the
family the first replied to must be
yours–And I must begin by saying
the family reading of the Bible has
been regularly kept up by all of us
& the morning after you left in compliance
with your wishes as well as from a
sense of duty I commenced reading
Family Prayers which I have found a
pleasant duty & I trust the example as well as
the [work?] may be blessed to us all for I really

[page 2]
feel better satisfied & happier now
that we have a Religious observance in
our Family. We all assemble precisely
at 7, the girls rising at 6 & I myself at
5 reciting first in my chamber
We then read two chapters alternately
as you suggested. And then I read
a Psalm or some other portion of
scripture when we have prayers
I thought it best & most convenient
to have the family gathering all at one
time not for the girls to assemble
& read at an earlier hour & then
have a second assembling. I find
the present plan acts well & we are
all very punctual & systematic &
conscientious in the discharge of this
duty the performance of which I
trust God will bless. If you would
prefer any other course or rather the
girls reading should be separate &
distinct from mine you have
only to indicate your wishes on the
subject & our present arrangement
can be altered. We breakfast at 7 1/2 & then
the girls take a walk when not too
warm & then they devote the balance of the

[page 3]
day to reading & working. They spend
but little of any in lolling or idling
And I never hear them complain
of having nothing to do. Home
seems to be the centre of attraction
for them all they never desire to leave
& if could be only cheered by
the presence of their Father & Brother
all would be well. But the war movements
keep us of course anxious all the
time & the breaking up of social
ties & associations is indeed a sad
thing to us all. Yet our country
demands the service of its gallant
sons & I must cheerfully make every
sacrifice that our rights & justice may
be redressed & vindicated.

Sally & Lucy spent last friday & Sat
with the Misses Harrison in Amelia
Mrs Harrison had gone to Manassas
on a visit to her son & did not
return until last Tuesday I hear
he was highly delighted with her visit
& all the arrangements at Manassas
Genl Beauregard has made the Powhatan
Troop of which Hartwell Harrison is
a member his

[page 4]
Body Guard, this great General
we hear is dong all he can to promote
the comfort of his Forces as well as to
urge them on in the Defence and
protection of their country. I had a
short letter from Mr Cocke from Ric[hmond]
but he did not enter into a details of
his plans or movements. But said
he thought we might go up to Cul
peper after Harvest & that he was hastening
back expecting a visit from you
this week.

We commenced our wheat Harvest
yesterday. It is a very heavy one we
have had four Machines running
to day. We shall be greatly pressed
to secure it in proper crates[?] as our
crop unfortunately ripens all at
once. Our corn is very forward & has
been laid by. It is excessively warm
to day. Ther. 94 on Northern Porch at
dinner. A good rain would be very
acceptable. Willie has replied by mail
to your letter. He will probably go up to
your house by next Tuesday mornings
packet. He is deeply interested in the
Harvest as well as his water melon crop
which is very promising.

[on top of page 1]
As I have several other letters to write
with love to
Cousin Judy & Sally I remain yrs very truly
C.B.C.

[Sally Elizabeth] Courtney Bowdoin Cocke had been the ward of General John Hartwell Cocke and married his son General Philip St. George Cocke. Her “Brother” was Lieut. Col. Charles Cary Cocke and the girls’ Brother was John Bowdoin Cocke.]

MSS 640

1861 June 21 Camp Davis

Dear Pa

I am now on the road, where I am going I do n’t
know. We received marching orders at Romney last Thursday even=
ing to leave the next morning at four oclock, we left at five, reached
this place about eleven. This place is called the hanging rock,
near Blue’s Tavern, sixteen miles from Romney. We will leave at four
oclock this evening and expect to camp at the Capron Bridge, about
ten miles from here and I hear Col. Hill will wait there for further orders
from General Johnson. Some of the boys think we are going to
Winchester first & some ot others think we are going to Strasburg
& from there to Manassa[s], but none of us know, I don’t reckon
Col. Hill knows himself. We all hated to leave Romney right
bad, we were very pleasantly situated. The last week we’ve
spent has n’t been like it was at Harper’s Ferry in that
Lutheran Church, we have been seeing right hard times.

While we were at Winchester we were camped in the fairgrou^‘nds’
and were not allowed to go out at all except to wash and
we have been right short of provisions several times, we get
enough now, such as it is. We suffered from heat very
warm and dusty, a great many broke down, Bro. John
had to get in the wagon. Pen walked all the way as well
as my self, Garret said that was n’t like riding on the
cars, he stands the marching very well, but has to get
in the wagon sometimes. When we got within

[page 2]
four miles of this place yesterday Col. Hill told us we cd
take our time about it ^‘just’ so we got here last night, we all broke
ranks and took it very leisur^’e’ly. Jesse Porter & myself went
to a house on the road & got a very nice sn^’a’ck & then took a
long nap before we got here. After we got yr here yesterday
evening I I went out in the country with Payne & got a very
nice supper, I went again this morning before breakfast & got a
bucket of nice milk, & went again a little while ago & got a buck-
et of buttermilk & a dozen of eggs, so you see we wo n’t
starve. We had a storm last night which came very near
upset[t]ing our tent, we had to get up and hold the tent down
to keep it from blowing away, had to hold it for two hours
& could ^ ‘hardly keep’ hardly hold it down. Bro. John intended writing
but he has gone away with Mr. Ryland to preach for him
tomorrow, about ten miles from here. We’ve just had
orders to be ready to start at half past three this evening,
we will not go more than eight or ten miles to night, start
again tomorrow and camp within five or six miles
of Winchester for several days I expect. I wrote al letter
to Miss Lute Payne while I was at Romney but coul^‘d’
n’t get it mailed before I left. We got yr letter direct=
ed to Winchest[er] while we were at Romney, did n’t get the pap=
er, you need n’t send any more papers as we hardly eve^‘e’
get them. Direct letters to Winchester. We are very well.
Yr devoted & most aff son P. Edloe Jones
Winchester. Louisa Blues. Cap Murray.
13th Virginia Regiment

MSS 13407

1861 June 20 Bremo [Fluvanna County, Va.]

To his Excellency
John Letcher
Governor of Virginia

I recieved on the 18th of June inst a communication from
Genl Lee commanding the Va Forces, informing me I had been
appointed Lieut Col of Va Volunteers accompanied by orders in
event of my acceptance, to report without delay to Genl Beauregard
at Manassas for duty with the 8th Regt Va Volunteers–on the day
following I addressed a letter to Genl Lee respectfully declining
the commission of Lieut Col Va Volunteers from your Excellency
dated the 17 of May, under which as named above a post was
assigned me by Genl Lee–I cannot account for the delay there
has been in the forwarding this commission, but as it is entire-
ly to your excellency I am indebted for the high & honorable
appointment, it is now proper I should make known the reason
which induces me to decline so desirable a position– At the
time of the tender of my services to your excellency in April
(which with my means I state hold subject to the conditions there
in named), we were just upon the eve of hostilities with the
Federal Government, which at that time had on its army list

[page 2]
many true and loyal sons of Virginia, educated to
the army & practically skilled in military affairs, all
of whom since the opening of this iniquitous war upon the
South, have withdrawn themselves from the Federal Service
to come within the limits of their native state–and I feel
these officers are entitled by education & experience to
meet in the best manner the present emergency in their
line of the public service & possess superior claims to
fill the important posts of field officers over our forces, and
also, before I had the honour of receiving the appointment
from Genl Lee, I had been elected by a portion of the
citizens of my county Captain of a Company of volun-
teers which was organized on the 6th inst and which I know will
soon be ready to enter the service.

[page 3]
I can in conclusion but express to you excellency
my deep & grateful sense of the honour you have conferred
upon me in the flattering appointment postion
you assigned me which was more than I had any
right to expect & in respectfully asking your acceptance of
the validity of my reasons for declining that appointment

I am most truly your obedient servant

[Charles Cary Cocke]

one of two drafts of Cocke’s letter to Letcher
MSS 640

1861 June 20 Culpeper Co. Ho.

Head Qrs, Camp Henry

My dear Uncle;

I write a few hurried
lines to night on the eve of starting
to Manassas in the morning with Papa
who has finally gotten his Regiment formed,
and will I expect be restored to his
Brigadiership, soon after he gets to the
Manassas Junction. Sterling starts
in the morning for the purpose of
carry your horse Tally Ho back to you,
and for buying a fine young horse
from home up–Pa would write
himself, but the thousand things he
has had to think of, since his orders
to go forward, has had him on
the rush all day, to get every thing
in readiness to start.

He finds the horse too clumsy & is not
clean footed at all

[page 2]
He has been doing little or nothing
since we have had him here.
I hope he may reach you in time
to use him, if you should desire
to do so, in your company, which
I hear you are raising in your
county.

With much love to Aunt Lucy
and all your household.

I remain yr affect nephew
John B. Cocke

MSS 640

1861 June 20

My dear Ma;
We are all well in camp at this
time and continue to be well satisfied.
I have become fully initiated into camp life
and am really well pleased with it;
hope I may continue to like it as well.
There is little news with us and this life begins
to assume with me a monotonous appearance
always accompanying a system of regula-
tion and order. To vary the routine there was
a false alarm in camp last night & every
fellow thought that the Yankees were ap-
proaching. The rumor was started by a fright-
ened sentinel and in a few moments all hands
were ready, equipped, and anxious for a fight –
The orders were to get ready and sleep on arms;
our family was ready in the shortest notice
and Ed like an old & experienced soldier was
fast asleep in five minutes saying beforehand
that he had seen something of the sort before.

[page 2]
The novelty was exciting to me and it was some
time before I slumbered; I was not the least fright=
ened and would have gone out cheerfully if
necessary. All the men sent to take the bridge
I spoke of in my last returned safely yesterday
with one exception, a wounded fellow; the wound
was very slight and he is fast recovering.
Our company was not ordered out on the expedi-
tion but two members of it, Virgil Carroll and
Fendol Chiles, went with the other men independ-
ently. We have become very well fixed in our
quarters at this place and are very much
pleased with the situation. Only one of our
men have been sick and he with a subject
disease, rheumatism. Henry Chiles left
the Hospital at Winchester when we came from
that place and has nearly if not quite recov-
ered from his spell.
We will march from this place early tomorrow
towards Winchester; rec.d [received] the notice this after-
noon; expect to reach Winchester by Sun-
day at dinner time. I conjecture that we

[page 3]
will join Genl. Johnson’s forces in the direct-
ion of Martinsburg; our regiment is under
his command. It seems really discour-
aging & senseless for us to have marched
way up here, remained three days, and now
to go directly back without having accom-
plished more. The men are all anxious
to push forward towards Wheeling or
some point farther north; for my part
I am as well satisfied stationed or march-
ing anywhere or in any direction as I cd.
be under any circumstances. We are
all ready and waiting for a fight
whenever the fanatics on the other side
may see fit to approach us; our men
are in fine health and good spirits,
feel confident of the justice of the cause
we are here to maintain by force of
arms. Be not uneasy about your
soldier sons, dear ma; but trust to Prov-
idence for our protection and wel-
fare. It is dark now and I must

[page 4]
close quickly to get this in the
mail. Inform Garrett’s friends
of our removal as also other friends
of our boys – With much love to
you and hopes of a speedy term-
ination of our difficulties and a
happy reunion with you all,
I remain
Your Aff. Son
F. Pendleton Jones.

We will write again in a day or two Henry C & the others are very well.

MSS 13407

1861 June 20 Yorktown, Va

My Dear Parents
I again seat myself
to write you a few lines. We are all in good
health at this time. Sunday we were ordered
to March down to Bethel. Which was a long
and hot walk. We expected to have a fight
immediately. we then got orders to March
back yesterday. We all shouldered our Muskets
and set out to Meet the invading foe at this place
and have a fight, but not a single yankee was here
We had to sleep without a single blanket. Nothing
but the canopy of heaven for our covering. We had
nothing to cook in, but long handled shovels. The
Waggons came in this Morning and brought some of
our baggage, but no cooking utencils. 7 waggons
Started this morning to bring the balance. I tell
you a soldier has a hard life, especially where
we have such rascally Commanders. every one in
the regiment are very much dissatisfied with Colonel
Magruder. Several of them gave him a curseing
but that only made the matter worse. He says the 3rd
Regiment is entirely to proud, wants to many things
He says he will learn us to cook ^ ‘meat’ on shovel & bread
on the ashes, like the Zouaves. He tried to proh-
-ibit the boys from going back after our cooking Utencils
this morning, but he could,nt do it. Captain Anderson

[page 2]
will sacrifice the last thing he has got in the
world before he will let his men suffer, About 600
Soldiers are now encamped here. all that were
at [word lined through] Bethel came with us here yesterday. A
regiment of N.Orleans zouaves are now in camp
with us. They are the filthiest set of I ever saw,
but they are the the ones to do the fighting. We are
now ready to Meet the enemy, I don’t care how soon
they come, this place is tolerable well fortified. 500
soldiers has just landed from Lousiana, 1500
more are on the way to this place.

George has not been mustered in service yet, but
expects to remain until the war is over,
Nothing of Much interest has occurred since
I wrote to you before, this is [2 letters lined out] makes the third
letter that I have written ^ ‘to you’ since I came here
but I have not received a single one yet,
Please write. tell John to write also, I will
Send this by Lieutenant Mims to fort vally-
he will then mail it there. As he will soon
start I am oblidst to start come to a close
excuse Mistakes as I am very [word lined out] tired
and about half asleep. direct your letters
to Yorktown Va In care of Captain C. D. An-
derson of the Bu Beaureguard Volunters 6th Rgt
of Geo, Give My best respects to all
So good bye to all
L H Bedingfield

Lewis H. Bedington was a private in the 6th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Beauregard Volunteers), mortally wounded at Gaines Mill, June 1862; He was one of three Bedington brothers to march off to war. His brother Robert E. Bedingfield was in the 4th Georgia Battalion and later a sergeant in Company G, 6th Georgia Infantry, wounded and permanently disabled at Second Manasses, August 1862. Lt. John Y. Bedingfield was with the 4th Georgia Battalion and later a captain in the 60th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Killed at Fort Steadman, March 1865.

MSS 13119

1861 June 19 Richmond [Virginia]

My Dear Creek

According to promise I write you
as soon as possible on arriving here; we are all encamped
about 2 1/2 miles from the city of Richmond on a very
pleasant place, we have fine shade trees and very fine water
and the weather has been very pleasant since we arrived.
I will not pretend to give you a history of our journey
to this place, it makes me mad every time i think
of it, we had to ride most of the way on open cars and it
rained very heavy on us one night, and you may depend
their was a good deal of grumbling done, but the Boys
soon forgot it all as soon as we got here, and got comfortably
fixed, their is not a man that I know of in the Regiment
but what is satisfied at present; only all are anxious to meet
the enemy, as soon as possible and have it all over with and get
back home to you all again, we have just Recieved orders this
moment to march to Manassas junction tomorrow
so if we can get cars we will leave here. the Railroad agent
however says we will not get of[f] in three or four days as the
road is filled up with volunteers for that time and we will
have to wait till they are all passed over the road

[page 2]
Their is over ten thousand soldiers quartered in the neighborhood
of this place at present, but the South Carolina volunteers
are more thought of than any of them. We have all the Ladies
to visit our encampment and beg us just to give them a
Palmetto or a Palmetto button or anything else that has
come from South Carolina. When we got here it was about
nine O Clock at night but the Ladies all turned out on
the streets as we passed through them, and I have no doubt
but what I shook the hands of one hundred of them
as we passed and every one had the prayer of God Bless
the South Carolians on their lips, it is truly encouraging
to us to be looked up to and respected as we are, and all of our
boys seem to appreciate it for they are behaving like gentleman.

James and Dugan are both well and highly pleased. bill
comes to my tent sometimes to get a drink of Whiskey he says
it is hard that officers can keep it and not the men, But he
is doing finely and their is not a finer soldier in
the Regiment than him, James is also learning his
duty very fast and will soon be up with the best of them

Now Creek you must excuse me for that short letter I wrote
you before leaving Columbia their was a whole lot of extra
duty throwed on me just at that time and I did not
even sleep for three nights–only an hour or so at a time
I never saw Johhan to speak to only twice all the time he
was down here, and I left the place nearly broke down

[page 3]
But you may depend on hearing from me often now
for I have never felt that I have been away from
home till now when I was in Columbia I could hear from
you every day by someone or other but now it is different
and you dont know how I weary to hear from you I looked
for a letter from you before I left Columbia but did not get
it, do write it soon as you get this, tell me all the news
and tell me how Dear little Maggie is getting on has she
forgot me yet Oh Creek what would I not give to have you
both with me you dont Know how lonesome I feell without
you, true there is a great deal of excitement in camp life
and it has many pleasures, But it wants the softening
influences of Wife and Child to make it feel like home
But I trust that Providence will permit me to pass
through the dangers of war, and return to you both again
when we will again live happily together as we have
always done.

I will write you again in a day or two and as soon as we
leave this place I will write you every day or nearly as I know
you will be anxious to hear what had become of us and
how we are all getting on. Tel Josh. Holland billy is well
and doing finely Andy Wardlaw and Gambrell Smith are also
with the company are all able to be on duty not a sick
man in it.

Has John Alexander sent you Maggies dog yet–I could

[page 4]
not see the man that had it before I left and he said
he would get it and send it up by Andrew Norris
I will close this scrawl for the present I dont know
whether you can read it or not I have wrote it all in my
tent on a piece of plank lying on my knee and my attention
has been called of twenty times or more since I gegan

May God Bless and protect you and Little Maggie
is the ernest prayer of your
Devoted Husband
William

Address Capt. W. Anderson
4th Regt S.C.V.
Richmond Va

if we should leave here before it comes
it will be forwarded to me

1861 June 19 Richmond [Virginia]

Head Quarters, Richmond

Col J. W. Ware
34th Reg’t Va Vols
Charlestown
Va

Colonel,

In reply to your letter of the 15th, I have to state that,
when you were ordered to report to Gen’l Johnston, it was sup=
posed that there were with him several unassigned companies
which might form the basis of your regiment. As it appears
that there are none, it will be necessary for you to wait until
a nucleus for your regiment can be formed. Anything which
you can do to expedite its formation, you are authorized to do.

The regiment, when formed, will be known as the 34th Reg’t
of Va Volunteers. Lt Colonel L. T. Moore and Major Lawson Botts
will be attached to it. These officers were ordered to report to Gen’l
Johnston like yourself, and made be used to aid in raising and
organizing the Regiment.

Very Resp’ly
Your ob’d’t serv-t
R E Lee
Gen’l Comd’g

MSS 6136

1861 June 19 Louisa Blues No. 7

Dear Pa:
I wrote home from camp a few days since
directing you to write us at Winchester; we have reach-
ed Romney, a small mountain town in Hampshire
Co. and within a few miles to the Maryland line
and as we seem to be quartered for a week or two
at this place, please write to us here. There is no cer-
tainty, however, that yr. letters will reach us as our
letters movements are so uncertain. Direct to our
Captain’s care 13th Regt. Va. Vols. and it will then be
forwarded to us no doubt. There was a skirmish
last night between our forces sent out on guard
and some 150 federal troops. We took two pieces
of cannon from them, both small, killed two
of their men and took possession of & burnt the
Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Bridge at New Creek; one of our
men a Tennesseean was slightly wounded.
I have just been released from guard; stood last
night and all to day, at intervals of four hours,
remaining on duty two hours at a time. John
and Ed[loe] stood during same days hours with
me. All our fellows are well and getting on
finely except a few who were left in the hospital

[page 2]
at Winchester. Ed[loe] is really in fine health and spirits
and his merry peals of laughter daily echo throu out the
camp ground. The bathing is fine here and the cli-
mate remarkably healthy; you need have no fears
for us then on the score of health. All our regiment
is eager for an open fight with the enemy and
sanguine that we can whip twice our num-
ber. We have possession of a pass, and the only ^‘one’ in
this region, between us and Maryland, of the range
just in front of us; we can there whip out five or
six to one. Please write to us soon as we are
all anxious to hear from you whenever
you can. We w.d all three write more but have
just been on guard and feel very tired.
With much love to home folks & all friends
& hoping to hear from you soon, I am
Yr. aff. Son
F. P. Jones

[The following postscript is from the third brother, John William Jones.]

I’ll write a long letter by Satur-
day’s mail, Fendol Chiles shot
four times in the skirmish this
morning & thinks he struck a
Yankee. The Yankees ran like
troopers & our men h[a]d to shoot
them running. J.W.J.

MSS 13407

1861 June 17 Romney, [Virginia]

Dear Pa,
We reached this place safely
this morning safely, though very much fatigued and worn
down. We’ve been on the tramp for the last three days, left Harp=
ers Ferry last Thursday at eleven oclock very unexpectedly in
a freight car, arrived at Winchester at four, where we remained
until Saturday morning, when we started for this place.

We camped the first night on deep water creek about twelve water
miles from Winchester, started the next day at four, traveled fif=
teen and a half miles when we camped again at two oclock
for the night at a large flour mill, started again at four this morn=
ing and arrived here at eleven, a distance of fifteen & half miles.

Bro. John and Pen stood the march better than I expected,
Pen walked all the way the first day, Bro. John rode some
in the wagon, the second day both of them rode some, to day
Bro. John rode to day again. Pen did not ride at all. I was
right much amused at Pen, he disliked so much to give
up before me, he was walking right by me, and he would
ask me if I was not most broke down, I wd tell him
not to wa^‘i’t for me, for I had no idea of giving up. I did not
ride at all, but felt right tired when I got here, A though
I feel very well now. I’ve not time to write any more.
Direct yr next to this place. Don’t be uneasy about us,
we are very well. Our best love to all.
Yr devoted an[d] most
aff son.
P. E. Jones

[page 2]

This place is beautifully situated
in the mountains & is [-] to be
very healthy – F. P. Jones

We are well & satisfied.
Be not uneasy about us –
We will write when we can
Yrs. &c.
F. P. Jones

MSS 13407