August 29th 1862
Belmont Hospital Nelson Co. Va
Friend Kate

I seat my self this morn
ing for the purpose of dropping
you a fiew lines to let you
know where I am.  I have the
Diptheria. My throat is very soar
but I am in hopes that I will
be well in a week or two I
left Camp on the 24th thare
had been but  very little Infantry
fighting but some heavy cannon
nading a cross the river the
enemy seemed to have the advan
tage in position at every ford
We have a very large army in
Culpepper for Pope to contend
with your Brother John was well when
I left the Com. thay ware all in
good spirits when I left.  I
met Jacob Abe & Isack Vines on

[page 2]
Monday Jacob gave me a half
cheese.  Abe told me he had
something to tell me how he
had pulled [or fooled] you out of some
secrets I be glad to se[e] him
& find out what thay are.
I seen John Plunkett in Gor
donsville he  told me that Charles
had a letter for me I am sorry
I did not meet him as he is
so careless he may loose it
before I get back this is
a very mean hospital, very little
accomodations nothing but
bread & meat to eat & my
throat being soar it is very
hard to swallow I wish I could
come home and let Churchman
tend on me a while evry thing
is very ear around hear & thare
is but little change in the
circulation  I have been trying
to get a note Broken ever since

[page 3]
I left the Regt this is a very
lonesome place.  Thare is nothing
of importance to write I hope
these fiew lines may find
you enjoying both health &
happiness I pray the Lords [?]
mercies may soon visit me with
health nothing more but remain
your sincere wellwisher
               W.F.B.

William Francis Brand Co. E 5th Virginia (Augusta Grays) to his future wife Amanda Catherine Armentrout

MSS 11332

Charlottesvile August 29th

My Dear brother
I have only time before
the mail coses to write you a few lines
to let you know how brother Richard is
as I know you are anxious to hear how
he arrived.  He did not get here until yes-
terday as his friends in Orange detain
ed him to stay and was very much
fatigued and exhausted by his journey.
Col Dulaney and Mr Armstead  (a brother
of General Armstead) and a private in
the 6th Cavalry happened to e here to
dinner so we were all in the parlour
and were very much astonished to see
brother Richard drive up in a waggon
It never occurred to us that he was sick
but we thought you were and Mother
and I ran out to meet him.  He instant
-ly enquired how you were but he was
so sick & overcome by fatigue that he

[page 2]
was unable to speak.  Mother was terrified
nearly out of her senses and we had a
real scene.  Dr Akin[?] who is here prescribed
directly for brother Richard and brother
Staige came down to see him in the
evening and the doctor on consultation
gave him some medicine which has
had a beneficial effect already, for
this morning he says he feels better
and the doctor says his pulse is deci-
dedly better. brother Richard advises me
to give his love to you and thank you
for the assistance you gave him in
getting off, and he says he is sorry that
[?] brought off the large brown blanket
which he had intended leaving for your
use.  I hope you will have heard before
this reaches you that your barrels of veg-
-etables have been sent to Culpepper and
that you will be able to get them before
thy spoil.  Jimmy went out to Little run
yesterday and reports all out there as be
-ing well.  In much haste and with
untold love from every body I remain
          your attached sister E.G.D.

[in top left margin of page 1]

I wrote you a
letter the first of
the week which
you received I
hope.

[address leaf]
Mr Eugene Davis
Co [F?] 6th Va Cavalry
near Culpepper

care of
Rev Mr Cole

MSS 2483

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond of the 42nd Virginia, Co. E. (Dixie Grays)

Friday 29 –  Yankees thought to be
between our wagons and forces.  Sick
with wagons ordered out to protect
wagons.  Cannonading heard to
wards Manassas.  Jackson is
said to be in rear of Yankees

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler, Letcher’s Artillery]

(Aug. 29th)  The
fighting was renewed this morning at
10 o’c & in a few minutes we were in the
thickest of it; but our men advancing
with a shout drove the enemy beyond
the railroad cut.  This point they charged
twice during the day but were driven
back with considerable loss each time.
We lost quite a number in killed & woun-
-ded.  Slept on battlefield again tonight.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Charles Hay of the 23rd Ohio]

Upton’s Farm, Va., Aug. 29.
     We marched here today, eight miles from
Alexandria.  The greater part of the force
around Alexandria moved also, and a battle
is imminent in front.  We passed numerous
forts and defenses, all well manned, designed
for the protection of Washington.  We are
within half a mile of Munson’s Hill,
the same distance from Hall’s Church, 
a station of the Loudon & Hampshire R.R.; 
and between that Road & the Orange and
Alexandria.  This is famous soil now, not
because it is so ‘sacred”, but from the
fact of its being disputed territory for
some time, and subsequently the ‘base of
operations’ for the Army of the Potomac.
     The country bears the marks of former
thrift and luxury, but a vast change has
been effected.  Hardly a fence can be found,
former fine plantations all turned into @
commons, splendid mansions deserted, burned,
used for Head Quarters, or taken for Govern=
=ment purposes.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]

Friday, Aug. 29, 1862

Struck our Tents
placed them on the train
& left our Camp about
8 Oclock marched about
1 1/2 miles & stopped for
a time after which
with several brigades
marched several miles
to ______  where we all
now about to bivouack
We have passed several
Forts passed paralell
& above Washington
mostly clear & very warm
Am not well today have
ate nothing

MSS 10317 

[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood, Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]

 Friday 29th/62

     At Sun rise, we marched
towards Bristol which is four miles
South west of Manassas.  We took this
road because we heard that Jackson
was on the road which went to
Manassas.  We had been gone from
Ganesville but two hours when
Jackson came there in hopes to
capture us, which he would have
been likely to have done if we
had been there.  We haulted at
Bristel a number of hours and then
marched to Manassas.  We haulted
here till nearly night and then
marched to the battle field
of Bull run, having marched
nearly eighteen miles.  Many have
been left along the road side
a great many bare footed.  Most
of the straglers were probably taken
prisoners.  They have been fighting
nearly all day here.  To night our
forces hold the battle field.

 [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Friday 29th  Mr M___ & Eliza have gone off to take a morning
walk–I have at last received my knitting cotton–& Mrs. Watters
has commenced the sock–We have all been together to day in
my room–Sarah has at last received the long looked for
letter from Fred–He has been sick again–Had three or 4
bad fevers–They were at Bolivar 25 miles from D J Mear’s
Mrs Mears sent them word she was coming to see them.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Friday 29  Lewis & the girls did
not return until late–and the
reports they brought excited me so
that I could not sleep.  It was awake
at 2 when the porter called for
the baggage, and was aroused by
Lewis & Ben getting off at 5–so then
I was felt very exanimate all
day.–There were the same [?]
of rumors of successes, or our army–but
nothing to be implicitly relied on
I do not therefore record them ere
-Had a corner cupboard set in
at the head of the stair leading to
the dining room–which will be
a pleasant surprise to Mary, as
she has wanted it ever since we
have been in the house.  It is inten-
ded mainly for the bread, silver
& such things as are liable to be
affected by dampness–Dr. William
Minor & Ford–Betty B–Fanny
Cazenove, Chalres & his wife spent
the evening with us–a very pleasant
party–Charles related many inci
dents of interest which happened
during the campaign in Culpeper

Saturday 30  Board today took
from Mr Jetter some of his labor
and assigned it to the Discount clerk
–which is right, as he has but little
to do–Not a word by telegram of
news.  When the cars came in we
had first reports of a battle in
which we had whipped the enemy
at Bristow Station–and the capture
by Stuart of a Rail Road train
with 2000 men on it–Stores to an
immense amt destroyed. It is said
we are in rear of Pope–I wish it
all may prove true–but I have
little confidence now in any rumors.
We, that is Fanny & Mary I. dined
at my brothers with Dr. Williams
No letter from Mary, which is very
provoking–wrote to Mary Guthrie
& to Mary Robertson

MSS 4763

no more entries until Sunday the 14th.

[from the diary of Anne MadisonWillis Ambler]

Friday August 29,  1862

From the Northern papers we
are all inclined to think
some fighting has been done &
we are victorious, though they can
not be honest enough to come
out & say so.  We are most
anxious to hear the truth, talk
of nothing else.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406