Head Quarters 5th Infantry

Sir

I have been informed at the Head Quarters of the
Virginia Forces at this place, that three Companies from the
South Western part of the State will be sent to complete my
Regiment, & that the detail will be made by your order.

On yesterday I received two letters asking
that the Company Commanded by E. Folks be placed
under my command. One of the letters is written
at the instance of Captain Folks, & the other is signed
by about 45 members of the Company.

The Company–Officers & Men–are all citizens of
Montgomery County, from which I come.

If it can be done without interfering with your arra=
=ngements and without injury to the Service I respectfully
ask that Capt Folks & his Company be ordered to join
me at this place. He is now I presume at Lynchburg

Captain Hammet also has
a Company from the same county, & it would give me great
pleasure to have him with me if he desires it, & it is approved
by yourself.

I write this informal letter with the hope that it may prevent
much delay in the organization of My Regiment.

Respectfuly
James R. Preston
Colonel
5th Infantry

Colonel Phillip St. G. Cocke
Commanding Va Forces
at Manassas Junction

From an online history of Abingdon, Va.:
After Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, Colonel James F. Preston became leader of the Washington Mounted Riflemen. He led his troops from Abingdon to Saltville to become a part of Southwest Virginia’s most important task: protecting the valuable salt mines. The Union had quickly realized the South’s need for salt to preserve the soldiers’ meat, and began to press toward Saltville to blockade the railroad; thus, the desperate need for protection.

Stonewall Jackson, in his official report on the soon-to-be-founght battle of 1st Mannassas/ Bull Run mentions Preston as rendering valuable service during the action.
MSS 640

My Dear Sister,
Yr letter was duly received
yesterday which I’ll answer by tomorrow’s mail as I have holi=
day this evening. I was on duty at the Guard House when
yr letter was handed to me, & so I was not able to read it
for some time, I got very impatient to open it. I was put
on duty yesterday morning at nine oclock & was relieved
this morning at ten, it rained the whole time, I stood eight
hours in as hard rain almost as I ever saw, it came down upon
me about right but I did n’t get very wet as I had on on very ^’a’
gum overcoat, & did not sleep at all before three oclock,
except nod[d]ing a little standing up. I came home where I
slept a little between three & five. I cd have slept a little at
at the Guard House, but it was such a dirty place & besides
I heard it was infested with a certain “Breed of Varmits”
which I did not like much & ther^’e’fore I did n’t attempt to sleep,
by the way Sister, I wish you wd send me a fine tooth
comb by the first orppotunity, for there is no tellings what
accident might happen in a life of this sort. I fully expe
expected to to ^’have’ taken cold yesterday, but escaped & don’t feel the
effects of it now atall, I slept nearly all the morning.
I’ve just finished dinner, we had quite a variety today, had
“Beef st^’e’ake, onions & potatoes, the st^’e’ak was very good, only a
little tough. I eat my last biscuits this morning for break-
fast. I warmed them over every day for our mess, the cakes

[page 2]
& ham are nothing like out yet, I enjoy them very much.
I was coming up from the Ferry Monday^’when’ I met Cousine Albert
Pendleton, I heard some body call him Cap. Pendleton, &
then spoke to him & told him who I was, he seemed very
glad to see me, told me where I he was quartered & invited me
down to see him, he said he had been trying to find me out
ever since he’d been here but cd not, he said he would call
to see me if he cd find time, but he is so busy all the time
& is quartered so far from me that I’m afraid I will not be able
to see much of him, I like him very much.. I met with
Thos. Marshal yesterday from Orange, who is Pa’s first cousin
I believe, he seems to be a very nice fellow. I’ve not made
Col Hill’s acquaintance but intend doing so the first opportunity
he heard I was here & told Cap. Murray that he wanted
to make my acquaintance. W[e]’ve gotten rid of our rowdy
neighbors now at last & we now have the whole church to
ours^’e’lves, each man has a whole pew to himself…Jimmy [James G.]
Pettus gets along very well & seems to be very well satisfied,
I am with him a good deal, he has his bed nex^’t’ to mine.
Jim Hackett does n’t like this place at all, he expects to
go H home as soon as he hears from Mr. Hackett, he has n’t
joined our Co. & I reckon he can get off very easily. Cap. M.
got a letter from Jno Hibbs, in which he said that Henry
Francisco spoke of returning, Henry had better stay home
for he will not be received into our Co now, after acting as he
has done. I reckon a good many like Henry will come on
now to keep out of the malitia [militia], I hope Chas. Jones will be drafted
in the malitia…..I heard yesterday through a letter to Henry
Childes that Cit Walthall was coming to Join us, I hope he will

[page 3]
certainly come. I wd be very glad to see him.. I received
a long letter from Pen this morning, he was very well, &
wrote to him by Monday’s mail.. Monday was my washing
day, Cousine Dock, Henry Chiles, Marcelus & myself went down
to the river to wash, I know it would make you laugh to see
Cousine Dock washing his shirts, I do my ironing with a
smooth rock. I have a little sewing to do sometimes.
Everything is very quiet here. I hear no attack talk of an
attack upon this place now, I believe the Yankees have conclu-
ded to starve us out, I don’t think they could do that very easily
for we have ^’a’ good deal of Beef on hand yet. News is
very scarce here now with us, I’ve heard of nothing new since
I wrote last… I reckon Mr. Cullen tells some wonderful things
does he not? You said you thought Mr. Cullen was very black
well I’m nearly if not quite as black as Mr. Cullen.
Cousine Dock says you must write ^’to’ him & Henry, says he wd’ve
written to you before this, but it takes all his spare time ^’in’ eating
& sleeping. A good many of our men are sick with mumps
measles & colds, twen^’ty’two are on the sick list to day. Jno Thom-
as has the measles, but is not sick much, don’t let his wife
hear of it as it might frighten her unne^’ce’ssarily. I must
bring my letter to a close. My best love Mr. Thompson & family,
Mrs. Cammack, Miss Daisy, Miss Lute Payne, Henry. Cr. family
all at Aunt Cy^’n’thias, all of my inquiring friends & all of the dear
ones at home. I will write to Aunt Sue if I have time. Tell Pa I
wd send him the Sun but we do nt get it now at all, we do n’t get any
northern mail, the bridges above here on the Baltimore R. R. have
been bur^’n’t. Your must ^’write’ again very soon to yr devoted
& most Aff Bro. Ed.
P. Edloe. Jones

MSS 13407

Dear Creek

As you will see by this
we are still in Columbia, and cant
say as yet how long we may
remain here, we are to be mustered
into service tomorrow, and expect
it will not be long before we are
off for Virginia. the men are all
in high spirits and anxious to
go, Jim & Dugan are both well
Jim is highly pleased with his
new life.

Tell Harrin I have got John’s
discharge he will be home in a
day or two Sam Smith & Wark[?]
McDowell will also be home
Sam Smith says he will haul your
wheat and thrash it for you

[page 2]

As you will hear from me soon
again I will not write a long letter
as I am up to the neck in
business getting everything for
the Company. I have had to steal
of to write this.

How is Little Meg did she miss
me when she woke up how I wish
to see you both already. kiss
her for me and reserve my Kindest
Love for you both

Your affectionate
William

P.S. You may look for a letter on
Friday evening I may be then
able to give you more information
as to our destination

W.A.

MSS 10366

Hd.Qrs of the Virginia Forces

Sir:

In reply to your telegraphic dispatch of yesterday to
Genl Cooper in relation to Lieut Col Fry now at Charlottesville
I am instructed by Genl Lee to say that you are authorized to
order him to report to you–but that it will be necessary to
supply his place as mustering officer at the rendezvous by an
officer from your command. The Companies under Lt. Col Fry
may also be ordered to Culpeper C H. to for part of my
Regiment now organized there

I am Sir &c
(Signed) R S Garnett
Adg Genl

To Brig Genl PGT Beauregard
Official, Thos Judson
Act Ass Adj Genl.

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, 1819-1893,the first Confederate Brigadier General, commanded the southern forces at Fort Sumter at the beginning of the war in April, and came north to become second in command to Joseph E. Johnson at First Manassas/Bull Run.

Samuel Cooper, 1798-1876, a West Point graduate, resigned from the U.S. Army in March of 1861 and was appointed Brigadier in the Confederate Army. He never had a field command but performed invaluable service through his organizational skills as Adjutant and Inspector General, a position he had held in the U. S. Army.
At the end of the war he turned all his records over to U.S. authorities where they became invaluable sources for generations of schlars.

MSS 640

Sir

I see an order in the dis-
patch of yesterday that all Vol comps. shall forthwith
repair to the place of rendevous. I am making prepara
-tions to come to charlottesville on monday morning and
I have not more than forty eight members now, but
I am going to work for as many as I can get. I send Mr
Mann my secretary to see you and he will
give you any information you may desire
and send me full particulars back by him

Yrs Respectfully
James W Timberlake

To Col Wm.H. Fry
Charlottesville

P.S The comp is already organized at 411
members by the Last Act of the Legislature
as Mr Mann has the letter that will show
yrs J.W.T.

MSS 640

Col P St Geo Cocke

Dear Sir,

Yours of the 3rd came duly
to hand and contents noted, I made a contract
to day for 120 Knapsacks at $2 each, but they cannot
be be completed with the last of next week,
cannot have a Cartridge Box or Cap Pouch made here.
The Tents will be commenced on at once, Shall
I have Wall Tents for the Officers? If so what size?
Will report the companies as they come in, and give
you my idea of their appearance and material,
would it not be as well for you to cause to be sent
to me Knapsacks for Capts. Rea and Taylor’s comp-
-anies: the returns of which I enclosed in my letter
of the 3rd,–I enclose you a letter I received from
Capt Timberlake today, they I learn are not
armed, nor have they sabres, I have replied to
him not to come until ordered, or until I can
hear from you, If they cannot procure arms,
and do not equip themselves as suggested in your
letter of May 31st, I cannot see the propriety of
mustering them, (unless they can be made useful
below,) The expense would be very great and if
retained here they would have no instructor,
It appears to me they could improve themselves
quite as much by drilling in their neighborhood
as to be quartered here, I should like to have
your views on this subject, so I can reply to

[page 2]
his letter before they start here,
Most respectfully,
Your Obdt Servt
Wm H. Fry
Lt Col Va Volls

MSS 640

[postscript on letter of June 1st to his sister]

Tuesday Morning

P.S. There is nothing new this

morning. No indication of any

movement of troops.

Please tell them at home that

they need not send my Coat un-

til I express the desire. At pres-

ent it would be only an en-

cumbrance. I am well provided

with every necessity.

Affectionately

Jno. W. Daniel.

1st Lieutenant John Warwick Daniel, 1842-1910, Co. C. 27th Virginia and later Co. C. 11th Virginia Infantry, attained the rank of major before being permanently disabled in the Battle of the Wilderness. Studied law at the University of Virginia, entered politics and served in the Virginia House of Delegates, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Called the “Lame Lion of Lynchburg” he was a noted orator who gave speeches on many memorial occasions and was especially known for his address on Robert E. Lee

MSS 158

ORDER OF EXERCISES
AT THE
FIRST CHURCH, CHAUNCY PLACE,
ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE
223D ANNIVERSARY
ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY,
JUNE 3, 1861.

I. VOLUNTARY ON THE ORGAN.

II. NATIONAL HYMN.
Music Arranged by D. Paine

III. SELECTIONS FROM THE SCRIPTURES.

IV. ODE.
By A. Wallace Thaxter

V. PRAYER.

VI. HYMN.
By Oliver Wendell Holmes

[sung to the tune Old Hundred]

Oh Lord of Hosts! Almighty King!
Behold the sacrifice we bring!
To every arm Thy strength impart,
Thy spirit shed through every heart!

Wake in our breasts the living fires,
The holy faith that warmed our sires;
Thy hand hath made our Nation free;
To die for her is serving Thee.

Be Thou a pillared flame to show
The midnight snare, the silent foe;
And when the battle thunders loud,
Still guide us in its moving cloud.

God of all Nations! Sovereign Lord!
In Thy dread name we draw the sword,
We lift the starry flag on high
That fill with light our storm sky.

From treason’s rent, from murder’s stain
Guard Thou its folds till Peace shall reign,
Till fort and field, till shore and sea
Join our loud anthem, PRAISE TO THEE!

VII. SERMON.
By Rev. S. K. Lothrop, D.D.

VIII. GLORY TO GOD ON HIGH.

IX. BENEDICTION.

Wright and Potter, Printers, 4 Spring Lane, cor. Devonshire St. Boston.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1809-1894, noted author, physician, college professor, translator and lecturer began publishing patriotic poetry in support of the Union shortly after the secession of South Carolina . His oldest son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., the future Supreme Court Justice enlisted in the Army against his father’s wishes in April 1861 and was injured three times in battle, including a gunshot wound in his chest at the Battle of Ball’s Bluff in October 1861. See Blog for 1861 April 27 for Holmes’ Under the Washington Elm

Dr. Samuel K. Lothrop, 1804-1886, was the noted pastor of the Unitarian Brattle Street Church in Boston from 1834-1876.

Barrett PS1959 b.A7 1861 v.1 no.1

Dear Sir

Permit me to introduce to you
Mr. Luther R. Long formerly of N Carolina.
Mr. Long has been acting in the capacity
of teacher to my children for several moths
past and is at present desirous of join-
ing the troops of his native state–

He wishes a passport from you to
enable him to reach his N Carolina
friends, wherever they may be stationed

Very Truly and Respectfuly
James B. Kirk

Genl. St George Cocke
Culpeper Court House
Virginia

Gave pass at his own expense
on R R to Richmond
P.S.Go cocke

MSS 640

Dear Pen,
I reckon you’ve given out getting
an answer to yr letter long before this. I’ve been intending to
write to you ever since I left home, but I kept put[t]ing it off
until now, indeed I have very little time for letter writing,
I have n’t written to any body at all but the home f^‘o’lks & Just
do find time to write – once in two or three days to them. I’ve been
expecting a letter from you every day for more than a week,
you must not count letters with me any more but write when
ever you can conveniently, & I will do the same. I wrote Bro. John
a long letter this morning. I hear from home very often,
every one of them from Mat up write to me. I’ve received a very
nice letter from Miss Lute Payne since I left home, but have
never answered it yet… When I first got here & heard that the
students from the University were here, I made sure that you were
with them & felt very much disappointed when I found out
that you were not here. I’ve ^‘become’ accustomed to the hardships of
a soldier’s life now & don’t mind it now at all, but ^‘it’ went right hard
to me at first. I disliked the fare more than anything else atall
but have become pretty well used to it. I’ll tell you what our fare
is & has been the whole time, well, for breakfast we have fried “Beef”,
coffee without milk & very little sugar, sometimes none, & bakers
bread, for dinner hot boiled “Beef” & bread, for supper bread &
cold boiled “Beef” & coffee. We have tin plates & cups, have neither
spoons, knives or forks, four have to eat out of one plate.

[page 2]
I make out very well sleeping, I have a bed that they sent me
from home, I’ve slept on the ground several times with only one
blanket to cover with & a log of wood under my head. I’ve been
caught in the rain a good many times standing guard.

A soldier’s life is certainly a very hard one, but you can
get accustomed to it very easily. I wish very much you
were here with me & I hope you will be before very long, if
you join any company atall it must be ours, I suppose you
will join some company when the session closes. Our Co. has impro^‘v’=
ed very much since we left, it is a right down sharp Co now,
we number sixty four now I believe. We have first rate quarters
in a large Lutheran Church, we expect to get rid of a rowdy Co. tomor=
row which are quartered on one side of the church, they’ve disbanded &
expect to leave, & if they do n’t put another Co. in their place we will
have the whole church to our s^‘e’lves…Everything is right quiet here
now, though some think an attack will be made upon us very
soon, but I do n’t think this place will be attacked directly
if atall. We are ready & well prepared to meet the enemy at any
time & should they attack us we will give them a very hard
fight, I believe we can whip three times our number now.
A.P. Hill, is Uncle Top’s Brother, is the Col. of our Regiment, he is
a splendid officer, I’ve not made his acquaintance, but intend doing
so…Bro. John expects to come here next week to Join our Co, if he
gets the situation of Chaplain as he expects to do he will be released,
Cap. Murray thinks he can get the situation for Bro. Jno in our Regiment.
Mr. Lane brought on six recruits last Friday, Jim Hackett amongst
the number, Jim was very tight when he got here but soon cooled
off as he could ^’get’ nothing to drink, it made him right sick sick
getting sober so sud[d]enly & he’s been co^‘m’plaining ever since, he has

[page 3]
not been received as a member of our Co. yet, I don’t know whether
he will be or not. I suppose you’ve heard of Jim’s arrest at Manassa[s],
he went on there with some South Carolina troops, was drunk of
course, & got to walking about & was soon arrested as a spy &
put in the Guard house. It is impossible for a private to get
a drop of whiskey here, as all in the place has been seized upon,
a great deal of it emptied in the river, & the rest put away for medi=
cal purposes, I am very glad that law has been enforced..

Today does n’t look atall like Sunday, except that we’ve all put
on clean shirts, washed up &c. A camp ^’life’ is certainly a very corrupt
& demoralizing life, I have a great many temptations before me I kno^‘o’,
but I will try to resist all of them. I am very particular about my
associates, I go about the different quarters very seldom, I see a
good deal of Will Jones & Will Ashby. I want to see all of you
very much, It has been a very long time since I saw much of
you, you know when you were at home Xmas I was sick
& cd not enjoy yr company much. I’ve become perfectly recon-
ciled to a soldiers ^‘life’ & expect to lead it a long time, we are enlist=
ed for twelve months but will serve as long as our as services are needed. I know it is a great deal better for me to be satisfied and
therefore I’m perfectly contented. Two of ^‘our’ men, Mr. Cullen & Hibbs have
gone home on furloughs, I reckon my time will come around about
next Xmas. We thought ^‘last’ week that we were going to leave here,
but do n’t see any prospects for leaving now. I had much
rather stay here than to go to Richmond or any low place.

It is very healthy here, I’ve been on the sick list only two
days since I’ve been here, we have some cases of measles and
mumps in our Company now.. I miss Joe Brooks very much
but am glad he got off as he cd not stand it. It is get[t]ing

[page 4]
bed time so I must bring my letter to a close. You must
tring excuse mistakes, bad writing &c. I am very badly situated
for letter writing. My best love to all of my relatives & accept
a portion for your self. Write very soon to yr devoted & most
P. S. aff Bro. P. E. Jones
I am very well this morning. My best love to all
cousine Edloe Bacon & tell him I intend answering his letter soon.
P. E. Jones
“High Private in the Rear Rank”
Care Cap. Murray
Via Winchester} Harpers Ferry
Don’t show this to anyone [A curious note from his brother, Pendleton.]
F. P. Jones
Ambrose Powell Hill, 1825-1865, was Colonel of the 13th Virginia. He became one of Stonewall Jackson’s ablest subordinates and later commanded a corps under Robert E. Lee in the Army of Northern Virginia. He was killed by a Federal soldier Corporal John W. Mauck of the 138th Pennsylvania on the Petersburg line April 2, 1865.
MSS 13407