My dear respected Friend

Owing I suppose to our
irregular postal arrangements, your kind communication
of Tuesday has just been received.

I have not as yet entered into service; neither shall
I without consulting you, if you will allow me that
high privilege (?) I have been willing and ever anxious
to be engaged in ministering to the wants of the sick,
but after you so kindly proposed to take the matter
in hand, I thought it would be better to wait and
learn the result, and in the mean time assiduously
to renew my medical studies, hoping thereby to be
better qualified for a medical attendant.

I have received messages from some of the ladies
of Charlottesville, to the effect that they had held
a meeting to ascertain how many would be willing
to nurse the sick, and “certainly counted on getting
me; and that I must not leave the county.” But I
have not as yet been addressed by the committee, and

[page 2]
do not feel myself bound to them.

If it will not be to great
an imposition on your time and generosity, I would prefer to
have you make any arrangements for me you may see
proper.

If the ladies of Richmond address me on the subject,
I will enclose their communication to you.

Enclosed I send you some suggestions, which strike
me as being good. It embodies exactly my idea, and
I intended to propose such a plan, if I had not
been anticipated.

I would prefer to be in a Surgical Hospital where
I could assist in the operations.

Please say to the authorities, that I will give the
services of myself and servant gratutitously, if they
are willing to incur our expensis for travelling and
board. I will go anywhere or do anything they may
see fit to assign me, if it is to follow the army and
seek the wounded on the field of battle.

Yours with the highest regare
and christian esteem,

Orie. R. Moon

to
Genl. J. H. Cocke,
Bremo

Dr. Orianna Russell (Moon) Andrews (1834-1883), daughter of a wealthy merchant of Scottsville, Va., was a graduate of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania. After obtaining her degree she travelled to the Holy Land to assist her missionary uncle. There she was known as El Hakim (the doctor) by the Bedouins among whom she encouraged basic sanitary measures to reduce the prevalence of eye disease among the children. She returned to the United States shortly before the war. After the battle of Manassas/Bull Run Dr. Moon began working in the general hospital in Charlottesville. Soon after she married one of the Assistant Surgeons, John Summerfield Andrews, whose dying brother she had attended.

MSS 640

                               Manassas July 19 ’61

My dear Mother
                                      I write a line indeed
as it is an interruption of necessary business
to acknowledge yours of the 17th & 18th
just recd.–to tell you that I got
the shirts nice & safe–& to say to you
that having retreated hastily from Occoquan
in expectation of giving some assistance
here. we have been taken aback by an
order to Dumfries where we are to join
the advance of Gen Holmes
     Richd. is here –& expects the Orange
Militia to stay.  The fight of yesterday
was favorable to us.  We have no tidings
top day.  I am to start as soon as we can
get something to eat by way of Brentsville
   I am truly delighted with your tidings
about Mary Minor–Frank Carr is still
too unwell to join the Troop.  He is keeping
out of the enemys way however–I suppose
Willy Holcombe will reach home to day
   Love to all–especially Mr Minor
              ever afftly yr son
               Eugene Davis

None of our immediate
friends were in the
action yesterday – I believe

Captain Eugene Davis, Co. K, 2nd Virginia Cavalry “Albemarle Light Horse”

MSS 9852-i, -j, -k    

[From the diary of Harrison B. Jones, 33rd Virginia Infantry]

Friday [July] 19, [1861]
left Paris about 4 o’clock
this morning and marched
to Piedmont Station to break
fast – after remaining there
several hours we got upon
the cars and run down to
Mannassas Ju^’n’ction we re
mained in the cars all night
there was a fight near the Junction

MSS 14169

Dear Sister
yours of the 11st inst reached
me by Mr Crepsley I
Was glad to hear from
you I am well and
doing very well you wrote
that I wrote I could not
get your letter I think you
are mistaken, if I rote that
I dont know it there is no
difficulty in getting letters
I dont need any thing except
I would like to have some
hams if you can spare them
Ben and John D Wants
Some you can send all in
the same box. A quantity of

[page 2]
Onion and Cakes will
bee very exceptable Ben
and John D will [?] for
them any kind of vegetables
you think will keep send
let Pa mark the Box
I told him how to mark
it when he was here it must
bee marked to Capt Dawson
1st Regt Ala Volunteers
Warrenton Fla the Cavelry
had A Brush on the Point
last Week I saw Mr Nall
yesterday he was on the Point
but was not engagined he
said they killed six
if no more prospect for
an Engageinnent is

[page 3]
[?] at the place
some Target shooten at
Pickens yesterday they shot
this way some Sickness
in the Company at this time
three cases of the fearedsome
Measles none Dangerous

Write soon give George
my regards if I dont
Write you may know that
I am Well if I get sick
I Will let you all know
if I Wrote to ma last
sunday I remain your
Brother till death

John M. P[arker]

A John M. Parker is listed in Company G and Company C of the first Alabama Regt. A John M. Parker of Company G is listed as a prisoner at Camp Chase, Ohio, dying there January 29, 1865.

Warrington, Fla., was part of the harbor defenses for Pensacola. The 1st Alahbama surrendered there in April 1862.

MSS 13240

[From the diary of Harrison B. Jones, 4th Sergeant, Co. H., 33rd Virginia Infantry

Thursday
Today left Winchester
about 1 o’clock and marched
to reinforce Gen Beauregard
we had a hard march to
day; waded the Shenandoah
river at Berry Ferry and
continued marching until
9 o’clock at night, then
stoped at Paris in Va

MSS 14169

[From the diary of Wesley Hammond of the Dixie Greys, 42nd Virginia, Co. E]

Left Lynchburg – for Charlottes-
ville – from there to Staunton
arrived there about 11 O’clock P.M.

MSS 5526

[from the list of officers, and preamble and constitution of the Evangelical Tract Society, Petersburg, Va.]

PREAMBLE

The War of 1861 having called away numbers of brave men from their homes
and sanctuaries to the camp and the battle-field, to defend the sacred cause of civil
and religious liberty, and establish the independence of the Southern Confederacy,
it is the dictate of Philanthropy and Religion to minister, as much as it is possible,
to the spiritual necessities of our soldiers, deprived now of so many means of grace,
and exposed to so many temptations. The circulation of religious Tracts is an in-
strumentality eminently appropriate to this end. To employ this agency, the for-
mtion of Tract societies throughout the South becomes a necessity, in consequence
of the impracticability, and if practicable, the inexpediency, of obtaining supplies
in future, from the American Tract Society.

The christians of Petersburg, Va., of all evangelical denominations, have uni-
ted in the formation of such a Society, that through it they may lay their offerings
of Piety upon the altar of Patriotism, and lead the soldiers of the Country to be-
come the soldiers of the Cross. But not to them alone, nor to the duration of the
war only, is it designed to limit either the existence of the Society, or the charac-
ter,or the distribution, of its publications. But the welfare of all classes in the
community is contemplated, and the design is that it shall occupy as large a sphere
of usefulness, and for as long a term of years, as God by His Spirit and His
Providence shall be pleased to grant.

The American Tract Society, from whom the citizens of Petersburg, found it neither practical or expedient to obtain literature is still in existence today as a nonprofit, nonsectarian but evangelical organization founded on May 11, 1825 in New York City for the purpose of publishing and disseminating Christian literature.

The Evangelical Tract Society published over 100 short pamphlets which were distributed throughout the Confederate armies during the course of the war. The popular leaflets with titles like Words of Warning, A mother’s parting words to her soldier boy, and The Way to Zion were popular with the soldiers and were used by chaplains in their ongoing efforts to convert the troops.

MSS 640

               Centreville
July 18th 12 Oclock noon
My Dear Wife
        You wrote last tuesday
that you had not receved any
letter from me in quite a number
of days  I have written to you
three times in the same lenth
of time.  I hope to hear you have got
news before this from me
I wrote a few words about
our situation yesterday it was
written in the dark and in a
hurry.  Our forces have now
passed through Centerville
in rout to Mannasses Junction
If we have good luck we will
drive them from that place
by Saturday night we have
chased them about 20 miles
and have about caught to
them  If they do not run

[page 2]
faster than we can there will
be a battle in a few hours we trust to
come out all right they have the
advantage of us in being aquainted with the
roads they left Fairfax Court House of as soon as they
knew we were coming 5 Regiments at Fairfax
5 Regiments N[?] at Germantown and quite
a number of regiments along the road
comprise the rebel forces there is
I shoud think about 15,000 altogether Our
numbers the first Division about 11,000 men
3 Batteres of Artilery among which
is Shermans U.S. Battery the Best
in the U S they have rifeled cannon
Our whole force on this side of
the river with a few exceptions are
close by us our whole force
is about 70,000 men I think they
will be in Richmond in one week
I am very well I do not think we
will leave for home before the
22 Aug Ever remembering my own Dear Sarah
I remain yurs forever Andew

[in top margin of page 2]
We saw them leave the Court House
they run as if the old boy was after
them we threw 6 rounds of cannon
at them.

MSS 15440

My dear little Nannie:
It is eight o’clock at Night
and after standing at the Post Office for nearly
an hour awaiting the opening of a detained mail
to get a letter from you I learned that it would
not be ready for delivery under two hours & determined
to come home & write to you at once with nothing
to communicate save the fact that about four
thousand of our troops were attacked this mor-
-ning at eight o’clock by a large Yankee force
estimated at from 20,000 to 40,000 at Bulls Run which
is quite a large fordable Creek three & a half miles
from this place – Our men repulsed them three times
during the day & now both forces are camped within
about a mile & a half of each other – All I can
gather is not satisfactorily definite to me but leads
me to believe that our loss in killed & wounded does
not exceed 75 & it is thought that the loss of the
enemy will reach from 150 to 300 men in killed &
wounded – We took some 15 or 20 prisoners who
with our wounded are in this camp to night.

[page 2]
Bulls Run is almost a second Saragossa in
topography with our troops stationed here & there
on this side of it for several miles – I suppose
we will have daily engagements for several days
& if at last the enemy does crop all that
is necessary for their demolition will be for
our forces to fall back to this place where
we are ready to meet & whip (in my
humble opinion) 100,000 of them – The troops
were all ordered forward this morning from
here except one regiment & the men con-
-nected with the Batteries – My men & I
were all day in readiness at my Battery
that commands the Centreville road, on which
the fight occurred & we could distinctly see
the flash, & smoke & hear the roar of Artillery –
John Williams has volunteered to fight in my
detachment & could scarcely be held at his
post when the fight was progressing in our
view – Our Army here is confident of ultimate
complete victory & Richmond ought to be
willing to trust it rather than suffer from
the consternation that I hear prevails there

[page 3]
I understand that Col Moon of Richmond
is slightly wounded & that one Captain of
the New Orleans Artillery was killed – All
the Lynchburg boys were present at the fight
except Lathams Battery which is stationed
with Genl Cocke four or five miles above
on Bulls Run – I have not heard that any
of them were either killed or wounded –

Please don’t make statements from
this as coming from me for the reason that
I have not taken the pains to gather full
& correct details –

Give my love to all my friends
& connexions & write as often as you can
to my address as of the Naval Batteries
at Manassas Junction
Your own
Choctaw

Confederate artillery captain William King of Lynchburg, Va., to his wife Annie K. Leftwich King.

Battle of Blackburn’s Ford, Virginia

MSS 6682

Co. H. fifth Regt M[aine]V[olunteer] M[ilitia]

Dear parents and friends

I received your
letter with a beauquet in it in due
time and was very glad to hear
from you and also glad to hear that
you was all well and getting along
well. When I wrote to you last I
believe I told you we were preparing to
march. we took up our line of march
the next day with three days provisions
the first day we marched till 10 o clock
at night we were intending to cast off
the retreet from fairfacts court house
with 13,000 troops we stoped the rest
of the night and slept on the ground
In the morning we started before sun-
rise to march when got to the place
we were about 3 hours to late to stop
the rebels. they have retreeted before

[page 2]
us as fast as our troops come in sight
we have taken a few prisoners that
the rebels left on picket guard
they fell trees across the road to stop
us but we were not delayed much
on account of it. We have now comple-
ted our three days journey and have
arrived within 5 miles of Manassas
Junction. We had a sad accident
happen on our journey there was one
man shot himself in our regt about
noon the 2end day and one towards night
one of them was from Co. H. His name
is William McSellen from casco
you all know him he went to knock
an apple off from a tree with the
but end of his gun and it caught
in the limbs and went off taken
effect in the left thy [thigh?] and broke the
bone all to pieces and he lived about
3 hours and died, and was buried the
next day under arms they fired three
volleys over the grave the other man

[page 3]
was from Lewiston I do not know
his name he was shot thorugh the
side and died in a moment I did not
see him buried. We all seem to be
enjoying good health better than we
did at Washington. Genl. Scott said
yesterday that he thought we should
be on our way home in 8 weeks if
not before we have not had a chance
to fight the rebels on [?]division yet
but the right has had a little fighting
to do the[y] have gained every battle bout
one the[y] engaged the rebels at Manassas
junction with only 3 regts and got
badly whipt Scott has arrested the
commander because he went contrary
to orders in making the attack Scott
says we can take the place without
the loss of a man if we are carefill
and obey him. the weather here is
comfortable not to hot nor to cold in
the day time but we have cold nights
we have about 100,000 troops here

[page 4]
and more are coming on the way here
they have proclaimed strict law in
the army and we have to go straight

no more to write
at present

Hiram M. Cash

Mrs. Mary H. Cash
East Raymond,
Maine

MSS 12916