Dear Father

We are still encamped here without

the prospect of moving for some time, as it is impossible

for us to advance, on account of the strength of the

position of the enemy on Cheat Mountain, until

Gen. Lee defeats them near Huttonsville and turns

their position, And it is said the enemy are

as strong or stronger than we are, and well

entrenched in the valley in front of Gen Lee, I hear

he intends to advance as soon as the roads are dry

enough for the transportation of bagage and for

artilery, We have had now two dry days, and if

this weather continues we may expect orders to

move forward in a few days. There is some talk

of forming a regiment for Col. Stark, of our two

companies, four companies of Col. Heck’s regiment

which escaped from Rich Mountain, and two other

companies, To which are to be joined Shoemakers

battery and a company of cavalry, In that case

we will be sent over to Gen. Lee’s column and

will no doubt be in any battle that may be

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expected soon, Our company are in a very bad

condition, and few others here are any better off,

We have only forty three men present, and of them

there are only twenty five for duty, the rest being

sick with measles and diaraeha, Eighteen were left

in Monterery and have since been sent back to Staunton

all the sick who are here, If wo we will have left

only about thirty men in the company, We all

have plenty of clothing and other necessaries except

over coats, of which there are only sixteen in the

company, The government promises to send us a

supply of overcoats very soon, but they are always

too late in every thing, and the Quartermaster and

subsistance departments are very badly managed,

for instance every regiment has to send back twenty

four miles to Monterey for its provisions.

Tom left here this morning on leave of absence

for home by Staunton, he has been very sick for

a week with intermittent fever and diareaha, and

had become so unwell that the Doctor and I

insisted on his going home, He thought himelf

better this morning but said he had a slight

hemorage, there being some colouring of blood in

his spittle, It was for this reason, that I insisted

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on his going home, as this climate is particularly

unfavourable to a diseased condition of the Lungs

He will get to Staunton, Tuesday evening if he is not

obliged to stop on the way from fatigue, as he is

very weak. We procured an ambulance, in which

he is able to recline, as on a bed.

The men who have returned to Halifax on furlow

from the hospital are not under any command, and

I am not responsible to the state for them. I have

received no notice that they are not in the

hospital from the authorities, and therefore to me

they are still there, Those who sent them home

must account to the state for them, It is against

the rules of the service for any officer even the general

to grant a furlow without the recommendation of

both the surgeon and captain commanding the

company, I received yesterday a letter from

Maria, who is now at the home of her uncle Mr

Robert E. Kott in Fauquier she is just recovering

from another convulsion and severe attack of head-

ache, I think, produced by he[r] ride on the cars

from Richmond, We are to have a pay master

here soon I have heard to pay the men up to

the 1st of July, If the government is not more prompt

in paying their army, They will be in danger of

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losing it very soon, It is well enough to talk

of patriotism, but men won’t fight without pay,

particularly when they see the government paying

promptly themselves and their favorites above them

I am very well, and find this rough life agrees

with me, But Tom can not stand it, and I

think he ought to resign rather than come here

again, The climate as winter approaches will

certainly give him consumption, and one is always

subject to diareaha in camp. With love to

Eliza and Charlie

Your affectionate Son

Wm. B. Bruce

[Paper folded to envelope size and following note on back]

Thomas Bruce of

Tarover ill, had to

leave camp at Greenbrier

River in ambulance

Died Sep 19 – 1861 at

‘Tarover’

William Ballard Bruce was a captain of Company K in the 20th Virginia Infantry

refers to Lt. Col. Jonathan M. Heck of the 25th Virginia,and possibly to Lt. Col. william Edwin Starke, 1814-1862, of the 53rd Virginia, who was later killeld at Antietam.

MSS 2692