Dear Murphy

I saw the Pay Mas-

ter Maj Field a few days since–

He told me that the State of Va were

to pay you till till[sic] June 30th and af-

ter that time you were to be paid

by the Confederate States–he says

he will be here in about ten days

and will then pay you up till

30th June. The other must be paid

by the Confederacy–you are

entitled to $90.00 a month in-

stead of $80.00 as I made out

your pay account I will attend

to yours when Maj. Field returns

Remember me kindly to all the

Family.

Your friend

Pelham

MSS 3945-a

[From the diary of Harrison B. Jones, 33rd Virginia Infantry, Co. H. (Page Greys)]

Rainy & disagreeable. There

was to have been preaching

in the 28th Regt, B. Brubaker

and myself went over but

the rain prevented our

hearing the sermon.

the report that Gen Lyon

is killed seems to be

confirmed.

B. Brubaker may perhaps be William A. Brubaker, 1834-1917, of Co. H. Enlisted June 1861. Absent sick October 1861- January 1862. To Sergeant February 1862. AWOL April 1862 and reduced to ranks. Wagoner April 1862-April 1865. Paroled at Winchester May 1865. [Spratt. Page County, Virginia Men in Gray]

MSS 14169

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, Confederate soldier in the Dixie Greys (42nd Virginia, Co. E.)]

Singing in Captain’s tent in the

morning – in evening wrote to

Bro. Peter and Sister Eliza. To day

read 60 Chapters in Bible and

at night went out on picket –

was stationed about a mile from

the road in a deep hollow. night

was very dark rainy. a soldier

died in camp

MSS 5526

My precious wife:
Two letters have come from you and
have relieved my mind very much. I hope you may
be of great use where you are & that your intercourse
with those around you may be full of love & tender-
ness to the feelings of all, because such was the
spirit of our Blessed Lord. I hope, my dearest,
you will visit Belmead if possible. Don’t mind
your figure Its shape is natural & honorable
I hope you have received two letters written since Ii
arrived here. I think I have written two besides the
one from Charlottesville–I attempted to give you
a fair account of our situation here & I hope
your mind is quite easy now–There was no
accident on the R.R. as I came over last Sunday-
This is the Holy Sabbath too–but little it looks
like Sunday here–The blacksmith’s shop just
opposite to where I write is open & work going
briskly on. I believe Revd Philip Slaughter chaplain
of the 19th Regt. will preach to day in this place–
There is an episcopal church here which the
Yankees desecrated most shamefully while they
occupied this place. Their names are written every
where on the walls & high over the altar itself with
charcoal & pencil. And now some of those very men

[page 2]
whose names are there written lie buried in that
church yard! The grave of one whose name
was higher & more conspicuous than the rest has
been pointed out to me–

Of course we cannot tell what will be the fu-
ture movements of the army or of our Brigade but
the general impression seems to be that we are
here for some time yet–I do not imagine that
an attack upon the lines of the enemy on this side
the river is contemplated, because they could not be
carried without great loss & would be of no use
to us practically if we had them. On the other
hand Genl McClelland could not have organized an
army in this time, at all to be compared to the first
& tho it was twice as strong could not have dare
to attack us here so soon after a defeat. I think
myself this portion of our army is doomed to inac-
tion for some time to come tho’ of course no one knows.
This is my candid opinion for which you asked–
I am waiting a good opportunity to visit the
battle field with some one who can give me a
correct idea of the real scenes which transpired
there 4 weeks ago to day–It is a remarkable fact
that the road followed by the “Grand Army” is the same
pursued by Braddock to his enevitable defeat.
Almost every soldier in the army has some souvenirs

[page 3]
of the late yankee flight in the shape of an overcoat
an oilcloth, a sword or a pistol–
You will see by the extracts from the Northern papers
tho’ the truth is studiously concealed that the Federal
defeat in Missouri is scarcely less signal.

I have Uncle Philip & Capt. Harris converse about
the battle here a great deal (and I suppose they
understand it as well as any two men in the army)
And from all I can learn the result is as signally
due to the interposition of Divine Providence as any
Philistine or Syrian rout in Holy Writ. There are
a hundred things which had they happened & as
many more which had they not happened would
have caused our inevitable overthrow. and when
I see the result I can, with renewed confidence,
throw myself into the arms of that good Heavenly
Father without one shade of anxiety or one fear
for the future.

Until they are compelled to it, tied hand & foot
I do not believe the Yankees will give up this war
But I do not believe it will be a long war because
they will have the whole world arrayed against
them in less than six months from this time–
And then they will sink down down to weakness
among the nations–Dishonesty & corruption in all
the valations of life can be punished in no other way.

[page 4]
I have not yet heard from home at all. Write to
Mother often, Pink, & return home as soon as
your work is done where you are

Give my best love to Alex & Jennie & the dear
children & tell me of the result of your Uncle
Edward’s visit–Tell Alex I hope he will
soon be well enough to enjoy campaigning again
but I hope he wont return to the North Western
Barbarians again–

I shall write to you as often as I can & know
you will do the same–your last letter came
thro’ in two days. Read all in the Bible & those
good books I gave you, that you care & trust
that the Lord will take care of
Your ever devoted Husband
Philip B. Cabell

The Rev. Philip Slaughter, 1808-1890, was a well known Virginia historian.

Philip Barraud Cabell, 1836-1904, nephew of General Philip St. George Cocke and grandson of General John Harwell Cocke ,was one of the few antebellum students at the University of Virginia to obtain a master’s degree. After the war he was a professor at Urbana University in Ohio, and later a minister of a Swedenborgian church in Wilmington Delaware. His wife Julia Calvert Bolling Cabell known as “Pinkie”, had been a popular Virginia belle before her marriage six months previously

MSS 38-111

Dear Father

Sunday A dull drisley Rainey day;

It appears that you have not received

my letters, I have written two and have not received any

answer. Rodney Fedder received one from his Father and it

says in it that you would like to hear from me. The

last one I had from you was July 31st I was very glad

that you sent me those postage stamps as the letters

do not go so as they do with them on. I would like

to hear from you once a week I will write to you the same

Tell Henrietta that I am very much obliged to her

for those papers she sent me they were just the thing

I wanted to see, and allso to Anna for those she sent

me I have written to Ann and have not recieved no

answer. I see by the papers that there has been a very

large fire in Dor[?] I’d like to have been there, it must

look bad around the Old Dutch Church and that

part of the town where the fire was. I suppose you have

hard all the news about us from Capt. Truax I hear

from the boys that have got letters from home that

the Capt. has told the folks that the boys would not

come home if they could and that there was not one

in company but what had gained over ten pound.

this is not so, we do not fare any better than we did

before. You must not believe everything he says. I know

[page 2]

how he is, he talks to hear himself talk. we are a good

deal better off without him than with hm. Dall Barhydt

got a letter from his sister Nancy and it said that

the Capt. had told her that he had been in the

Guard House about twenty times and that he would

not do any duty without being put in there, this is

a lie, Dal has not been in once and he does as much

as any of the boys. We have moved our camp about

one mile from our former one under the guns of

Fort Ellsworth and a Maine Battery, Our whole

Brigade is camped together consisting of the 15th, 18th,

31st & 32nd Regts, the 16th has been taken out on account

Col. Davis a the Battle of Bull Run. Col. Franklin is

our Brigade Col. now. We have a mean place for our camp

the mud is ankle deep when it rains it has been mudy

ever since we have been here, Yesterday Gill Harman

and I went out of the lines and got some boards off

of a house for to make a floor to sleep on we have a

very good one it is about 4 inches from the ground with

a little slope towards the foot I dont like to lay on

the ground any more as it makes my back so lame a

good many of the Reg. are getting the Fever Ague. The

Regiment has had new Caps with the letter of their

company and the number of the Reg. on them allso

two pair of cotton flannel drawers, two pair of stockings

and one shirt like those Henriet made for me. I

sent you twenty (20) dollars last monday by express

I though you might as well have the use of it as

[page 3]

for me to spend it here follishly it cost me a dollar

to send it I have got enough left untill we get paid

off agian, all I drawed was 19 1/2 dollars for 1 1/2 months.

Thursday I sent you my Revolver and undershirts also

Potographs the revolver was more bother to carry it than

it was worth you ill have more use for it than

I will it is all cleaned up now all you will have

to do is to rub it over with a rag and sweet oil once

in a while the undershirts they took up so much room

in my knapsack we will get more shirts in a few

days. About those photogaphs I dont think you know

all of the boys the one on my left is Wm McKinney, one

on my right is John Pollard, the next Till Harman

the next Cris Peters. they aint taken very plain the

sun was very strong at the time, they were the best

I could get if you want any more of them let me

know and I will try and get them of the Artist. I will

try and get some small ones taken would you like to

have my ambrotype maybe I can get one of them

taken Give those two that are marked J. P. to Elleage

Clute in Green street and tell them who the boys are

and who sent them. let me know if you have recived

them and the money I got receipts for both of them.

How is the Big shop getting alon is there much work

going on there now how is Travell on the Rail road. Give

respects to all the boys on the road. There is not much

of any importance going on here. You ought to see

what good houses there is tore down by the boys to

[page 4]

make foors off there were two house that were

nearly whole but now there is nothing left of them

but the frames they belong to secessinists who have

left their homes and all and joined the Rebel

army Nothing more at present Give my love

Henriett, John, Uncle Add. Dunck. and all his folks.

Ann, and Jim. Good Bye

From Your Aff Son,

A.D. Barhydt

Co. E. 18th Regiment N.Y.S.V.

No drill to day.

Andrew D. Barhydt, 18th New York Infantry. Barhydt, 19 years old, enlisted May 2, 1861, at Schenectady; mustered in as corporal Co. E, May 17, 1861, to serve two years; reduced, date not stated; mustered out with company May 28, 1863, at Albany, N. Y.

Stephen Truax, 1808-1889, was a saloon keeper in Schenectady N.Y. who served for several months in 1861 as Captain of the 18th New York.



MSS 8979-l

[With many thanks to historian Rick Britton for the following commentary on the letter below]

William Johnson was a 20-year-old farmer when he enlisted on May 1, 1861, at Massies Mill in Nelson County, Virginia. His older brother Albert Alexander Johnson signed up on the same day. When mustered in on May 20 at Manassas Junction, Johnson’s unit, under the command of Capt. Thomas M. Boyd, became Company G—the “Nelson Grays”—of the 19th Regiment Virginia Volunteers. In August of 1861—one month after the Battle of Bull Run—William Johnson wrote the following letter while stationed at Camp Pickens. In it he sends his love to his family and neighborhood friends, but he also jokingly refers to the battle the 19th Virginia had participated in (albeit briefly). “We cant here much from the yankees,” he writes. “Now I dont expect they will try Bull run again shortly. It is a small stream But hard for a yankee to Cross.”

Most of the letter, however, is about what every 20-year-old soldier boy thinks and dreams about in every war in every century—the girls back home. “We Would like to here from Eny of them at Eny time,” he writes, perhaps including his brother’s sentiments. “[T]he girls surtinly Cant be ingaged in courting for there is NO men left Now [that] the milisia [militia] is Called out. ___ tell the girls Not to get married till We felows get back and ^give us a chance for Everyone wif us is Determined to get a Wife as soon as We get back.”

William Johnson remained with the Nelson Grays until he was listed as missing in action—and presumed killed—on July 3, 1863. On that day, the third day of fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg, the 19th Virginia participated in Pickett’s Charge, suffering 168 casualties—39 percent of its 426 officers and men—in just over one hour. The Nelson Grays lost half of the 60 men who marched across that fateful field. William Johnson never got home, and never got a wife. For his poor family the grief must have been overwhelming—brother Albert Alexander Johnson had been killed in action at Gaines’s Mill on June 27, 1862.

Dear father and mother and brothers and

sistres i take this opportunaty of writing you a

few lines this leves us all well. Except fenwick[?]

he is complaning a littel. Not very sick. all

the rest of the boys is vell. i truly hope these few

lines may fin you all well and injoying

your selvs and all the rest of the Neighbors

We have Nothing of importence to rite to you

all att this time. times is very quiet with us.

We cant here much from the yankees Now

I dont expect they will try Bull run agan

shortly. it is a small streem. But hard for

a yankee to cross. We ar station at Centerville

agan. We moved here last sunday. We ar stati

on the oppersit side of Centerville to Whare We

Was When you Was down here. We cant tell

how long We Will stay here We got orders

a day or two ago to be reddy to march but

We have herd Nothing more since. Now[?]

We may stay here some time as We may

Not to day Was our day in Cars the move

but it is ranining and I hardly see can

We Will move today and as it is raining

We ConCluded to spend a few ours in

Writing you all a few lines to let you

know how We are getting on. We are geting

on pretty Well We are still garding this

large Citty We just Came off of gard

this morning. We have Eat our old hen

We Was furfull that We would have to

move and leve her and thourght it best

to kill her. We Would [all?] lake very

much for you to up bin here to take

[page 2]

some supe With us i tell you it Was fine

We dident have to boil her mor than a day

and a half. i Want you all to rite to us and

give us all the News and let us know that

has becum of all the girls I hardly can

they are in the malisia they must be som

Whare We cant here from the thare Was a

good meny of them that promist to write

to us but We cant get Enything from them

maby paper is scurs if it is tell them to give us

a few lines on some brown paper.

We Wold like to here from Eny up there

at Eny time. the girls surtinly cant be

ingaged in courting for thare is No men

lef Now the malisia is called out [?] tell

the girls Not to get marred tull We felows get

back and give us a Chanch for Every one of

us is Deturmend to get a Wife as soon as

We get back we Want to get Commence mary

ing the [?] We get back and Continue

till Every one of us has got a Wife and all

them vacant houses will be filled. We Want

you to speek to J.R. loving for all his houses

We Will take all his vacant houses and

build some and if the girls Want to mary

they Will surtinly be courtted and if the wont

marry it Will be thare falt as it has allways

bin. they shant then lack for an oppertunaty

Whend We get back if they Want to mary then

Will be the time. We have a pretty good time

down her Now we can get plenty of [?] yers to

Eat We have some fine pots[?] of [?] some times

We [?] first trat We get plenty of meat and bread

[page 3]

and sugar and coffee if We could get some

frut to mak pies We could live as Well as heart

Could Wish, but We cant get Eny thing of the

sort here. Nither appels Nor petches i Want you to

put up plenty of apels and if We cant Eat em

before you can save them till We get maried

and give us a big [?] and tell Bob Kidd also

to keep that brandy tell them We Want to be thare

When he brottles it and take a big drink Just

before We start after our livens[?] then We Will all have

to get a Wife and all of us setled around there and

live Clost Neighbors to Ech other and then i think

few Will Ever Exist or a turabel pursone i Cant

tell Which you all must give our love to all the

people up there Esp4ecialy the girls give our Best

resoecks to Jo Kidds girls and tell them to rite

to us we are doing to promis give our best respecks

to aunt aggy and aunt fany and to all the rest of

the Neighbors give our best respeks to grandfarther

and grandmother both grand mothers and

to all bobs famly and and all his family tell

all the peopel to rite us a few lines We ar happy

to here from Eny up there Dan sends this love to

you all and to his floks he has gotten Will Bank

sens his love to you all and to all his folks. all

the boys join in sending there Best respeks toyou all and

to all in quiering friends i wmust now close

by saying We remane as Ever your devorted

children till Deth William Johnson

and brothers

P.S. give our love to all the Childran and

Exceppt a portion you self. rite soon good By

[page 4]

Jim Derar sir i Will rite you a few lines to let you know

how We are geting a long. Well Jim i tell you

We could injoy ourselves furst trat if i was

surtin there Would be no more fighting. Not

as i am a friad to fight but i tell you thare

is Not much fun in fighting. Whare the balls

Was flying around like they was at manasa

four Weeks ago to day. We Would like to see you

all very much But it is a bad chanch to

get upp i Would like to get up thare to get

as many peches and apels as i could Eat Jim

give my love to farther and mother and cate

tell Cate i rote to her a day or two a go and Will

Write you soon. give my love to your mother

and all the rest of the people in the Neighbber

hood and especially the girls all that you

see and those that you cant see you can send

Word to remmember my best respecks to

John and Cinthy and bob Kidd and his fam

ly. give my love to all the Childrun and

except a potion for youself. you must [word lined through]

Excuse our short leter We Will rite more next

time. We Will Write a famly letter Next time

I must Now [c]lose by saying i remane your

brother till Deth. A. R. Kidd to James Johnson

Write to us soon and Derect your letter

to manasa in the Care of Captin boyie [?]

of the 19th regerment of virginia

valenteers

good by for this time

MSS 8474-ab

From the diary of Harrison B. Jones, Page Greys

Wet muddy & unpleasant

Frank McCullough has

the measles. heard the report

of a battle in Missouri, Gen

Lyon of the Federal army

killed, 800 of the enemy

killed & wounded

Frank McCullough, b. 1843, was listed as present through April 1862. AWOL May 1, 1862. Re-enlisted August 1, 1862, in Company D of the 7th Virginia Cavalry. Detailed as a provost guard in Page County April through August 1864. Farmed in Page County after the war. [Thomas M. Spratt. Page County, Virginia Men in Gray.]

Jones refers to the Battle of Wilson’s Creek near Springfield, Missouri on August 10. Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon led outnumbered forces against Confederate General Benjamin McCulloch and Missouri state troops under Sterling Price. Two Confederates charges repulsed the Federals and Lyon was killed rallying his troops. The Federals stopped a third Confederate charge but then withdrew from the field. The hard hit Confederates failed to pursue them and the Union forces retreated south west leaving a large section of Missouri in Confederate control. Jones ‘s sources underestimated the total enemy casualties. The numbers were given as 258 killed, 873 wounded and 186 missing. The Confederate totals were about 100 fewer. [E.B. Long. The Civil War Day by Day.]

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, Confederate soldier in the Dixie Greys (42nd Virginia, Co. E.)]

Usual drill – Read 6 Chapters

in bible and from page 140 to

162 Miltons Paradise Lost.

A good deal of grumbling in

camp to day about something

to eat. day very pretty.

MSS 5526

Dear Mother I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know where the Regiment is, they are under the Guns of Fort Elsworth one mile from the City of Alexandria, I suppose by the time you get this that you will hear of the taking of Jeff Davis & sumpter by the United State Frigate Pawnee this regiment has gone in a new brigade comprising the New York 23, 16, 29 regiments the third & Fourth Maine have gone in aNother brigade the reason they have putt the Maine regiments in different brigades is that if any should cause trouble in one regiment the others could not help them, the new york 16 regiment trowed down their Guns & swore that they would not do any duty, but they com to after A wile the Vermont second started last night to Guard the Long Bridge at Georgetown heights if the State of Maine does not Look after the men any better than they have the clothes will rot of thier backs, I do not blame the men any for Grumberlin when they cant find any Better Stuff than Maggety Bread & Meat And they are bound not to stand it any longer & if they think so they are greatly Mistaken Most of the men have thrown thier shirts away; I received Father’s Letter of the 7th & he wrote to me that you wanted me to write how McFearson gets along Since he got wounded I did not know that he had got wounded nor he did not it is a all a Lie did not you know that he was A great Blower my Papers have not come from Arlington yet but I expect them to come every day There is five other s that have got thier discharge. Ask Mary Wallace how she Likes the Idea of my getting discharged I should think she would be affraid of my getting in the Closet to get at the sugar & cake she always kept the key in her pockett so that i could not get it tell her that John Shaw wants her to give his love to Andrew & wants him to kiss the baby for him & sends his best respects to his wife And when he returns to Portland he will have A good chat with him about the battle at bulls run i suppose you know that he has got his discharge, Father wrote to me that he had sent me some other Letters Before this but I have not seen them nor the papers that he sent

From you affectionate son Joseph Leavitt

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George Leavitt of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66

Saturday

Miss Catharine Barden

Dear Catharine

I write to tell

you all about our recent fights and retreats in

North Western Virginia. We started to Laurel Hill

from Staunton the last of may & were 10 days

on the road reached laurel Hill & immediately

commenced doing heavy work in the way of guard

duty, picketing, and scouting.–This continued

some time until about Sunday 8th June when

the enemy moved up from Philippi to within

2 1/2 miles of our camp. On hearing of their

approach the 1st Georgia & our Regt. were ordered

down to meet them–we did so & were there

&skirmishing with them 3 or 4 days. We did

not lose any of our men in the skirmishes

but we killed some 4 of the enemy certain & per

haps more. On Tuesday the enemy opened on our

camp with bomb shells & threw them very

correctly for a while–but without effect.–

No one was injured by the shells–I was on

guard duty during the bomb firing & had to

keep dodging to get out the way of the balls

[page 2]

several fell near me & I picked them up an unscrewed

them & took the powder out.–

On Thursday evening the news came that the

enemy had surrounded the other division of the

army under Cols. Heck & Pegram at Rich

Mountain–We were immediately ordered to strike

our tents & prepare to march back towards

Beverly to their assistance–we started just after

dark & reached within 4 miles of Beverly just

at daylight.–There we were informed that the

rest of the road to B. was blockaded & that

Pegram & Heck had been fighting all the day

before – but that the enemy were in Beverly.–

Gem;/ Garnett immediately ordered us to take the

road leading to Tucker Co that turned off to

our left–6 miles from Beverly–We travelled

all day & camped at about 10 oclk at night

at the foot of Cheat Mountain–after crossing it.

It rained all that day & nearly all night. I was

very well & stood the trip well.–The next morning

about the time we were starting again on our

journey.–We were surprised by the enemy over-

taking us.–they having made a forced march

all the night before.–Our Regiment & the

the[sic] 1st Georgia were in the rear of the wag-

gon train & did all the fighting that was done.–

The enemy were too strong in numbers–& we could

[page 3]

do nothing but continue the retreat & fight them

as they followed–We killed many more than

they did–& had it not been for the unfortunate

occurrence of dividing our army so that

one half was too far in advance to even

hear the guns & we could have whipped

them easily.–We did whip them at any rate.–

and and drove them back three different times.

Our Regiment had only 3 companies in the

fight–Ours, the Richmond Sharpshooters and

the Scottshock Company. We then met with another

severe loss in the death of our Genl. Garnett.

He died whilst standing within 20 yards of the enemy

trying to rally his scattering forces. He was

a brave man at the least. We retreated on from

Cheat River through Maryland and on to a

small place called Greenland which we reached

on Sunday night & there got our first meal

of victuals since Thursday.–Many of the troops

were almost exhausted from want of food & lying

on the naked, wet ground without Blankets.–

My blankets were lost before we got to Cheat River

we were ordered to throw them off–& I did so.–

We retreated on gradually until we reached Monterey

after being 10 days on the road–we are now

at Alleghany Mountain about 250 strong the rest

of the Regiment are sick at Monterey.–I was

[page 4]

taken sick before we got to Petersburg.–& at

Franklin I was advised to leave the Regiment

& take a near road to Staunton–I did so and

when I got within nine miles of the place I

was taken so ill that I was compelled to go

to bed.–I was sick there 5 days & from there

the Gentlemen I was with brought me here

to the Springs in a waggon.–I am now

nearly well–Pleasantly & comfortably situated

& hope to return to my Regiment soon.–

The Doctor waited on me here for a week day and

night and the Ladies here were also extremely

kind and attentive–some times 6 at a time

setting up with me.–I never received kinder

attention in my life anywhere.–The Ladies

would come and read the bible to me–even after

I could sit up–sometimes reading 2 hours at

a time.–I hear from home every few days.–

They are all well.–Write me some when

you hear from Tucker Barden.–We think

we will have another battle before very long.–

Give my love to all & retain a share for

yourself.–I will be here about 3 weeks &

want you to write soon & often while I

am here.–I recd. your letter about the time we

went into battle-but had no time to answer it until

now.–with much live & kind wishes

I am yours truly

Henry L. Bell

Private, Co. B. 23rd Virginia Infantry

MSS 13371