[letter of Hiram M. Cash continues]

We have not mooved yet and I guess we shall remain here for the present we are expecting an attack every day but we ar ready for them we have three heavy masked batteries and three open one one of them fort Elsworth is a very large one the other two are small ones we have also a large amount of cavalry and infantry to protect the forts and we hope they will attack us if they do we will show them how to march double quick time. we have first rate beds to lay on made of cedar boughs we spread one blanket on the boughs and put the other over us and we sleep comfortable enough for any one I never have seen the time since I enlisted but I have enough to eat such as it is and you all know what that is army fare

I have not much news finally there is not any here we heard some news from Western Virginia or Missouri wher there has been a great battle in which 8000 of our men beat 23000 rebels killing generels Price and McCullough and a good many men besides. general Lions was also killed on our side he was a very smart and good man the next day generel Siegel next to Lion in command retired back to his old camp ground where he will be reenforcd I have no more particulers to write

Tell the boys not to waite for me [to] write for I cannot get much time to write

Yours in hast

Hiram M. Cash

You will find enclosed a few peices of the stair casing that came off from the room where Elsworth was killed I have quite a large peice that I keep in my pocket and I split these peices off from it you can keep what you want and give the rest away

Hiram M. Cash

Private, Co. K, 5th Maine

Cash refers to the battle at Wilsons Creek, August 10, in Missouri, in which Union General Nathaniel Lyon was killed and his successor Samuel Davis Sturgis made the controversial decision to withdraw. Confederate Generals Sterling Price and Ben McCulloch both survived the battle, Cash’s rumor to the contrary. McCulloch was killed in action in 1862; Price survived the war. The rumor Cash relates also greatly exaggerated the number of troops in action. There were about 4500 Union troops and 11,000 Confederates. German born Franz Sigel had an undistinguished role in the battle followed by four equally undistinguished years as a Union general. He was more important for his ability to rally German Americans to the Union cause than any military brilliance. “I fights mit Sigel” became the slogan of German American troops.



MSS 12916

Wednesday

It happened very unfortunately my dear Lucy

that I did not get your very acceptable

letter by Pleasant–He no doubt told

you how very short a time I recd his

when I supposed he had arrived at 3 PM

I went to the stable & they told me he had

come & I saw the mare, but that Pleasant was

gone down to the boat, So after half an hour

or to or about 4 PM. I went to the boat where

they told me Pleasant had gone back to the

exchange to see me. so I went again to the

store & then first met with Pleasant & in the great

hurry I never gathered from him what he had done

with the letters which he had left at the

stable with the horse. So yesterday upon

going down I found the letters which

they told me had been sent from

the stable to the Exchange–all just

as you had put them up nicely

in the piece of paper. I wrote a

letter that day which I intended to give

to [?] who went up to see his wife

but put it in Pleasants hands.

The mare got down all [safe?]

and it is a great convenience[?] to me

[page 2]

in going to attend to business

in town. which together with business[?]

in drilling with the company 4 times

a day leaves but little leisure–

We have no stable here for horses &

[?] with the rest of the Command

are picketed out, to trees, or a

long rope tied 8 feet from the

ground where they are tied at

intervals of 8 feet from each other.

The Company is in 12 tents for

the men & 2 for the officers 6 for

the men in the [?] & [?]

[?] 25 feet apart [?] each other

the officers tents so place at the

western extremity of the street as to

command a view of the front of each

tent–I got the tents on the ground here

by 6 PM the day of our arrival the

[?] men were not mustered in till after 12

oclock–& I had then to make a requisition

for the tents–I had them all up & the

[page 3]

straw in them & the men ready to

retire before 9 oclock–this encamp-

ment is the most desirable location I think

on the [?] that I have seen as there

are fewer men in it–say some 380 men

we are on the plank road a continuation

of Cary street & just a mile west of the

Corporation line a mile & a half from the Capital

of the whole roof of which (to the East) I

have a full view & can at this moment see

the two Confederate flags waiving from the two

ends of the building where the Southern Congress

are now holding its Sessions.

I observe what you say about the wheat but

the Bloomfield wheat is red wheat & will

not do to make family flour. & I am ap-

prehensive the onion may be an objection

with the white wheat we have–I wish you would

inquire particularly of Mr. Irving and know from

him if he cannot by farming get most of the

onions out of the white wheat raised at Surry

quarter & if so to send up the hundred bushels

to make the family flour: –but if Seay thinks

the onions give a taste to the flour he must

see if he cant get 100 bus of the same wheat raised at

[page 4]

Lowr Bremo on the old house hill

& send them 100 bus of ours in place which

they could use as seed–I wish you would

tell Irving to find out also if Seay will let

sell the barrel at a reasonable price–40

cents for barrel is a good price or as much as

ought to be prided–If he will come to that

price or under it for the barrel (40 cents cash) tell

Mr. Irving he may deliver one thousand bushels

of that part of the crop which he regards as most

[?]–& let it be delivered at once if

[words lined through] tell him to see that it is ground

promptly & sent down–When ever the weather

favours he ought to have John hay or oats baled

& [?] to help Wm. d. Tompkins & brother & let

the flour go to the same place

I shall go to Richmond this morning for two hours & if it

be possible I will send up the things you

wrote for by Pleasant.

I delivered yesterday to Beverly James

the letter sent for him–& sent it at [?]

Tuesday or Thursday last to you for his wife as

she was out of town–Mr Harrisons company is

at the new Fair grounds & not at this camp which

is only for artillery.

Let me hear from you very often my dearest

Lucy & tell me how every thing is moving on at home

I know it is a heavy trial, by absence to you, & imposes

many heavy cares upon you–it is not less so to me but

duty seems to me to require the sacrifice & God is ever good &

[just?] & true to all who put their trust in him– To Him I com-

[left margin of page 1]

mend you & all the dear ones with you. I believe that his mercy & goodness will in the future yet do us good as it has in the past. So be firm & faint not for these vandals must be [beat?] & our country must be made the land of the free as now is the home of the brave.Ever yours

Cary C. Cocke

MSS 640

3rd Brigade Army of the Potomac

Aug. 14, 1861

My Dear Wife

By the above address you will

see that our Camp has been moved. We are now

about 13 miles from Alexandria and 1 ½ miles of Fairfax

C.H. Our Brigade is now encamped around the

village of Germantown, which place was recently burnt

by the Northern troops. I visited the scene yesterday

and found a dreary desolate looking village. Our

army is fast concentrating in this direction, but we

are not expecting an attack, as the enemy are forti

fied at Arlington Heights and Alexandria. A moment

might change matters materially. The Federal Congress

are doing little or nothing tending to peace. It was

rumored yesterday in Camp that peace proposals

had passed the house of Representatives. This style of rumor

is so common that we scarcely know what to believe.

We experienced quite a cool night (last) having had

a heavy rain since Monday. We had a nice time Monday

the day of our leaving Camp Pettus, distant some 6 miles

from the place. It commenced raining when we were about

3 miles from our present position. We were nice and wet when

at our destination, but these are some of the Comforts of a

soldiers life. I regret that I do not hear from home

oftener, as it makes me feel as though I was in the land

of the living. I am sorry I have not some of my thick

clothing. The summer clothing I will send home the

first opportunity. There is nothing of importance to com

municate since last I wrote. If you have an opportunity

send my thick brown coat, and if possible get me 1 doz

pair thick home made woolen socks. The best to be

had. You would be able to get them knit through the

country, and send by Wm Boggs when he returns

I want you to send word to Wm Creamer [?] to

make me a pair of water proof shoes similar to

those he made for McCants, (wide bottom double stitch)

Do not fail to do this immediately. I will enclose a

memorandum of my wants. The boys seem to stand

the marchs very well. Wm Creight has not yet ret-

urned. I hope he will bring me a letter. Our Camp

may be moved in a very short time. The S.C. Regiments

are all within a short distance of each other. Fitz

Mc Master was to see us yesterday. Johnny Matthorn [?] was

to see me also. There is some sickness in all the Camp,

and in Renshaw’s [?] Regiment several deaths.

As there is

nothing new I will close. Give much love to all and accept

the purest affection of

Your Affectionate Husband

JM Phinney

P.S. Write Soon. How are your funds we

will be paid soon.

Phinney was a Confederate officer from Winnsboro, S. C., in the Boyce Guards Militia and the 6th Infantry Regiment. He participated in the Seven Days’ Battles in Virginia and was killed in action at Fair Oaks in 1862

MSS 12661

Dear parents and friends

I suppose by this time you would like to hear from the boys of the fifth Regt.

I will tell you the reason I have not written before we have been very buisy mooving about since I wrote last we have moved 3 times and we was at one time under orders to march at a minutes worning 3 days before we mooved we mooved on day into a good place and the next day the artilary got into postion so that we were directly in their way in case of an attack and we had to get out of the way we have been bothered in this way two or three weeks but now we have got settled down in a compleet place the best we have had since we came out here

A few days ago our company was sent out on picket we spent the forenoon very well and the Lieuts. stationed their men where they wanted them arround Springfield Station where there is a Rail road bridge that has once been burned and rebuilt

again by our men there was about 12 of us arround the bridge the rest ware all arround within one mile of us Lieut Spiller was with us Bucknam was about a mile off with the 2nd platton Spiller was with the 1st it was quite warm and we felt dozey and layed down arround and on the bridge Spiller had gone about half a mile where four men were stationed on a hill he stoped a while and fell asleep while he slept there was a body of cavelry waching them with a spy glass one man that was with Siller happened to see them and told Spiller and he took a notion to come down to the bridge just as soon as he started the cavelry fell into line and attemped to stop them one of our men at the bridge was watching their movements and when he saw them coming he called to the rest of us and we fell into line in a moment and discharged 3 guns a signal for the men to come in at this moment the cavelry thought it best not to come in range of our muskets and S[iller with his four men reached the bridge in safety by this time we had thirty men on the bridge which was force enough to stand 100 cavelry and the commander of the cavelry had to who a white flag and come to the bridge with four men and when they got there we found they were our own men. I tell you we had a good time about it for a little while.

I think you wanted to know what I lost in the battle I lost my knapsack it was in the quarter masters charge I had 2 shirts 2 pr. drawers 2 pare stockings all of my towells handkerchiefs and trinkets except my needle book which was in my coat pocket I have now one coat one shirt one pare stockens 1 pare shoes two pares pants 2 blankets also my gun and equipments I still have possession off and intend to keep them as long as I have strength to do so.

We do not have much news concerning the war or anything else we had a good time the last time we mooved there has been some heavy rain here lately and the brooks are very high they do not pretend to have any bridges and we has to wade through them on our way here in some places it was almost deep enough to carry us down streem we are expedting to have a new sett of clothing every day and I shall be glad when it gets along we have very cold nights here we have not seen but a few hot days since we come out here I think it is a very healthy country here but quite a number of our men is sick J. Keen is very sick James Sone of Casco has got the measles and there is one or two got the mumps. I think it is a doub if Keen ever gets well he is going to have his discharge he does not keep his head all the time but he looks as though he could not live the rest of the boys are enjoying good health.

I suppose you heard that our sergon Dr. Buxton was taken prisoner by the rebels at the battle of bulls un he has to day returned to our company parole of honer he says our wounded are treated well and have good care taken of them he says the rebels were fairely whiped and that they would have surrendered three hours before our retreet if the demand had been made he says their loss is very heavy but he does not know the number about all the prisoners they have got our wounded our killed amount about 4 or 5 hundred with 7 or 8 hundred wounded makes up our loss he says the rebels were retreeting in large numbers when a panic made its weay into our ranks and both armyes ran away from each other if it had not been so their army could have cut us all to peices as we were retreeting so in disorder.

We have just received orders to march again we have been here about 24 hours after we get to our destination I will finish

[Hiram Cash will continue this letter on the next day, August 15]

Private, Co. K, 5th Maine

MSS 12916

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

this morning took the

cards at F. Royal for the

Juncktion arrived there about

ten o’clock; walk from to

Centerville – got in camp

about 5 o’clock – & found

the company doing

pretty well

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond]

Skirmish drill and dress

parade. Read 2 Chapters

in the Bible and from the

77th to the 100 page of Mil-

ton’s Paradise Lost.

Wrote to Jacob Peters, Esqr.

Day, pretty fair – our pickets brou-

ght a Union man into camp and

shot at another.

MSS 5526

My dear Jennie
Although it is raining &
entirely too wet for you to be
in camp & although the bridges
are not yet finished, still I think
I have good news for you–
yesterday the other two Regi-
ments of our brigade were moved
from the Ct House to this point
We now have a Regular and
invincible chain of encampments
stretching across the country
in front of Alexandria a dis-
tance of 30 or 40 miles and
about 12 or 15 miles from Alex.
and I believe from certain
facts that we are expected
to hold our present position
for 2 or 3 weeks & maybe
longer So I will have a good
chance to see you & the children

This is the last bit of paper
I have will get some more
to day & write you a good letter

Affectionately E.T.H. Warren

P.. cant say when the Bridges
will be done, this week I
hope.

MSS 7786-g

My Darling Wife,

I intended to have written

my regular Sunday letter on yesterday, b[ut]

from some cause had a very severe pain

in my eye and did not think it safe to use

it. I have received three letters from you and

my trunk last week. I am gratified to

find you are staying out at home, and

think if you would get some of the idle

women about town, Anne Lewis, Mary Chapin,

&c to stay with you, you would have a more

pleasant time than in town, and you would

at the same time be fitting yourself to render

me valuable aid & advice in farming

when I return, & if I should have the luck

to get one of Lincolns bulls [bullets?] in my head

before the service is over, your would be

prepared to take charge of the farm. B[ut?]

Love I will say do just as you pleas[e]

for I know you will do that any ho[w]

I am delighted to hear you say how m[uch]

my presence would add to your happ[iness]

at home. How long before your would rai[se]

a row with me. A very sweet wife until you

sour, which you know was just the day after

I got home. I know you don’t mean to d[o]

so again, & see that you don’t.

I had a chance to show my gallantry last w[eek].

I was directed one night to pass a Mr Pen-

dleton & his party through our line of sentinel,

I reached the party about 10 o clock & found

the party consisting of an old gentleman, driv-

ing the carriage & in it the wife of his son

[page 2]

[-] three or four little children. She told

[me] they were going to stay a mile beyond

[-] with a lady to whom she had a letter

[& w]ere on their way to Virginia from

[W]ashington. Knowing the difficulty they would

have in passing the sentinels of the other

camps I volunteered to accompany them.

But when they reached the house where they

expected to stay all night, I delivered their

letter & was told they could not be taken in

as the house was full of sick people & there

was no other house in the village where

there was any prospect of getting them in.

The only chance then was to take road & run

all night. I went with them and succeeded

in getting them lodgings at a farm house three

miles farther on. She was profuse in her

expressions of gratitude & I took leave of

them & walked back four miles to our camp

which I reached about one oclock, well paid

[fo]r my trouble in feeling conscious that I

[ha]d done a good deed.

[Gl]ad to hear that our wheat turns out so

[we]ll. I think it better to send in to Richmond

[–W]m White can do as he thinks best with

[it] I am very glad to hear also that the corn

[ne]ar the house, has had rain enough

[to] make it turn out well. I feared it was

[m]uch to thick & would fail if the weather

[w]as dry – Keep dear little Mathew & Gala

for me, talk of me to them often, &

never let them forget me. Tell Aunt Fuller

that I see Sam frequently – he is quite

well & a first rate soldier. – remember

me to Annie – Good bye Dearest

Ever Yours E. F. Paxton

[Parts of the above letter are included in Civil War Letters of General Frank “Bull” Paxton.]

MSS 2165

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

Monday

Skirmish drill _ Company

and Battallion drills – Read

2 Chapters in bible and from

the 3rd to 25th page in Mil-

ton’s Paradise Lost. Plenty to

eat to day, (that is of meat and

corn bread) The day’s work

will close in a few minutes by

calling the roll and prayer.

While writing these lines I am

seated in my tent door – Casting my

eyes occasionally to the Starry

Heavens above me as I often

did in other days – the days of

childhood – which caused my

thoughts often to wander up to

the Great Creator of all things,

and often caused me to exclaim

in the language of the Psalmist –

“When I consider thy heavens,

the work of thy fingers, the moon

and the stars which thou hast

ordained; what is man that

thou art mindful of him, ^ ‘and’ or

the Son of man that thou vis

-itest him”? Also am think

ing of Home and absent

Friends – as I frequently do

when alone.

MSS 5526

My dear Ma;

Although I’ve just written a few

days ago to some of your at home, I will write again to you.

Everything is as dull & quiet as ever in camp. We have

had some right bad weather in the last few days, it is raining

very hard now; the rain last yesterday evening came very

near spoiling all of our supper, we were sit[t]ing down at

the table when it commenced pouring down raining & all

of us had to run in our tents…We were on picket last Friday

night & Saturday, it rained very hard Friday night until

about ten oclock, we got very little sleep, the ground was

so wet & then the black gnats & chiggers came ^‘came’ very near

devouring us, we were in the woods about half a mile

from camp. Crocket arrived yesterday bringing all of

the letters & boxes safely; we were very glad to see him & he

seemed to be glad to get back. We were very glad to see the box,

it came in very well as we had to cook for ourselves yesterday.

I don’t think Crocket brought less than twenty or thirty boxes to

for our Co. Everything was in very good order in our box

when it arrived….John, Daniel & Tom Cosby were to^‘all to’ see us

this morning, they took dinner with us & returned about

three oclock. John looks very well, he is now stationed at

Fairfax CH. The Baltimore & Tenesee Regiments came here

to day from Fairfax CH, they are now camped in sight of

us, our whole Brigade is camped near together now.

[page 2]

Col Hill is still at Manassa[s]. Lieutenant Col. Walker is here now,

he has n’t taken command of us yet. All of us want to see Col. Hill

back again right bad; our Major is not very popular with his

Regiment, & as for old Gen. Elzey, I don’t believe anybody hardly likes

him, I believe his aid[e]s are afraid of him..Jackson’s Brigade is

near Fairfax CH. I heard today through John Daniel that our

pickets had a brush a few nights ago at Fall’s church with the

enemy, we took two prisoners, John said the fight commenced over

a peach or^‘c’ard. The parties went after peaches & met in the orchard,

none of our men were lost. Eddens started to Manassas today,

& from there he will go home or to the hospital, the Dr says he has

Typhoid fever, he is very sick & I am afraid moving him

will be the cause of his death; I believe all of our of the other boys

are well, Garrett has gotten well… Two of Kit’s cousins were

to see him this morning, I do not know to what Regiment they

belong, their name is Walthall. Pen & myself have moved

out into another tent, our old tent was so crowded that it was

very uncomfortable this warm weather; Cap Murray drew

two tents the other day & we got one of them, we have three others to

with us, they are John Crawford, Jno. Biggers & Nat Nuck^‘o’lls,

all three of them are very nice & good fellows. The tent that

we have is not as large as our old one, but if the officers get

the large two wall tents which they expect to get, we will

take the Captain’s present tent & then we will take one or two

others with us; we will take Albin with us if he comes.

I am very sorry to hear of Joe’s sickness, am afraid he is

going to have a long spell of it. Ask Pa if he has heard

anything from Joe. Brown since he got home? I w’d like to hear from ^’him’

[page 3]

I was sorry that Mr. Hackett & Carroll did not get out here,

if they had not said anything to Beauregard or anybody

else & had come on with the wagons, they w’d have found no

difficulty whatever in get[t]ing into camp; I’ve heard of a goo^‘d’

many who got into camp that way. I reckon the cars will

commence run[n]ing to the Station before very long.

We’ve made arrangements with a lady to have our bread cooked

while Harry is away. I wish you could have seen Bro. Jno

yesterday washing the things up after dinner, it would have

made you laugh, he looked so awkward, I reckon if they the cups and

plates had been any thing but tin he w’d have broken them. It is get[t]ing

quite late so I will stop – Thank Sister for her letter & tell her I

will answer it soon – Did Mattie send the cracker to Belle?

I think I heard Miss Sa^‘l’lie say that she intended put[t]ing short

pants on Edward this summer, has she put them on him yet?

I’ve not made the acquaintance of the first baby since I left

home. I am afraid all of the children, except Belle, will forget me

before I get back. How does Willie Bigg^‘c’ers get on now? I know

[may be James M. Bickers, sent home 5/22/61 for “unsoundness of body”]

I w’d ^‘not’ know Willie Page, have almost forgotten how she looked when I left….On dress parade yesterday evening, four ladies, one of them

very pretty, suddenly made their appearance on the field in front of

us, you can’t imagine what a sensation they did make, we

never see any ladies except washwomen & marketwomen; I thought

Pen & several others w’d jump out of their breeches when they saw

those ladies. It is now most bed time. Please excuse all mistakes

& bad writing. Our best love to all at home, all of my friends &

accept a large share for y’rself.. Bro. Jon or some of us will write

again in a day or two. All of us are well – Henry Chiles is as well

[page 4]

& hearty as ever, tell Miss Isa he behaves himself very well.

August 13th

P. S. All of us are well this morning. From Y’r devoted & most aff

son

P. Edloe Jones

[Continuing on this same page is a letter from Pendleton Jones.]

My dear Ma:

Ed has left me a small

space in wh. to write a few lines & home,

and has moreover doubtless given you

all the news of the camp. But before

all other things let me correct a somewhat

erroneous impression Ed produced sometime

ago. He called forth yr. grt. uneasiness on

account of my hearty eating and I was sur-

prised to hear you beg so earnestly to

check any appetite. We have been feasting

ourselves for some time but really Ed was

only trying to tease me by writing you that

I ate so much. We are all well now and

are getting on cheerfully, contentedly, and

heartily. Jno. Daniel & Tom Cosby visited us

to day – are both well. The other regiments of our

brigade moved in to this place today, so the whole

family are now together. The boys are disturbing

me by counting up the Johns in the company –

they make out fifteen – also fifteen Williams –

they is no prospect for a removal or

engagement with the enemy. We will

doubtless remain here some time & if any of

our citizens wish to come over to see us they

can do so easy enough by coming from the

Junction without asking for a pass. With

best love to all at home – & all the neighbors,

Affectionately yr. Son.

Pendleton.

MSS 13047