Dear parents
I have been very anxious to
hear from you fore some time as I have
not recieved but one since the 26th of Aug.
and that was the one that three of you
wrote and I think that some of you must be
sick or something serious the matter I have
recieved a letter from Ella H. Rolf but she
said nothing about you. I have got my pay for
two months and seven days this it up to Aug. 31st
that I have recieved pay for and I send you
here enclosed $10.00 you can get this bill changed
at the bank at Portland, or at any of the country
stores if you cannot get it changed handy Mr.
Perkins will change it for you at any time.
I shall send you $10.00 more in another letter
that I shall male the same day and I want
you to do just as you think best with it
for you know what is best to do with it
better than I do. Every thing remains quiet

[page 2]
on this side of the Potomack so far as I know
we have moved our camp about two miles
farther twards the enemy on the mount
vernon road, our camp is now close by
our new fort which is going on rapidly but
some think it will take two mnoths to finish
it although our whole brigade works on it
more or less. We ar now in the most sightly
place I was ever in I can see the city of
Washington and the Capitol very plain although
it is 10 or 12 miles distant I can see up and dwn
the river for many miles I think I shall feel
contented here for it is a nice place. There has
been a little skirmaging lately but nothing serious
has taken place since I wrote to you.
All of the Raymond and Casco boys are well
and enjoying themselves first rate I want
you to write as soon as you get this and
let me know if you get t his money
I have no news to write this time I shall be
anxious to hear from this money till I hear from
you

Hiram W. Cash

Hiram Cash, Private, Co. K, 5th Maine

MSS 12916

My Dear Creek

As I am on guard duty tonight and
not allowed to go to sleep I will try and write you a
few lines and if I am not interupted to much perhaps
I may get it to the length of a letter
when I wrote you the other day we had recieved orders
to hold ourselves ready for the march, I told you I could
not tell you than where we were going, I have since found
out the object of it The troops in advance of us reported
that a considerable number of the enemy had taken
up an advanced position on this side of the Potomac
and thought they threatened an attack upon our
advanced columns and that they (our friends) were going to attack
them before they had time to concentrate a large
force and for us to be ready to support them should
they need it, they accordingly attacked the yankees
that very evening and drove them back killing
several and taking 7 Prisoners (one of them an officer)
we did not loose any on our side some slightly wounded
but not dangerous, so they did not need our assistance
and we are still here yet, as quiet as can be no excitement
of any kind going on, our yankee friends seem to be
afraid to come out and meet us again in an open
fight, since the scare they got on the 21st of July,

[page 2]
I have been looking for a letter from you for a day or two
but as you mentioned in your last about sending it by
Mr Davis, I have not been disapointed at not getting it by
mail, but I am wearying very much for Davis to come on
with it; I thought perhaps I would send this by Lieut C. M.
Brown of my company, who is coming home but as it may
be a day or two before he gets of yet, i will send it by mail and
you will get it sooner perhaps, for I know you want to hear
from me after writing to you about our being on marching
orders, for I have no doubt but what you have magnified
it into a gig fight, and nearly all of us killed by this
time, which you will be happy to hear is not the case.
I will send by Eliab Brown two summer Coats and one pair
of Pants, which I will not have any more use for till warm
weather comes in again, and I have no room for them in my
trunk, one of the coats, is a light grey coulor, it is the one
I wore the day of the great Battle, so you see I do not wear any
uniform coat when I have to fight, General Evans told us
(officers) to take them all of as their was to much contrast
between us and the men when we had them on, and that
the enemy would pick us out for their marks to shoot at,
which was a very wise precaution on his part, and I have
no doubt was the means of saving a good many of our lives,
but when I get my Blue Jeans it will be the same of the
mens and their will be no need of my changing, I want
you to take good care of the old coat, as I intend keeping
it as a relic of the Battle of Manassas plains,
The Health of the Regiment is still about the same as when

[page 3]
I wrote you last, Billy Holland has been in Hospital a few days
with something like a Billious attack, but is getting better again
Mrs. Campbells brother is also better, and back to camp again,
Euen Norris is very low, they have been expecting him to die
for several days but the docter told me he was some better
today, and that he still entertained hope of his recovery,
he is sick of Typhoid fever, Brother William still keeps his
health and is fatter than you ever saw him
Write to me soon Dear Creek, you dont know how much
good it does me to get a letter from you, when I get one from
you, I go out in the woods by myself, and read it over and over
and then think about you and Dear little Maggie, till I almost
fancy my self at home, oh how I long to press you both to my
bosom again, and feel your warm breath upon my cheek, I
never felt till I left our happy home, what it was to be
Husband and Father, but this will teach me to appreciate
more highly the great Blessing that Heaven has conferred
upon me, in giving me a Dear Wife that makes my home
a happy one, and a place where I can find comfort and
peace, from the cares and toils of the world, Do not think
me Dear Cree, desponding, by writing to you in this strain,
for I feel that I am performing a sacrad duty to you and
my adopted contry in fighting for her rights and liberties,
and the hope of seeing our posterity enjoying the great
Blessings for which I am now Battling encourages me to go on
the good work already begun, trusting that that the God of
Battles will guide us to a safe haven, and grant us a
safe and speedy return to enjoy the peace and comfort of our

[page 4]
much loved Home; to which we all long to return, for,
absence makes the heart grow fonder.
I get along finely with my men here, I believe th3y all
respect me very highly, there is not one of them ever has
disobeyed a command I have given him, since we were
in service, but all seem to be anxious to please me, I feel
Proud at having such a gallant and agreeable set f
Gentlemen in my company, they are looked up to by the
whole Regiment, and I have less trouble in managing my
company, than any other Captain in the Regiment, I dont
care what I tell them to do, they do it with cheerfulness
and seem to vie with each other who to do his duty best,
in this way I believe we have gained the esteem of the
whole Regiment, if I have an enemy in it, I dont know it,
which is very gratifying to me, and I know it will also be
to you, for I know your heart is with me,
But I must close for my duties calls me away from my
tent I have already overstayed my time
Goodnight Dear Creek May Angels visit you in your
Peaceful slumbers, and soothe your troubled mind,
Kiss Little Darling Maggie for me when you awake
and and[sic] exept the same from her for me
Your Devoted
William

William Anderson, 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

MSS 10366

Dear Father I have so many letters to answer that I had hard work to make up my mind which to answer first but as I have received three letters from you since I wrote you last I thought it no more than right that I should answer your letter first, I suppose you will be glad to hear from me weather the contents are interesting or not, I say this because I cant write you no news you of course read the papers if you do you know as much about what is going on as we do & more for we do not know any thing about the movements of the army one company does not know what another company is to do untill we see them all ready for March we are now hard at work on our Fort & it begins now to look like something I work every other day halfe the Company work one day the other halfe the next day When the Fort is finished and the guns mounted we can hold it if we had three times our number to fight against but I think we shall have no occasion to use A gun I do not think this place will be attacted at all although the City is full of Rebels I went over to the Camp of the seventh of Maine yesterday they are encamped at Patterson Park & A splendid place they have for an encampment they are on the same Brigade with us and our Col Duryee has been appointed Brig General & is in command of the brigade I met several acquaintances & I had A very pleasant visit but I did not stay halfe long enough but as my pass would not allow me any more time I was oblidged to come away among my acquaintances was Thos Beale who used to live on the corner South Street I never saw him look so well in my life in fact all the men look as though they enjoyed good health we had A Parade through the City Thursday & there were crowds of People to see us but not Archer we halted in Monument square Company F directly in front of the residence of Dr. Thomas one of the leading Rebels of Baltimore he is A fine looking man he was standing on the balcony with several other men watching our drill (which we went through after resting A short time) the day was verry warm & it made me sweat some but I dont mind that much now we had A splendid parade, two bands own & A band of the regulars it was the first time I ever heard a band of the Regular Army & I must say that I never heard such splendid music from A military band before the band is stationed at Fort McHenry & I suppose that it was owing to Gen Dix that we had them as he thinks A great deal of this Regiment we see him quite often & we are always glad to see him, we have A great name in Baltimore in fact the People are more affraid of us than any other Regiment I do not know wether it is on account of our dress or what but at any rate we attract more attention than any other Regiment in Baltimore my health is verry good & I shall try & keep it in good trim

Letter of George Leavitt of the 5th New York, copied into copy book by his father after his death in battle in 1862.

General Abram Duryee, 1815-1890, was Colonel of the 5th New York, a Zouave regiment, which probably accounts for Joseph’s remark that the citizens of Baltimore “are more affraid of us” perhaps on “account of our dress.”

John Adams Dix, 1798-1879, a former U. S. Senator from New York and Secretary of Treasury under President Buchanan, was commissioned a Major General at the beginning of the war but was considered too old for active service and held garrison commands through the war. He was most known for suppression of the New York City draft riots in 1863. After the war he served as minister to France and was elected Governor of New York.
MSS 66

My dear Kate

As I have not hurd from
you for a long time, I have seated
my self this beau ti ful sabbath morn
-ing for the purpose of dropping
you a fiew lines. I have been look
ing for a letter from you for
some time past. Indeed I have
not recieved a from Augusta for
the last three weeks. I begin to think
that I am ntirably forsaken no one
can tell the pleasure that it
affords a poor soldier on reciev-
ing a letter from his friends &
acquaintances It enlivens his mind *
makes him energetick in performing his
duties there is no news of interest
to write our advance pickets are
in two miles of the Arlington
highths night before last Stuards
Cavelry run thare advance guard acro
ss the river Colonel Stuard said he
was in two miles of Washington

[page 2]
Thay took fifteen or twenty Prisaners
John Plunket went down to fairfax Court
house the said he had an interview
with some of the Prisaners two Lieutenants
& some privates thay said thay ware glad
that thay had been taken prisaners
for thay did not care which way the
victory went that thay had been forc
ed to come on the soil of Va. thay
said that old Abe promest to keep
them in the city for to protect it
and after he got them thare he made
them go whare ever he pleased
I have now doubt put thare will be
a foreward moovement on our
side before long; Artilery is going
down almost every day it is said
that we can burn Alexandria George
town & part of Washington from
halls hill, that was taken the other
night it is said that we can knock
the Washington Aquiduct all to pieces
The red flag waves in ufll view of the
white house evry day I reckon that it
is very provoking to old Abe, when he
takes his spy glass & loks over into
Virginia and thare see what he cauls

[page 3]
the rebel flag waving rite under his nose
We just hurd that we would have to
move down the road about four miles
I am glad o,ve it though we will be lave
ing a very nice camp and a healthy
one we will be nearer the enimy
Thare are three men waking up and down
our regiment carriing thare napsacks
as a punishment for there mis conduct
I would as leaf be shot I believe thaer is grate
injustice done to uur company since
the battle of the 21st of June, enough
to brake our Com up but hope it
will not have that affect for I
hope yet to see the Augusta Grays
march back to greenville after peace
is made. I would like very much to
see you and open my hold heart to
you, put some times I think you care
nothing for me what ever then it
cannot be that love so pure can
be treated with coldness thare seems
yet a happy future spread out before
me, and I shall enjoy the bamy
breeze of freedom I must soon
bring my letter to a close My heal
th is very good & hope this short

[page 4]
letter will find you enjoying good
health your Brother is well and
harty my Brothers are both well
your friend James V. is well & harty
Give my respects to all inquireing
friends I ask an interest in your
prayers that I may hold out faith
full untill the end Write soon as
I am ever ancious to hear from you
nothing more put rremain your true and
sincer lover:
Wm. F[rancis]. B[rand]

[Willilam Francis Brand, 1840-1832, a farmer before and after the war was in Company E, 5th Virginia Infantry (Augusta Grays)]

MSS 11332

General

I was met at Heavners this
morning at 2 o’clock by your special
order No. 120-& I have returned here
to attend to its several commands
My Regiment numbering a few
over 600 effective men, I have sent
from Heavner’s to a point where
the road from this place that from
Heavner’s & that from McDowell
all unite called Fork of waters
about several miles from this
place on the Petersburg road.
This step I have taken for reasons
of supply—of health–& of military
position.
There are I find at this point
not more rhan fifty available
cavalry troopers composed of
portions of Charlotte Pittsylvania
& Rockbridge troops.
Some portions of same troops
are on the line between this
& Petersburg but I have not
been able as yet to learn their

[page 2]
numbers.
There were some 150 men in
Hardy near Petersburg but I learn
they have been completely scattered
& I think they need hardly be
counted as available.
There are many such here
but as yet i have not been able
to get a report of their number
& condition–It seems to me to
be a very unsuitable place
for them
There are about 27 prisoners
here in a very unsafe & un-
comfortable building requiring
a large number of men to guard
them who might I think be
better employed.
Captain Jackson informs me
that he has reported to you in
writing all the information he
has as to the movements of the
enemy at Petersburg–I have
reviewed none of them–but will
at once institute inquiries for that
purpose
Lt. Col. Flusher[?] of 162d Militia

[page 3]
Regt is sick in Eastern Virginia. I have
written to Col G. W. Hull to report to
me as I learn he is colonel of the
Regiment.
I have no means of finding out
the strength of the Pendleton militia
until I send an express there for
the purpose which I shall do
without delay.
While Ii proceed with all dispatch
to carry out your orders I think
it proper to say that my impression
is that Capt Jackson has over
estimated the emergency–& that
there is no serious reason to apprehend
an advance upon this point.
I think an advance from us
in proper form through to Hardy *
Tucker upn the N.W. Turnpike
at the B. & O. Railroad would be
the quickest mode of reducing
the fortification on Cheat Mountain
respectfully
your obt Servt
John B Baldwin
Col 52nd Va Regt

Genl H. R. Jackson
Commanding
Greenbrier River

John B. Baldwin, 1820-1873, a University of Virginia alumnus and Staunton, Va., lawyer, had been an outspoken advocate of Virginia’s remaining in the Union, but when Virginia seceded he became Colonel of the 52nd Infantry until forced to resign by illness.

MSS 8474-u

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

The morning is beautifull
the nights are little cool
telling us that the winter with
its cold & stormy blast is approaching.
Beauregard has moved his
head quarters down near
farfax Station. I am on duty
to day guarding prisoners to & from
court martial

MSS 14169

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

Read 10 chapters in bible – re
ceived and read with much pleas-
ure a letter from Cousin Chs. John.
Heard that 10 more Yankees were
taken by our men and cut down the
telegraph near Huttonsville – 17 of
our men thought to be killed. The
Yankees were met bringing Col.
Washington’s remains to our
Camp – Remained all day –
where we were yesterday – Our
boys retire to night ^ ‘in their [-] tents’ with the pleas
ing thought of getting into a fight
to morrow.

See Hammond’s diary of September 13 and Robert E. Lee letter of September 14 on the death of John Augustine Washington

MSS 5526

Dear Mother I thought i would write you a few lines as I have nothing else to do Yesterday we moved where we are building the Forts about a quarter of a mile from the old Camp Ground & it is the Best peace of Ground that we ever Camped on the field Being all clover whe have built an entrenchment about a mile Long for the Riflemen to protect themselves by[.] yesterday when i was in Alexandria i bought envelopes & Stamps & paper enough to Post a Long time tell McFearson’s Wife that he sends his love to her and the Children & hopes that they are well we heard from one of the numbers of the Company yesterday that whe thought was killed at Bulls Run he is A prisoner in Richmond his name is Edgar [Edward?] Clarke of Portland & by that there was not any kill in the Company when you write again Let me know Whether William went to Mr Clarkes House to tell him that Edward was taken When he was on picket the Lieutenant Colonel of this Regiment & the Major has resigned they say that they never stand still & see a Colonel of another Regiment come in & take the place that he ought to have & not have anything to say, when he resigned there was a great crowd around the tent & such cheering they came out of their tents And Made some speeches & told the boys that they never would be ruled by a Colonel of another Regiment Colonel Jackson is nothing but a fancy Officer & when he took command of this Regiment he did not get hold of the First he cannot handle them as nice as he handled them you need not be trouble about me about doing anything but he got hold of A hard regiment to take care of From your Son Joseph Leavitt.

Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine

MSS 66

My dear Edward,
I have the most
melancholy news tidings to
communicate. Our friend
Col. John A. Washington yes-
terday met his death by the
fire from the enemy’s picket.
He accompanied my son
Fitshugh [sic] on a reconnoitering
expedition & I fear was car-
ried too far by his zeal
for the cause of the south
which he had so much at
heart. Before they were
aware they were fired
upon by a concealed party
who fired about 40 shots at
four men. He was the only
person struck and fell dead
from his horse. Three bul-

[p.2]
lets went through Fitzhugh’s horse. The horse of
one of the men was killed. F. mounted Col. W’s horse
and brought off his sword. The spot where the
Col fell was in range of the enemy’s cannon – I
rec-d his body through the courtesy of the Com-
manding Genrl of the troops under a flag of truce
this morning & now forward it to Manassas
Junction where I hope you will meet it & have
it interred as his family desire.
His death is a grevious affliction to me, but
what must it be to his bereaved children
and distressed relatives. The country has
met with a great loss in his death. Our
enemy’s have stamped their attack upon
our rights, with additional infamy & by kil-
ling the lineal descendant and representa-
tive of him who under the guidance of Al-
mighty God established them & by his virtues ren-
dered our Republic immortal. I enclose a
note for his daughter. May God have mercy
on them all.
Truly & affty yours.
R. E. Lee –

Edward C. Turner

[see posting of September 13 from the diary of Wesley Hammond]

[from the diary of Eugene M. Cox of the Albemarle Border Guards]

8 A. M. Arose before day to prepare to march—are just now moving off—5 P.M. Are now climbing the “Big Sewell”–have moved at a snail’s gait all day–teams are so heavily loaded and so weak that our progress is exceedingly slow and difficult–10 P.M. We (or a part of us) took up camp ground on the eastern slope of “Big Sewell”, all completely broken down–men are strung all along the road up the mountain having broken down and laid down to rest.

MSS 38-211