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

Our forces move up close

to the Yankees Adj General

Pickney came very near get-

ting drowned. Returned to

camp and feasted finely

on good things sent us by

absent friends.

MSS 5526

Dear Father
I received your & Mothers Letters yours of the 29th 31st & Mothers of the 28th and by such long letters that you write to me should think that Paper was plenty. The Men in Company think them are the letters to get, by the way you write you think that i want to come home, but I am not sick of it yet whe[sic] are under Marching orders Last Night the Cook was ordered
to Cook two days rations and have them ready at any Minute, there was A Boy in the Regiment by the name of Welsh who received a Letter from His Mother Stating that she called on the Mayor Thomas & asked him how Long the Regiment was in for & the Mayor told her that As Long as the Regiment did not go before the war department that the United States could not hold them for only three months & that is just what it said, because i saw the letter that she wrote to him Saying that if the Regiment should o into another Fight before the three months were out, & any of them should lose an arm or leg what claim could they have on the United States to give them any thing to support them They could not have any claim on them whatever & that is what the men are looking at you wrote me about the two Captains there is but two Captains in the regiment that came out with us & the names of them Capt Scammon of Company H & Captain Edwards of Company J, & them are the only ones that came with us the Major is A first rate man & if all the others was as clever as he was there would not be halfe of the Grumbling That there is now the Regiment i expect wil lget Paid off in A few days the sum of 25 dollars and i shall Send that dollar you sent to me i did not expect you to give it to me i intended to pay it to you again & the next letter you get from me there will be two dollars for you & two for Mother, there is not Much any thing the matter with me excepting the loseing of Flesh & i do not want to come home as Long as i can stand the climate John Shaw recived his discharge papers from Arlington to day & has started for home From your Affectionate Son Joseph Leavitt N.B. Tell Mother that Mr Stevens did not give me Five dollars as Ellen Told Her it is the First that i Heard of it Joseph Leavitt
Jefferson Davis is dead he died of the small Pox X X William
Direct your Letters in the Care of Capt Sawyer he was the Second Lieutenant in the Company G. Tell i do not think much of him because he does not write to me. Send them Postage stamps in the next letter that i have been expecting them i want to get them so that I shall know what mony i will have to pay you.

Joseph Leavitt, private in the 5th Maine

MSS 66

My Dear Creek

As Josh Holland has

arrived here this morning, I will write

you a short letter by him, I dont think

I will have time to write a long one as his

stay will be very short, I have not yet seen

him but heard from him at the Hospital,

and I will finish this before he comes so I will

have to assist him in getting the corpse off.

I received your letter of the 25th his morning

and am truly happy to hear that you are getting

along as well, I got the box Tom sent, all safe

the one Papa sent by Ned Emerson was lost

by the way with all of its contents, I think

you would be safe in sending any thing by

Dr. Brown, as he will know how to take care

of it, Send me a quire of good writing paper

by him and some envelopes if you can

get them, as I am nearly out now and

it is almost impossible to get any more

here, I have enough to write 10 or 12 more

[page 2]

letters but I have to use a good deal of it

Company Business, you can also send me

any clothing that you may have ready for

me, Stephen Breazele wil start home about

Monday or Tuesday next to cut the clothes

should nothing prevent, Did Jink ever

get the Palmetto buttons for the coats.

Stephen will bring all the other trimings

with him, If you can crowd in a little

good Corn Whiskey or Brandy it will be

very exceptable, You may let Martin

have my tools, also Josh Holland, but no

one else, and tell Mrtin to take good

care of them and dont loose any of them

or let them get rusty,

if you have not made my blue coat you

had better let it stay till Steph comes, as

he has y measure, and knows how

I want it made, you can make one pair

of the pants and send by E. M. Brown, get

me a tooth brush and send by him also

as I need one very much, also two coulared

pocket-handkerchifes, and any thing

else your own ingenuity may think of.

Dugan has started to the mountains

[page 3]

today on business for the Regiment. I

dont know what it is, he will be gone for

five or six days, he still enjoys good health

and is getting along finely.

Josh has just arrived and eat his

dinner with us. Poor fellow he is in

very low spirits not at all like the man

he used to be, but I expected to find him

in worse spirits than he is.

But I will have to come to a close as it

will take me nearly all evening to attend

to my duties and make arrangements

for him to get the corpse hauled to the

depot in time for the train.

Good By Dear Creek tell our little darling

that I will bring her something better

than a big Yankee I dont know which

I love best you or her, but one thing is

certain I would allow you to kiss me

as often as you pleased if I had her in

my arms and take you on the other knee

and never get tired nursing you both.

My Kindest Regards to all, my warmest

love to yourself

William

[William Anderson addresses a second letter to his wife on the same day, or possibly wrote on the 6th and misdated it:]

My Dear Creek

As there is nothing of

interest transpiring here at present

I will only write you on this small

sheet, as we have to be very sparing with

our paper here, and I know you will

be as well pleased with a short letter

as a long one, I am enjoying very fine

health now better than when I was at

home. I now weigh 162 pounds and

improving every day, if I continue to

improve, you may expect to see me as

large as Charley Mattison when I get

home. I am happy to inform you that

the health of the Regiment is also im-

proving, though we are having some deaths

Ruben Williamson of the Palmetto Riflemen

died yesterday morning of Typhoid Fever

[page 2]

he is a son of old Dacy Williamson that

lives by Grandma, Gill[?] Land’s son is also

very sick of the same complaint and I think

hes case is a very bad one and extremely

doubtful, the sick of my company are

all doing well and in a few days the most

of them will be able for duty, some of

my worst cases are in Richmond. I heard

from them by letter yesterday and was

happy to hear they were all improving

James Griffin a son of Eliza Griffin has

been the sickest man in my compnay but is

now recovering and out of danger as

soon as he is able to travel I will try and

get a furlough for him and let him

come home a while to regain his strength

Gambriell Smith has had a slight

spell of sickness but is almost well again

the Balance of our neighbours iis all well.

Mrs. Campbells Brother Mac was taken

sick with Typhoid fever about a week

ago but is not dangerous his cousin

[page 3]

Stanton is waiting on him all the time.

I having been looking for a letter from you for a

day or two, but have not got one yet–the last

one I got is dated August 25th–write to me often

it does me so much good to hear from you

it is all the comfort we have here, to hear

of the welfare of the loved ones at home

and should any crosses come in your way

I should fell[sic] unhappy did I not share

them with you, Oh Creek how happy

I would be, could I only spend one week

with you, the desire grows upon me every

day, and should an opportunity offer without

neglecting y duty to our contry[sic] I shall

most certainly avail myself of it,

how is our little darling Maggie doing

Dear little Angel how I long to press her

to my bosom, Kiss her for me and tell

her to love papa. William is well and

sends his love to you all. Remember me to

all of our folks and believe me your devoted

Husband

William

William Anderson, 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers

MSS 10366

My dear Pa:

We are again on an expedition from

camp and are stationed on the Loudon & Alexandria

R. R. not far from Fall’s Church. On Monday about din-

ner time the 13th recd. orders to get ready provisions for one

day and be prepared to march with blankets. General Beaure-

gard proceeded us and all expected that we were to have some serious

engagement. We were quite tired after marching fourteen miles, and

were all soon fast asleep, luxuriating in a splendid clover field

for our bed; this was near Munson’s Hill and next morning I walked

up to see what new appearances might be seen in the “promised

land”. Besides the scenes I attempted to depict in my last letter

home, could be seen distinctly a long line of fortifications thrown

up by the Yankees since our former expedition – the poor old stars

and stripes waving from the Federal camp not far off and what

I decided to be a large war vessel at anchor on the Potomac with

the Federal flag floating over it. We found that the Confederates

had thrown up a good fort on the Hill and that the skirmish-

ing between the two forces was continued as when we [were] there before.

Tuesday morning our regiment was marched over here, a few miles

only from the hill, to relieve the Tennessee regiment; immedi-

ately our company, along with two others of the Regt, was posted

on picket, our position being a mile & a half to the left and

in advance of the Regt.; twenty two of the company was put out

on duty and the remainder kept on reserve for the relief of the

others at night, I was on the reserve – being very hungry a party

of us went out foraging – soon came to the celebrated peach

orchard over which there has been so much contention between

our two armies; found a splendid tomato patch and gathered

a supply of peaches & tomatoes; sufficient for our mess for

several meals, in the house, which had been deserted by its

owner ( a base Republican), we found two hogsheads of splendid

vinegar and any quantity of empty champagne bottles, in which

later we brought off an abundance of the vinegar. About

one o’clock some Confederate scouts who had been out some time brought

[words lined out] ^‘two’ prisoners and four negroes (whom they caught as

the Yankee

prisoners were trying to run them off to the river). One prisoner was

a citizen, a youth of about eighteen I suppose and a real Virgin-

ia Yankee – he was engaged in smuggling the negroes and taken in the

act; the other was an Irishman belonging to a Massachusett’s

regiment – he took the circumstances very coolly, said it was a

sharp trick that caught him; but it made no difference which

side he was fighting on, unless perhaps he preferred the South-

ern side – that he knew all Irishmen were Democratic in

principle, that enlistment in the Northern Army was the only source

of living he could find – he had nothing against the South.

[page 2]

None of our fellows saw any Yankees on post Tuesday;

although they were within a mile & a half of [word lined out] Federal

camp and could hear their drums distinctly. We were re-

lieved, sooner than expected, about four or five in the after –

noon by the Barboursville Guard and were delighted on our

arrival in camp to find our much esteemed Captain.

In his absence Lieut [Frank D.] Winston has at all times acted nobly

and gallantly & has endeared the boys to him – he is certain-

ly a high toned gentleman and superior officer. We were drawn

up in line and welcomed the Captain with the military

salute and then he shook hands with us all and receiving in return the

hearty welcome of every member of the company. I was glad

to learn that his wife was doing so well and that the other

sick in the vicinity of home were getting on as well as could

be expected. We recd. with delight and read with eagerness

the letters from our loved friends. The Captain met with

some difficulty in finding us & Mr Gooch & Mr Carmmach

went back to Falls Church, staid all night & came to our

camp Wednesday – We were much delighted to see them

and hear any some thing from the good people of Louisa.

We spent most of Wednesday in talking with them and feast-

ing on vegetables of wh. this neighborhood furnishes an abundant

supply of the most choice & delicate varieties; many farms

have been deserted by Republicans and we feel not the

slightest compunctions of conscience in gathering

what eatables we may find left. Captain brought down

several boxes filled with provisions sent to different mem-

bers of the company from home; he selected from all the boxes

sent such articles as he thought wd’ most likely spoil before

we ^‘cd’ return to camp and brot. something for all of us –

About the close of the day Wednesday a balloon ascended

from the vicinity of Alexandria we imagined; a rope was

attached to prevent its getting too far up or be carried by

the winds. We cd. see it quite distinctly from our quar-

ters and it remd. up as long as we cd. see – doubtless awaited

to see the position of our camps from the fires we

are necessitated to have. There was some active skirmish-

ing yesterday in which one from our regiment was wounded –

a severe flesh wound but he will doubtless recover –

another one of this regt. accidentally shot himself in

the foot, this is the version he gives but many are inclined

to think it was an accident of premeditated in –

tention. Mr. Carmmack & Capt. Gouch took supper with us

and went back to Fall’s Church to spend the night as the

former was afraid of the rain. It was well too as it com-

menced raining in the night & has been raining hard all day –

we are having a rainy dismal time out here in the woods

with no tents nor shelters. We have become hardened to it,

however, and think very little about it; I am afraid it

disturbs you all at home more than us and that

you are unnecessarily anxious about us. I slept

as sound as a log last night and Edloe dreamed he was

standing picket at Mr. Hailey’s. Our Company will be on

duty to night and the regt. will doubtless return to

the station tomorrow. We are all getting on well

[page 3]

and it may be well to say to all who have friends in our

company that we are all hearty, satisfied, and flourishing.

All unite in love to you and friends at the CH &c.

Write to us when you can as we are never more pleas-

ed than upon the reception of yr. letters.

Very Affl’y Yr. Son

F. W. Jones Esq. } F. Pendleton Jones

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond of the Dixie Greys (Co. E of the 42nd Virgnia Infantry]

Were not relieved to day –

Broke into a cornfield

and roasted corn all day

at night repaired to a house

close by. stayed there

until next day – day very rainy.

5526

[from the diary of Eugene Cox of the Albemarle Border Guard]

9 A.M. Learned this morning that our forces fell back to “Hawk’s Nest” and encamped last night–9 P.M. Our forces have not advanced upon th enemy today–nothng stirring has occurred since yesterday.

MSS 38-22

My darling Jennie

I have recd but one letter from you
though the mails continue to arrive each day
but I suppose you are all well, or you would
certainly inform me–To day it has been
raining hard all day with no prospect of
a clear off. Of course it is damp, cold, muddy
and disagreeable as possible and I am
thereby happy that you are not present and
none the less so because we are expecting
orders every minute or rather fearing or-
ders to return to Masons Hill. It was
reported last evening by a mounted man
in Col Hills Regiment, that we had driven
the yankeys from another important hill
in the vicinity of Masons and now hold
it also–of course the impression is that
Col H’s Regiment did the fighting but, I
can hear no particulars and very little
that is reliable– I have just recd your
two last letters. In one of which you
speak of cheerfully waiting to go with
me to Richmond. by this time you have
recd a letter from me saying that I

[page 2]
could not go to Richmond and agreeing entirely
in your wish to go to Harrisonburg. I wish
Jennie Watson could go with you there.
She is a noble fine girl & I know will
always be kind to you. Mother & all of
them are delighted to hear that your
going to see them I will in a few
days send you at Harrisonburg a
check for some money & will direct
you how to use it or at least a
part of it. I have sent in my account
to Sep 1 for 340 I will remit some
15 to 20 of it and for my imediate use

and $75 to pay for another horse: I
have engaged to try one & if I like him
to buy him–of Dr Campbell–Frank
is entirely useless at present–Camp-
bell asks me 150.

I must close or be too late for the
mail

affectionately E T H Warren

[Colonel of the 10th Virginia Infantry]

MSS 7786-j

My dear Clarence,

I am almost ashamed to

address you at a period so distant from

your marriage day; the Card of in-

vitation arrived safely, & we were gra

tified at the compliment, if we could

not be with you, in the most interesting

& important event of your life I sat

down to my desk, to offer you my

fervent wishes, for your happiness in

this new relation; but being called

away by some household duty, before

finishing my letter, I consigned it to

my Port-Folio, for a future period

not dreaming that I should have

it there, for several weeks–I then

comforted myself with the thought,

that you would take it for granted

that your Old Aunty Carlotta, most

fervently rejoiced, in your pleasant

prospects–and it was not necessary

[page 2]

to affirm it in any way by writing–

Then too–I was afflicted with old

age–(the Poets declare that it is “Dark

& unlovely“) Heart Disease, Bronchitis,

Asthma, Neuralgia, & loss of memory

a train of evils, that make me almost

forget that I am married myself.

I only hope dear Clarence, that the

kindly feelings, you once entertained

for me, have not passed away; and

you will take into consideration the

excuses I have here made, for my ne

glect: Procrastination is a miserable

habit; & I hope you may never fall

into it. I will now say that you, &

my new niece are the subjects of

many a thought, and I promise my

self the gratification of seeing you

at my house, at no very distant pe-

riod–A hearty Welcome to our family

Circle awaits you: may Heaven’s blessing

be on your heads, & may you live

many years to contribute to each

[page 3]

each others felicity. Now I wish to

say Please impress on your Wife’s

cheek, an affectionate kiss from

your ancient friend, & if not dis-

agreeable to yourself, bestow three, as

the Dr. & Ned, desire also, to have

a share in so pleasant a matter.

–Having shewn yourself so good

an Union Man, on one respect, I trust

you will prove a strong Union

Man in these troublous times of

our Country‘s need; & give no coun

tenance to those restless, & reckless

spirits, who ae seeking the overthrown

of our mild, & excellent government

–I confess the subject of this civil war

with all its attendant horrors, has such

an all absorbing interest for me, that

I can hardly occupy my mind with

any thing else. My Katie’s husband

who was doing a very fine Law business

on Broadway N. York City for Stewart

and the principal Merchants, left it all

[page 4]

with his Partner & taking leave of his

Wife & six children hastened to the

threatened danger at Washington.

He is now at Alexandria–

We have written to Katie to come to

us until the close of the War, which

I trust will speedily end.—

Clarence, I often think of that

nice ride, you & I had, to the “Water

Cure,” when you drove “2-40”–& fright

ened your venerable Aunty, so much

to your own amusement–& now

what a change! a married Man!!

with the weighty responsibility of taking

care of Wife, house affairs &c &c–

Well! dear Clarence, may you never

prove recreant to these important

duties; but as each year rolls on be

found more useful, more happy

and at last receive a bright portion

in another & more enduring state

of existence With much love to

your spouse, and her relatives

believe me as ever yours afft, Carlotta



Carlotta refers to Clarence driving a mile in 2 minutes, 40 seconds, once a racetrack record and already popularized in the 1857 song “Jingle Bells.”



MSS 38-382

[From the diary of Eugene M. Cox of the Albemarle Border Guard]

10 A.M. We heard heavy cannonading this morning about 8 o’clock in the direction of “Gauley Bridge” — more than thirty have been heard–this indicates some active operation with our forces–we anxiously await the result, which we shall probably hear very soon–9 P.M. We learn that at about 8 o’clock this morning Genl. Wise attacked the enemy about two miles beyond “Hawk’s Nest” and drove him from his position, killing and wounded a considerable number–our cannon were very effective and were used with great precision–Adjt. Genl. Heningson an accomplish artillerist and officer, in person direct a shot from our shell gun upon a house a mile off, occupied by some of the enemy–this well directed “messenger of death” exploded at the proper time and place, blowing up the house and killing and wounding some 15 or 20 of the enemy–enemy driven back more a mile toward Gauley–hehas thrown all possible obstructions in the road to impede our progress–Genl. Wise will probably advance upon him again to-morrow–

MSS 38-221

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

Wrote to Bro John, Skirmish

drill of officers – regular drill –

Read 5 or 6 Chapters in Bible

30 in Rosser on Experimental

Religion.

[Leonidas Rosser, 1815-1892, was a Methodist minister from Virginia who served as chaplain to the University of Virginia in 1842-1843, and as editor of the Richmond Christian Advocate, 1858-1860. He served as a missionary in the Confederate Army and was reported to have converted 200 soldiers. Hammond was reading his popular “Experimental religion :embracing justification, regeneration, sanctification, and the witness of the Spirit : rules for holy living are also added,designed principally for young Christians”

MSS 5526