My darling wife

I received your letter this Evening an-
nouncing your safe arrival in H[arrison] B[urg] I am
very sorry to learn that you are in so much
distress and more pained at the cause of
it and am sorry to say that it is now
entirely impossible for me to leave the ar-
my even for a half day, which you will
readily perceive in time when I tell you
the facts as they are now presented to me
It is now well understood among our
Generals that in the next ten days the
fate of our confederacy is to be settled by
the issue of probably the greatest battle ever
fought. what I stat I get directly from
army head quarters & therefore know it to
be reliable–I explained to you either in my
letter to you or [?] the position of our
army. It is a very strong one & well concentra
ted. Our generals are Reliably informed
that the Enemy are advancing in full
force both on the front from Centreville
to Union Mills and against our left, which
Rests beyond Cub Run on the Warrenton
turnpike–with the intention of making
the great fight against our left. We
are of course fully prepared to meet them
but ultimate success depends on our
being prepared to make a protracted &
bloody fight. Our Generals will meet
them with the full idea that they come
prepared or they think to conquer overcome us–but Relying

[page 2]
on the desperate courage of men fighting for
their homes & their wives & children & trusting in
that God who has never forsaken us they con-
sequently expect a victory–which they are pre
paring to make so complete that it will ter-
minate the war. This must occur within
the next ten days, probably in less time,
for the Column under Banks is now crossing
the Potomac–10 000 men have advanced from
Arlington to Drainsville and yesterday & today
have been forcing back Genl Evans command
which remained in the direction of Leesburg
as an advanced Guard–we have heard their
fireing distinctly–Thus you will perceive
that now is no time for me to be absent
from my Regiment and Especially as Gibbons
is sick–But as soon as the fight is over
if I survive it, I Expect no difficulty in
getting a short leave of absence–but if I
perish then I can only leave to the pro-
tection of our merciful Father my poor
wife & helpless little babies. My heart bleeds
when I thnik of your helpless situation and
can only hope & pray for the best. As Genl
Elzie[sic] remarked to me yesterday Evening “we
must never think of ought but victory–must
fight desperately & to the last & Hope for the
best.” On the eve of a great
battle like the one now anticipated we cant
help but think of those so dear to & so de-
pendent on us. Many are in a worse
situation than mine–Some much better–My
impression is that if I were at home I could
in a short time pay off all debts & have $2000

[E. T. H. Warren, 10th Virginia]
[remainder of letter missing]
MSS 7786-g

[from the diary of Francis G. Hale, Co. F, 34th Ohio Zouaves]

I was relieced this morning
by one of the ward masters
he sayed that if he had known
the circumstances I should
not have been put under
arest for as far as he could
find out I was not as much
to blame as the others but
I ort to have made my defence
I did not tell the Docktor
the hold circumstance but
blames my self more than
was necessary and did not
condemn the their at all
and they condemned me
and shulded their selves so
I was put under arest under
a miss understan ing and
all but I am relieced now
and hope it is droped
I am on a large hill that
is clost the hospittal now it
commands a good view of Charleston
I can see for a mile
down the Kanawha valley it is
a nice view I can see the
camps of the virginia sixt
that is getting up they are
not a hold regiment yet some
of the companeys are not
full but they expect to be soon
all of our boys that are sick
here are getting well fast they
are a going to go to their regimen
soon they was to go to day
but did not for some reason
but will go in a day or two
I feele very lone some to day
for my cold troubles me very
mutch so I can not sleepe a night
We left Charleston at about
one oclock to day I though
this morning thaw we was
not going as I have stated
I left Dick there I
wanted to stay but the doctor
would not let me he was
pretty crabbed this morn
ing for he was placed
under arest for not having
a man buried as soon as
he orto he let the man lay
about thirty six hours out
in the open air on a
portico of the house
there was another man
buried to day with milita
ry pomp the brass band
led the way aplaying
as we came down the river
I met a fellow that belonged
to our company in Camp
Luccus he was up to cheat
mountains he was fight
ing on his on hook he
was paye of and started home
they brought a corps down
in the boat. They was taken
him home to his friends
they had him packed
in salt in a strong box
we got here to night it
was dark when we got
here we had to cary up
our tents up a steepe bank
and there left them for
the night we are quartered
in meeteing house here
it has two stoves that
we keep a fire in and
it keepes the room very
comfortable all the boys
are goin out a scurmish
ing again they went to
day I do not know how
long they will be gon
there is only a fiew of
our boys left here they
are not fit for duty
the name of our camp
is red house the name
of the town is Windfield
on the last scout we
had got one hundred
head horses 300 sheepe
and about a 100 head
of cattle and lots of goods
about 2000 dollars worth
of goods and they lived
fine while gon.

MSS 13405

My dear little Nannie:
I have been in receipt of the Box
& accompanying Note by Woodie Latham for three days, for which
I am indebted to you, and others very largely & the next day
after the box came I got your promised “long letter” – I did
not write yesterday because I could not continue a letter to the
Junction to be mailed & I do not know that this will go to
day – When I go in next month I will take my wardrobe
with home with me – and then Hammie shall have from
it whatever Nannie may assign him from it – I have sent
word to Jack Alexander to continue my Boots to me if they
are with him -= He is located about six miles from here in
the direction of Leesburg – If I do not get those I hope I will
have better luck with the other pair that you will send –
Callahill left the Junction for home yesterday – Brown & I
have employed Old Mr Mason of this Company to cook for
us at the enormous rate of One and a quarter dollars
per month and now we will get along very well – Clark
promised to write to me “often” but I have received nothing
from him yet – The order for his transfer to Kentucky had not
come into the hands of Gordon day before yesterday evening – I

[page 2]
heard yesterday that Clark had enlisted about forty
men in Mr. Dillard’s neighborhood – I hope it is true –
I was struck with consternation yesterday ^ ‘morning’ when I dis –
-covered that my two rings were not on my finger – I
searched impatiently & failing to find them in our tent I
offered a reward of 2 ½ $ to any one that would find them –
ten or a dozen persons looked all about the encampment
very industriously for them for sometime & I gave up in
despair when they “gave up the chase” – But late in the
evening a little Irishman named Paddy Miles with
a face that indicated his honest impulse brought them
in & I could scarcely induce him
to receive the reward
because said he “I found them accidentally” – I have
placed them in the little case containing the little picture
of little Nannie and now I know that I will
not loose them again – I am glad that my little
So Car Wife has found ^ ‘& bought’ a nice winter dress & regret
that she did not get more than a full supply for
her wardrobe when she could have been better suited
last spring in Richmond – The mornings are quite
cool in this region but with the aid of the stove that Grey
allowed me to bring along from Fairfax Co. Ho. & the Great
Coat that Nannie so considerately sent me I manage
to be very comfortable – My little Messmate (Brown) &
Old Mr Mason are very busy in barbecuing a nice fat

[page 3]
little white pig that the former brought in & cleaned
yesterday evening – He brought it in with an air of
exultation & blushed when I told him that I did
not approve of seizure of the property of Virginians
without compensation which has grown to be too much
a habit with this Company – I do not remember to have
told you that Tom Claiborne was ordered some ten days
since to report himself for duty at Paducah in Kentucky
He promised to call on you as he passed through Lynch –
burg if the Rail Road schedules would give him time
to do so – I have not lately seen Jim or Con nor do
I know where they are located since the falling back
of the Army to this place & vicinagd [vicinity] – I can distinctly
hear the rapid & loud cannonading going on in the
direction of Occquan [Occoquan] River apparently about 15 miles
off – I suppose it to be a duel between one of our
heavy Navy Batteries & some of Old Abe’s war ships on
the Potomac – Would that we could sink ‘em all! –
Six very capacious earth entrenchments are being rapidly
made on the hill tops here – they are the strongest works
of the sort I have yet seen and this morn nearly fills
my idea of a battle ground than any I have seen –
From an eminence here the country is overlooked for miles
around & resembles very much the view to be had from
Dr Murrell’s house (I’m afraid to say Garland’s Still) –

[page 4]
When they heard that we had evacuated Fairfax
Co. House the Yankees fearing some strategetic [strategic] move –
-ment on our part left the neighborhood of Fall’s
Church and went into their entrenchments near
Alexandria & Washington – They have not yet
occupied Fairfax Co. House where our pickets now are nor do we expect them to visit us
at this place soon – Their balloon was seen
yesterday in the direction of Drainsville which
is a little village on the Georgetown & Leesburg road
above the Great Falls of the Potomac –
I love all the hopes home folk but
I aint anything but
Nannie’s Own
Choctaw

William King, Captain of the Saltville Light Artillery
MSS 6682

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio Infantry]
Went out with Geo Jenkins on
Horseback succeeded in getting a
few potatoes & apples paid out 35cts
did not get home until nearly night
There has been considerable firing
down the River all day
Commenced raining this afternoon
still continues

MSS 10317

Dear Brother I received your letter
of Oct 4th yesterday B.A.Pullin had made a mistake and sent my
letter to John Bradner & Johns letter to me which come with a
letter from Bruce 4 or 5 days ago I sent Johns letter to him and he sent
my letter to me Since I wrote home last the yankees have
left they give us the slip one night about midnight during the time
they remained in sight we killed a good many in skirmishes also
we lost one or two men & one or two officers Col Spauldings and one Lieut
whom I know not our company was out skirmishing nearly evry
day during the time we took up several men and sent them
to head Qrs we suppposed them to be union men

Richardson Recivd a dispatch yesterday morning that the Wise Legion
was Transferred east & supposed our destination would be on the coast
of N.C. & I suppose we have commenced the move a part of our
Regt & a part of the 3rd moved here last night & the waggons have gone back
after the balance the roads are so bad & waggons are so scarce
we have to move a part at the time I was sorry to hear of the
sickness at home though sickness here is so common & death as much
so we have a good deal of sickness in our company again Wm H Reynolds
& Wm Osburn are very low with with the Tyfoid Fever several
has the mumps the things you sent by John Janus I reckon are at the White he is there
now I would like to have a vest 4 Flannel shirts & a cotton shirt for Lewis
You may get them Ready but need not send them until I write
again The Regiment is scarce of clothing and are well pleased at going
east if we had nothing or could get it I had rather winter
any where between here & Jackson River than to go east
Paper is scarc & I having Ink nor pen so I must close this leaves
us both well Your affectionate Brother Dryden Wright
[on envelope]
Dryden Wright 1st Sergt Co C. 1st Regt
Wise Legion

Mr. Christopher D. Wright
Museville
Pittslvania County
Va.

MSS 10911

Dear Sister

I received your kind letter
the other day and was glad to hear
from you all. We have got back to
greenbrier river once more and expect to stay
hear untill cold weather. we are now
at the Same place we was when hayes
was out hear. I expect we are done running
about this fall. we are expecting a fight
evry day or two the yankees are fireing
on our pickets evry day or two but they
do no damage much. We are fortifiring this
place about right. I dont think the
yankees can take this place for they
have tride it once while we had
no fortifications. and now we are
fortifide and have two more cannon
and one of them is a twelve pounder
we have twelve pieces of cannon hear
Martha you wanted to know whether
I got all of your letters or not I get
a letter once a week and I have wrote
some of you a letter about once a week
but you have not got them I wrote
a letter to Pa the other day

[page 2]
James A. Gilmer is gon to Staunton
Our Sick is all gon to Staunton.
I heard that Col Hendricks was dead
but I dont know whether it is so
or not. We get plenty to eat know
beef is Just know getting good. We get
know all beef know all the time
we dont get any bacon hear only for
the pickets. Our regiment is all about
not all up with the exception if
Some few that is gon to Staunton
tell Charles M Browning to write
to me. I got a letter from Wilson & Nancy
Browning the other day and have not
had time to answer it tell Nancy
& Wilson to write to me and I will
write to them as often as I can
Tell uncle Barnet & aunt Catharine
howdy for me and tell them to
write to me. give my respects to all
enquiring friends so no more at present
but remain your affectionate brother

William R. Gilmer

Private 37th Regiment, Virginia Infantry
Martha J. Gilmer

MSS 5194

[From the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, Private and musician in the 23rd Ohio Infantry]

work with my Horn a
good deal to day as it
was broken
have had a little discussion
tonight with Fox on the beginning
have not done as much as
I should have done to day mostly clear

MSS 10317

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

Leave our old Camp on
Big Sewel Mountain. March
34 miles towards Lewisburg
and our camp near Frazer’s.
Read 3 chapters in bible.

MSS 5526

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

11 p.M. At early dawn we had struck tents, packed up, taken Breakfast and were in readiness to move–From some cause or other we were not put in march until about 8 A.M. at which we set out on our way down the mountain to Headquarters about half a mile–Here we are obliged to wait the balance of the day, that the stores etc. might be loaded and sent on–At dark all were in readiness for, perhaps, a final leave of “Big Sewell”. The road was very bad and we traveled very slowly, it taking us until after ten at night to make four miles–our camp for the night at Frazier’s –all weary and now go to rest.

MSS 38-221

[conclusion to the letter of E.T.H. Warren]

Sunday morning Last night the wind
took a foray for a sin & this morning
it is too cool to be entirely pleasant…
I certainly look for a letter from you
to day not one word yet from you since
I left you looking so [tired or timid] in the
cars at the Junction Write often &
tell me all about yourself. Every body
& every thing. [Col. Simeon B.] Gibbons is sick still but
Refuses to Report Sick and I am determined
not to do a thing until he does report sick
I am not going to discharge the duties of Lt.
Col. both at the same time.
Give love to all & kiss the babies

Affectionately

E. T. H. Warren

[Lt. Colonel, 10th Virginia Infantry]
MSS 7786-g