February 19th 62

Dear cousin

I have bin long in
tenden writeen to you an tonight
I will tri an rite you a few lines
in order to let you no how we
are. I am as well as I could expect
to be under the present sercum
stances. Jimey is quite sick &
have bin for the last week.
I dont no whats the mater with
him. He have weakened down as
fast for the last week as
ever I saw any one. He dont eat
any thing scercely a tall.
He seems to be restin very
well to night. He dont complain
but very little tho I am afraid
he is going to have a bad spell.
I wouldnent begrug nothen if
he wer at home whare he could

[page 2]
be tended too better. Flemon
Grigary is quite sick he has the fe-
ver, They are several more of the
boys com plaining. the most of
them has the mumps. Sirouss
Burnet a member of our com
pany dide last week. M. V. Faris
exspects to start home with Bilia
this week. Nathankel Robertson
and Neal Gilbert left here a
few days ago to go to the horse
pittle. They are exspected to get
furloughs to go home from thare.
Clifton Pinect got here yes
tid day. Your letter came to
hand in due time. I very glad to
here that you wer all well.
Jimey told me to tel you that
he would have written to you
before now but he was not
able. I will close as the lite
ceeps Jimey from sleep. Give

[page 3]
mi love to all the famaly &
rite soon to your afrectionate
cousin John Booker to Miss Unity B
Excuse this bad
ly ritten letter

John Booker, Co. D, 38th Virginia. (Whitmell Guards)

MSS 11237

Confederate States of America
WAR DEPARTMENT
Richmond 19 Feb. 1862

Lt. E[dmund] R[andolph] Page
Care Ch. W. Lynch Esq.
Present

Sir,
In reply to an application made for you
by Messrs Bocock & Lynch to raise a Company
of Cavalry, I inform you that a Company
of Cavalry will be accepted for the war, but
that no authority can be granted you to
raise such Company, unless you receive fur
lough from your Commanding Officer, as required
by the Regulation

Respectfully,
J. P. Benjamin
Secty War

MSS 6271-b

19th Feb [1862 written in another hand]

My dear John [Marshall Steptoe of the 44th Virginia]

Your last letter in answer to mine
of the 21st has just been received.
Our news is so bad that I am
completely dishartened Nashville is
said to be in the hands of the Yankees,
that is the latest report we have,
They have taken Fort Donelson
and what will be next. What a
complete triumph it was at Roanoke
Island, I wonder why our men
should have surrendered with so
few casualties, A cousin of mine was
taken prisoner, a Mr Scruggs from
Bedford Poor fellow how I do pitty
him, but he is such a good christian
God will surely protect and watch
over him in his cheerless condition
Tis thought the Western Army will
be transfered to Kentucky I hope
sincerely it is not so if yours the

[page 2]
77th Regiment is included. I feel more
alarmed about the enemy than
I sure was ever, their number so greatly
exceedes ours at every place.

I sholuld so rejoice to think there
was ever a probability of your getting
a furlough, but as the times are I
am almost afraid to breathe much
less to anticipate I am so much afraid
you will be ordered off before
I see you, and ready perhaps the
next was you are in Kentucky
I had a dream last night of
the Yankees Tis said of you dream
of kissing an enemy it denotes
reconciliation (my dream was quite
the reverse, I thought for the first
time I was in a regular combat
I hope it is a good omen. I suppose
you heard of Gen Rodes death
Dr. [?] is to marry Preacher
Langhornes daughter very soon
There is a great deal of sickness
in Lynchburg, and also the county

[page 3]
a good many in the neighborhood
my sister Mrs Spence has been very
sick also the children they are
something better today Bob in his
last trip to Bristol had serious trouble
with the soldiers, He started from
Lynchburg as he thought in good
condition, but when getting as far
as Liberty the engine gave out and
the soldiers fearing the[y] would not
make connection arrested and
kept him under guard all the
way, and threatened to kill him
and every one connected with the
train if they did not make connection
I see the particulars in todays
Republican published by President
Owens who was quite enraged at
such conduct to an inosent man
Bob telegraphed from Liberty for
an engine, and connection was
made in ample time, but Mr Owens
says, it is confidently ascerted if
he had failed to arrive in time
he would have been murdered

[page 4]
Such unmanly conduct, we would
scarsely expect from our own
soldiers, and I hope there will
be no repetition of it on the road
I wanted to write you a long
letter this time but you will excuse me
as I have had the headache
all day, it has been a long
time since I have had a spell, but
I suppose for the sake of auld
Lang Syne su I must suffer
a little to day, you must answer
this as soon as you get it, I
want to hear from you badly
if really your regiment
has been ordered to Kentucky or
not. I must say good bye.
I will write again very soon
as I did not answer your letter
fully, in haste yours affectionately
and truly
H. [Hamie?]

[sideways in bottom left margin of page 4]
I suppose
the flowers
have no
commenced
blooming
around
you I am turn[?]
yet

MSS 6515

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat, bank officer, editor, and postmaster of Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Wednesdy 19 repaired this morning to the Rail Road to enquire
about the train of last evening–learned that it had been
stopped at Dublin depot by a slide ten miles further
on. Passengers were carried round the slide and took
the train on the other end of the road. I hope Wm &
his family got home safely–they must have suffered
much whether they spent the night in the cars or
in the way side inn–It rained hard all day. News
very depressing, but towards night dispatches an
nounced that our losses had been greatly exaggerated
Nashville certainly not taken–and Johnson Pillow
& Floyd there–There is something very exhausting
in these conflicting & existing rumors–Letter from
Euene, complaining that his leave of absence is de
nied. Letter also from Lewis, very interesting &
well written. He was at the great ridge erecting
fortification. I always am glad when I hear of
his being engaged in the other duties of his pro
fession–What he does there can be appreciated
more than his labors in the office–He thinks poorly
of the courage of the coast North Carolinians–In the
afternoon with Lanty’s & Mary J’s assistance
got much of the books arranged in the library
Had to place the folios on the top of the cases–The
heavy volumes thus, in [?] of the [?] of gravity
moving to the top. Every available space on the wall
is brought into requisition: what is to become of the
papers I dont know. It was 10 at night before i
quit work.

MSS 4763

Camp Walker

Feby 19” 1862.

My own dear Wife

I recd your two letters both mailed on
yesterday & I had a hope I would be able
to send you a good long letter in reply
but with the bad news from the west
& a severe nervious [sic] headache which I have
had all day puts it out of my power of
endurance to write you a letter of either
length or interest. Every thing has gone wrong
and I am myself in low spirits to suc-
ceed in cheering you up. One thing only
I can say that is pleasant we will not
go to Winchester, on the contrary I heard
to day that Jackson was on the march
to this place I hope it is true And if
our defeat in the west will only teach
Davis sense enough to concentrate his little
army on at one point instead of scatter
ing them all over the Country to be whipped

[page 2]

in detail, we may yet win our indepen-
dence. Wednesday Thursday morning, My head is
better this morning but I fear it will ache
again to day. The news last night is
bad enough, and such will the news
continue to be so long as our people
at home manifest so much indifference
about the success of the war. Making
money is their only thought. We
have men enough at home with small
arms at their command to win
our independence if they would only
come out & make the effort and cease
their selfish run after money
I am less spirited yet have still
a lively hope that all will be well.
So soon as I get clear of my daily head
ache I will write to Ned, I cant write
now Affectionately your old man

ETHW

“the bad news from the west”, line 4 –

“ETHW”, signature – ‘Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Lieutenant-Colonel, 10th VA Infantry

[transcription and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g

[from the diary of James Addison Waddell, civilian quartermaster, Staunton, Va.]

Tuesday night, Feb. 18, 1862.

H. W. Sheffey telegraphed from Richmond this
afternoon that Fort Donelson had fallen,
that Buckner + his force were captured, and that
Pillow + Floyd “and some forces” had escaped!
Sad, sad news. The cars which arrived an
hour afterwards, brought noth[in]g more, nor in-
deed so much, only reporting the capture of the
Fort. I am suffering from head ache.

MSS 38-258

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, civilian clerk in the Quartermaster Dept., Staunton, Va.]

Wednesday night, Feb. 19, 1862

No particulars yet from Fort Donelson. Most
that of the intelligence we have received is from the North, via Norfolk.
It is reported that we lost 15,000 men, and Gen’s
Pillow, Buckner + Johnson! Floyd, with 1000 or
1200 men escaped to Nashville. The enemy were ex-
pected at that place very soon. There is a report
from Augusta, Ga., that Gen. A. S. Johnson had
offered to surrender the city if the Federalists would
agree to respect private property. Kate has given
up her trip to Richmond. It is impossible for
me to describe the state of feeling in the commu-
nity — the depression and feverish anxiety. Union
with the North, however, on any terms, is not
thought of. The Richmond papers give us no news
directly from Nashville or that region. The enemy’s
force at Fort Donelson is said to have been 50,000
— ours 15,000. They had transportation by water.

[transcription by Valley of the Shadow]

MSS 38-258

Camp Walker

Feby 18” 1862
My darling Jennie
I recd two letters from you yesterday
both one mailed on Sunday & one on Saturday. I
am sorry that our recent reverses have
so depressing an influence on you
before this you have heard of our great
victory at Donaldson. we cant expect
to be always victorious Sometimes we
must be defeated and ought therefore
to be prepared for such an event. When
we remember that the Yankeys have
not more than two soldiers to our
one if indeed they have that many
I dont think anyone can for one
moment doubt our ability to whip
them. I have always believed that
in a hand to hand fight I could easy
whip two Yankeys any time or any
way & I feel perfectly satisfied if

[page 2]
our Genls will make a proper dis-
position of our forces so as to give
us a fair chance to meet them we
will always whip. The victory
gained at Donaldson is not yet
a complete one. So far it is little
better than a repulse. It is still in
their power to be reinforced & probably
they may regain their camp in front
of the fort. I dont think the fight over
yet although they have been fighting
two days. I am just now a little
uneasy about a rumor that prevails
in camp, to the efect [sic] that our brigade
is to go to Winchester. For a month past
it has been stated frequently that such
a move was contemplated but heretofore
I have not believed such a think possible
just now. But the present rumor looks
a little like there was truth in it. I
believe I would like to go there in the

[page 3]
spring when we can us tents but just
now when we are all nice & comfortable
in our cabins I dont see the use of
sending us out in the cold again
One thing is certain if I go to Winchester
I am going to take my lodgings in some-
bodys house. I hope it is only rumor.
Dr Moffett does not seem to improve very
rapidly. we have concluded to send
him home, dont know when he will
start. Bad as the weather appears we
are all doing well – comfortable cabins
keep us warm & bad weather gives us
bad roads, which we will want until
our army is reorganized. Any thing
now to keep back the enimy [sic] until
our ranks are again filled up to
the right number. I amuse my
self by novel reading novels, playing
draughs [sic] & bacgamon [sic]. I take it all
quite easy dont give myself the least

[page 4]
trouble about anything. Answer all
questions & give advice about reinlisting [sic]
whenever called on. Major Walker is now
absent on 4 days leave to see his
family. You schold [sic] me pretty heavy about
short letters. I will try & do better in future
& will keep my promise good. Hope the
children will keep all right. You will have
to be particular about their diet for some
time. Good well cooked food of any sort
is good for them, but all trash between
meals is bad for them & they ought not to
have a particle of anything of the sort.

Most affectionately ETHWarren

I will try & write Ned a letter in a day or two

“Donaldson”, line 6 – ‘Fort Donelson, Tennessee.’

[transcription and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat, bank officer, editor, and postmaster of Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Tuesday 18 I spent this morning the [?] with intense
anxiety and to my infinite regret found the rumor
of yesterday confirmed. It took away my appetite for
breakfast. No particulars are given–In the course of the
morning it was noised about that Nashville had
been captured–I fear this is only a premature report of
what may yet come to pass. I do not believe it. Should
it fall into the enemys hands it will be a heavy blow
to our cause. We have immense stores there of all kinds
I sometimes feel as if it was all over & that we [?]
be overrun if foreign aid be longer denied–then again
I remember our [?] and the spirit of our people and
I disdain[?] the [?] of the possibility of subjugating our us.
We are destined to see a dreadful time. I doubt not as Wm
did not go yesterday in consequence of the rain and it
was with great difficulty Ive got room for this party in
the forward car. I shall feel very anxious until I hear
of their arrival in safety.
This is the third anniversary of the death of my
own dear daughter–How the present state of the coun
try & the dangers to which her brothers are exposed would
distress her were she now living!

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]

Tuesday Feb. 18 Felt pretty bad this morning
and did not get up to breakfast
We had to go and escort about 550
prisoners down to the fort which was
bombarded; a pretty long walk. Got
back about three. We looked all over
the fort. Ate some stewed beans after
we got back and then went up to see
Ed Brown. He was abed not feeling well
Have felt lonesome and homesick to-day
This evening have been setting up with
Fitzgibbon hearing him play on his flute
It is rainy and cloudy most of the time
May God in His mercy soon bring peace to
our land, and return us in safety to our homes

MSS 11293