Camp Walker
Sunday Feb 2d 1862.
My own dear Wife
This is a quiet pretty sunday mor-
ning with a bright sunshine but alass [sic] we have
so much mud under foot that all the beauty of
the day is thereby destroyed. I am field officer
of the day the duties of which part begin and
end with a report in person to Col Hill com-
manding the Brigade. Having performed this du-
ty and spent a pleasant hour with Col Hill
I am now at liberty to take my seat and
write you a letter. Quite a sensation has been
created in our camp by the failure of Genl
Johnstons official report to notice the services
of our regiment while a hansome [sic] compliment
is paid to both Vaughn of the 3d Tenn & Stuart
Md of the [1st] Md. Col G is very much cut that
by the mention of the commanders of the other
two regiments & the omission of his name
I think myself that it is a decided refle-
ction on him and through him on the
regiment and its officers. So far as my
observation went, and I saw the entire
field of the operations of our brigade, I dont
think any of the officers did anything
worthy of notice & therefore none should
have been mentioned in the report but
as two were mentioned I see no reason
why Col G should not also come in for
a place unless indeed it was on account
of his consummate blunder in sending a
detachment of four companies from the

[page 2]
regiment without a field officer in command.
Gibbons has addressed a note to Johnston to
know the reason of the omission and I sup-
pose he will at an early day get a reply
of which I will advise you. He is very much
taken down by it. We have nothing new
in camp and I have therefore nothing to write
about I received your letter saying that your
father had refused to let Het go to the weding [sic]
at which you were very indignant and very
freely expressed your sentiment and wound
up by requesting me to schold [sic] you as much
as I liked! Well, I shall do no such thing, but
then if I were in your place I would not get so angry
it does no good and it frets you for nothing, and
I dont like to think of my dear sweet pretty wife
looking angry under any circumstances. I like
always to think of her as a quiet sweet tempered
woman. I know how much you suffer in this
cause. I know that the hardships & privations wh-
ich I endure great as they are, are nothing
as compared with what you suffer being as
you are without a home or its comforts &
seperated [sic] from your husband who has ever
delighted in petting & caressing you and
taking from you all troubles & almost
all thought. This is all hard to bear, but
when there is added to it, unkindness from
them from whom you have a right to ex-
pect mor kindness I confess it is almost un-
indurable. But my own dear Jennie you
must remember that you have ever been an
uncomplaining woman. While I have petted

[page 3]
[&] humored you almost constantly, yet have
I never been a little unkind? when pressed
with the cares of business, and unmindful of
every thing else while almost vainly a try-
ing to thread my way through the difficulties
and embarrassments of business, have I never
appeared to neglect my darling? And you
have you not patiently though sometimes
in tears endured it all? Yes you have, and
now I ask you simply to remember that
this life is full of troubles and that those
which you now encounter while differing from
those in former times are yet only some
of the vexations of this life and must be
met in the same spirit that you have met
others. We have This very happiness of our
married life has tended very much to give
blind us as to all sorrow & trouble. As you
said in your letter the other day your life
had been one of perfect sunshine, mine on
the contrary had up to the moment when
I had the assurance of your love been nother
gloomy. But the idea that the bright happy
& artless creature by my side so radiant
in her beauty so pure in her inocence [sic] and
so blind in her confidence really loved me
with all the ardour [sic] of her passionate na-
ture changed my whole nature and I was
supremely happy in the selfish thought that
I could live for thee only. Our engagement
was short, but it was blessed with the hearty
sanction of all our friends. We were married
our confidence was complete & blinding and

[page 4]
are we realized in each other more than our
fondest fancy had anticipated. whether in
the retirement of our chamber at Mothers or
in our own House or our journeyings [sic] to
Richmond, the Mountains of Bath, or the
Springs, it was all the same we were su-
premely happy. The world was as a garden
of sweet scented flowers. And thus it con
tinued, everything contributing as it were to
our happiness, until no wonder we conclu
ded that however this world might appear
to others, to us it was beautiful. And now
my darling dont you remember that we
often talked of these things and warned each
other of the troubles ahead. Dont you remember
that we often said to each other that we would
have to meet our share of lifes misfortunes &
that we must be prepared for them. Now my
own darling they are upon us. we who were
so selfishly happy in each others society and
the luxuries of a splendid home are torn from
each other by the hard hand of necessity and we
have by the same power been compelled to
give up our home. I exposed to hardships and
anoyances [sic], you to exactions & anoyances [sic]. This
is a great contrast, but yet it is not so bad
as it seems. We still have each others love
This moment I love you more deeply & truly than
I did the first time I folded you in my firm
Embrace. Cant you say the same? My financial
difficulties have been one great source of trouble
If peace was ordered to day I am in a better
condition in that respect than ever before
[Letter of E.T.H. Warren abruptly ends.]

“Col Hill”, lines 6 & 8 – ‘Both referred to Colonel A. P. Hill, commander 13th VA Infantry; temporarily in command of the brigade.’

“Genl Johnston”, line 12 –

“Johnston”, page 2, line 2 – ‘Joseph E. Johnston. General Johnston commanded the Army of the Shenandoah during the Battle of Manassas which was fought 21 July 1861. The 10th VA Infantry was a part of this army and under the command of General Johnston.’

“Vaughn of the 3d Tenn”, line 14 – ‘John C. Vaughn, Colonel, 3rd TN Infantry.’

“Stuart of the [1st] Md.”, lines 14 & 15 – ‘George H. Steuart, Colonel, 1st MD Infantry. The 1st MD, 3rd TN and 10th VA Infantry regiments served in the same brigade at the Battle of Manassas.’

“Col G”, lines 15 & 27 –

“Gibbons”, page 2, line 2 – ‘All three referred to Simeon B. Gibbons, Colonel, 10th VA Infantry.’

‘General Johnston’s report of the Battle of Manassas (discussed by Warren lines 12-30, and page 2, lines 1-5) did in fact neglect to mention Colonel Gibbons. However, General Johnston sent the following to General Samuel Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector General, to correct that omission.

“HDQRS. Department of Northern Virginia,
Centreville, February 3, 1862.
Sir: My attention has been called to the fact that in the enumeration of the officers who distinguished themselves in the battle of Manassas the name of Col. S. B. Gibbons, commanding the Tenth Virginia Regiment was omitted. This omission was due to unaccountable carelessness, and is a matter of regret and mortification to me. I bet that it may be corrected in my report on file in your office, and the correction published. Colonel Gibbons and his gallant regiment played an important part at a critical time, and injustice to them, even accidentally, is unpardonable. Colonel Elzey, to whose brigade Colonel Gibbons belongs, made honorable mention of him in his report.
Most respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. E. Johnston, General.” [Official Records, Series I, Volume 2, page 479]

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

MSS 7786-g

[from the diary of William Matthews Blackford, former diplomat and then an editor and postmaster in Lynchburg, Va., who has five sons in the Confederate service]

[Blackford resumes his diary after returning from Fredericksburg and the funeral of a relative, John Minor]

I found a large arrearage of business
which with a half a dozen or more long
letters I had to write, and other distacting
matters, prevented mydoing any thing at
my diary for the past week–Recd one day
Friday letters from all the boys, except Charles
who is here, Lanty had returned to Winchester
and was quite well after a dreadful campaign
of 25 days.
We had one of Mr Henckles No 1. sermons
and then the communion Charles partook
of it for the first time in this church. In
the afternoon his little girl, Lucy Landon
was pap baptised. How the name and ceremony
and all carried my mind back to the font
nearly 36 years ago–We all went over to
Charles to take leave of him, as he sets out in
the morning to join his company at Leesburg
He takes Sue & children as far as Richmond
expecting to take them to Leesburg when it is prqc
ticable–Mary & Fanny staid at Charles

MSS 4763

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio, currently home on furlough]

Went with Mother[ ?] word obscured by ink blot]
to prayers [?] [word obscured by ink blot]
People bade me “good-
bye”
Am putting up my
things this evening.

mostly clear

MSS 10317

[From the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. E, 25th Massachusetts, on assignment to the Commissary Dept., steamer “Admiral”]

Another Sabbath away from home
Have felt bad to-day. My faith will
not keep where it ought. My doubting heart
will cherish fears now and then, but I know
God will not change and in His promises
will I trust. It has been very pleasant, but
cold to-day for this place attended services
this afternoon after dinner. Read in the
Sabbath Miscellany.

MSS 11293

Confederate States of America
War Department
Engineer Bureau
Richmond, Va., February 2, 1862

Dear Rives, [Alfred Landon Rives]
Please make requisition
for twenty hands with an overseer to
cut piles for obstruction–I have obtained
a lighter and the pile driver will
be up in a few days.

The ordnance should be supplied
for Dutch Gap at once.

There are some idle vessels in the
dock and it has been suggested to
me by a prominent citizen that they
might be towed down to the Gap ready
for scuttling if the enemy should
approach before the piles & cribs[?] are
down. What do you think of this
and can you get the authority–

I want authority also for to
take a wch[?] breaker which can
very easily be converted into a

[page 2]
pile driver, now lying at Rocketts
and in the hands of Mr. Niles as
property requistrated.

Yours as ever
[Abram C.] Myers

Colonel Alfred Landon Rives,1830–1903, of Castle Hill, Albemarle County, Va., served as chief of engineers to General Robert E. Lee

Abraham C. Myers, 1811-1889, the first quartermaster-general of the Confederate States

MSS 2313

[letter from Mary Hinchman begun on the 25th of January continues]
February the 2 1862. We are all well, A[n?]drew Sha[?]ne
buryed their babe today. James Jiles has two children
they think cannot live. I have never desired more, to see
you all than I have this winter. we feel very
sorry [hole in paper] I think, we did not get to see brother
William when he was at Covington. you spoke
of the intention of coming this way-I wish you
could come up. while there is so much sickness we cannot
leave home. unless we could take all along, and that
is hard to do. you sent us A sheet of paper. we
have plenty to do us twelve months or more.
if the yankies get mutch further I fear our males will
be stoped. Sarah is to give you the account of
burning of Huntersville, and where the yankies
are now. Stalk of all kinds high, sheep $2 1/2 to 3$
eatables what ever you have at conscience, to ask we would
like to know what yearlings and two year olds
are selling at: Sarah expects to be confined the last
of this month. Give my love to all inquiring friends
Your atached sister C M Paige

Mollie S HInchman

Miss Mary S Hinchman
Egypt
Monroe Cty
Va

MSS 13371

[from the diary of Charles Hay, of the 23rd Ohio, returning from furlough]

 Wheeling, Virginia, Feb’y 1st., 1862.
Today, leaving the hills of the “Keystone State”,
and coursing swiftly down the banks of the Ohio, through the
border of the “Buckeye State”, I, tonight, find myself
in the “Old Dominion,” in the principal city of
the Western portion. ~~ I left my uncle’s at 8 ½
o’clock this morning in company with my cousin,
Miss Lydia T. to go to New Brighton.  By dint of
running about half a mile, we just succeeded in
getting on the cars in time, by missing which, we
would have had four miles more to walk.
     Having staid here about 3 hours, and become
dissatisfied with the people of the place; who are
too aristocratic to suit my plain notions, I came
on to Rochester, 3 miles from New Brighton, and on
the Ohio River.  New Brighton is a pretty village,
and has good buildings, and does a considerable
business, being situated on the line of the P. Fr. W. V.
C. R. R, and but 3 miles from the Ohio River.
     Rochester is also on the same road, at the junction
of it and the Cleveland & Pittsburg R.R., but is a
place of no consequence, and but little business,
as I could see, is transacted . ~  At 3 P.M. I
                                                           
left Rochester for Wheeling, distant, 65 miles.  A 3
hours ride brought me to Bridgeport (opposite Wheeling)
and in another half hour, by means of the omnibus,
I cross the River, and here I am.  The first thing
I did was to visit the Post Hospital at this place,
to find an acquaintance who is an assistant there, having
entered the Hospital as a patient last Fall, but has
now recovered.  By his aid, I succeed in getting
a suitable place to stay, in the shape of the “Swan
House,” which, though not first class, is very good,
both as to accommodations and charges.  But I
feel fatigued and sleepy, consequently, I will “drop off”
here, and “turn in” for the night.
I might add, by way of postscript, that my
today’s trip was a pleasant one.  The favorable
weather and beautiful scenery combined to make a few dull
hours pass rapidly and pleasantly by.  The placid waters
of the Ohio, occasionally ruffled by a passing steamboat,
the steep, rocky hills, of either side, approaching in
most places close to the shore, an occasional island,
the numerous oil-derricks, the pretty villages, &c. &c, together
with the clear, bright day, unusual for February, tended
to beguile away a short time that might have hung heavily on
                                                     my hands.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

Camp at Centreville
Feb 1st 1862

My Dear Creek
I received your letter by Sam Brown and
was happy to hear that you are all well at home, I intended
sending this by Sam Brown but he will not start for a few
days yet. and we have to start on that weary and unagreeable
picket again today, so I thought I would send you a few
lines by mail, and if he has not gone when we get back
can write you again by him. I have made you a tatting
needle which I will give him for you, it is made from a
piece of cedar which I got on the Battlefield of Manassas, I
dont know whether it is made right or not, as I never
made one before and I just made it something like the
ones I saw some of the Boys making. if it is not right let
me know what is the matter with it, and I will make you
a better one, I have some nice apple tree wood which will
make much nicer ones than the cedar and I will make you
some more of them different sizes, so that you will be right
fixed for that sort of work. We have not much to do in camp
now that our houses are finished and it affords me great pleasure
to be making any little thing that I can for you, it makes
me think I am at home with you again, and I can fancy
Dear little Maggie looking up at me and begging me for
to make her one to (sic); I must make her a nice little one
and you can learn her to make tatting when she grows
older; I went over to the Battlefield the other day and got
a horse hoof, to make you and her a ring. I am sorry we have

[page 2]
to go on picket today as I would make them and send
them by Sam Brown also, but perhaps I may have
another chance of sending them, and if I have not it
cannot be a great while now till I bring them
to you myself, None of the Regiment have Voluntered (sic)
as yet, I dont think any or at least not many of
them intend doing do till they get back home
at least that seems to be the general impression
at present, The health of the men is still improving
nearly all of the Regiment have got their houses built
and moved into them, except some who are to (sic) lazy
to work. My company have been in theirs some time
and I had a very nice comfortable cabin built for me
and nearly finished when I got back, it is about the
size of the cabin over at the mill, built of logs, well
chinked and dobed and covered with good boards
and a first rate fireplace in it, I expect to have plank
this week to floor it, which will make it quite comfortable
so, if the Yankees get to (sic) close to you at home yo (sic)
can pick up Maggie and come on here and stay
with me. I have about enough Blankets for us both
but they are getting pretty dirty, so you had better
bring Phillis along to wash them. Our whole army
is vry (sic) much cast down about the removal of our
Favorite General Beauregard, he left this place
today, for Kentucky to take command of the forces
there, and retrieve our misfortunes, which I have no
doubt he will soon do; Give my love to all of the
family, tell Julia Webb, Billy Major had a thousand
questions to ask me about her when I got back. Kiss little Maggie
for me and except (sic) the same from your,
William

William Anderson, Captain, Co. J, 4th South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

[Transcription and annotation by Emily Cone-Miller]

Two days after confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter on April 12th, 1861, William Anderson, of Anderson, South Carolina, enrolled as a Captain of the Confederate Guards. He became Captain of Company J of the 4th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment the following June and was elected Major of the Palmetto Sharpshooter Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, in April of 1862. He died on July 4th, 1862 of wounds he received during the Seven Days’ Battles.

P. G.T. Beauregard, the beloved commander of whom William Anderson writes, was being sent to serve as second in command of the Army of the Mississippi. He had been promoted to full general, along with General Johnston, in August of 1861, after their shared success in the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas). When the two generals’ forces were combined, Johnston was given command and Beauregard began a series of disagreements with President Davis and his cabinet.

Dear Father–I received your kind & welcome letter of 27th this Evening
& was verry much pleased to hear that you was all well which is the same
with me yesterday I wrote to George to find out the reason to find out the reason[sic]
why he did not answer mine that I wrote to him the bad wether continues to hold
on yet & Muddy as can be I would like to know what you sent that piece of
Paper written on I received Five dollars allotted to me I am glad that pro
visions are cheap & plenty I wish you would send that Transcript that you
read, if you can find it because I should lie to see it, we have not had verry
cold weather out here yet & what cold days we have had we have kept warm
the Fire places that we have keeps the Tent as warm as the fire Place at Home
keeps the sitting room you wanted to know whether the tents were tight
they are tight & we can keep as dry as you can at Home you wanted to know
when I enlisted, I enlisted on the sixth of May 1861 & on the sixth of this
moth I shall have been in the service nine Months two in the State &
seven in the United States which is the longest time that I know of being
away from Home as you do not wish me to go to Washin[g]ton yet A While
I have made up my mind not to go but till next pay day the Colonel
has got back from Washington where he has been sick yesterday
John B Brown was out here to see the Regiment & his Wife and
Son James from your Son Joseph Leavitt Please to send
that Transcript if you can get it as I would like to see the piece

Letters from Joseph Leavitt and his brother George Leavitt were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66

[From the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, private and musician in the 23rd Ohio, currently on furlough]

Went to Ashland this
morning. had my boots
soled. bought papers
had my miniature taken
for Jennie Went to
Town this evening
called at McGraths
Wights & Duncans
called to see Eliza
mostly clear

MSS 10317