Rapidan Station
March 24, 1862
Dear Sister
I received your letter some time since, but
with the exception of a long letter I wrote Pa, have been unable to write
to any one since. the interval has been one of continual hurry, bustle,
movement, & has been marked by some moves which I suppose have
astonished all you good folks as much as they have many here. I have
been constantly on the go for the last three weeks, part of the time on
horseback & part of the time on the Cars. I had just arrived from Richmond
with funds when our move was made, & was immediately ordered with
my charge to the rear to await instructions. It was just one week
before I was enabled to deliver up my burden & shift the responsibility
which was very weighty, both burden & responsibility, the former being
a remarkably large & well stuffed black carpetbag and the latter being
to the extent of upwards of one million. I have been accused of being
fond of dressing, but had you seen me during this time with such a
large Carpet Bag & perceived the fact, which was obvious to all, that
my linen remained unchanged, (for I had nothing but what I had on)
you would have decided that I was the most slovenly mortal you
had ever known. In fact I don’t believe I have had on more
than two clean shirts since the first of the month, the baggage
going by one mode of conveyance & we by another, and the meetings
between us being “few & far between,” but correspondingly affectionate.
My strongest hope is that when Summer comes we may be quartered n
as pleasant a country as we now occupy–I can look out at the
window now & see the Rapidan within a few hundred yards,
suggestive of delicious bathing & swimming during the summer–

[page 2]
and a few miles further on are the mountains, with their tops still
covered with snow, altho’ the air is mild & pleasant down here even
without a fire. Our office is located here, but the army is
not here. Genl. Johnston allows us reporters within his lines &
consequently no one outside knows what is going on here, we are
are[sic] all however very confident & have the most implicit reliance
Country & has never suffered defeat yet. On the day that we left
Manassas our company of the M’d Regt. had a brush on picket with
quite a large force of the enemys cavalry–We lost two men Killed &
six taken prisoners, you have probably heard this very much magnified–
but such are the facts. The Company was Louis Smiths, who unfortunately
was in Richmond on furlough. I have not seen him since but suspect
he was in a terrible state when he discovered that again he was not
with his Comp’y under fire. You know he was sick on the 21st July–
He has an Irish Co: they behaved very gallantly & Killed about twenty
of the enemy—This loss, if you even heard of the skirmish, was doubtless
entirely ignored by the enemy. Are you as credulous as ever? If so
you must despond very much just now. We hear all sorts of rumors
here of affairs in Washington; even heard the other day that McClellan
was disposed. My incredulity is however is as strong as it ever was,
& I never give such reports a second thought. This is enough
however of matters political, a subject upon which I rarely, if
ever, touch in my letters home, & don’t know what has induced
me to dwell as long upon it as I have. Speaking of the
contents of letters home tho’, I forgot that you never receive any
of mine & therefore can’t be expected to know what they generally
contain or do not contain. What would I not give for the

[page 3]
certainty that the home circle will read these lines? Not that
they contain anything interesting or even gratifying to curiosity
but then I know it would give you all a great deal of pleasure, for
I judge you by myself, and I can not tell you how much pleasure
the reception of letters from home affords us both. The incident
which I mourn most in connection with our removal from Manassas
is the loss of the Centreville mail. The letter which Mr Smith brought
me from Pa was in that mail & is consequently in the hands of the
Yankees, I trust it will not consign him to Fort Warren. I met
Smith in Richmond two or three days after his arrival & was very sorry
to hear that the had mailed the letter, as I knew it must be directed
to Centreville, from which place our office had been removed for
nearly a month, but Pa had not of course heard of it. I would
have sent a courier there for it but when I returned every thing was
on the move & it was too late. I have never ceased to regret the loss
but hope it will not Prevent Pa from writing again. The best plan
is to direct to the girls in Richmond & let them forward to us.
I shall send this to them to be forwarded to you, I never hear of an
opportunity here–We are only about five miles from Miss Nannie,
I intend going over to see her as soon as I get time, and the roads
get better. Some Sunday I will try to get leave of absence & ride over.
I am however just going into another batch of Quarterly returns, & don’t
know when I will have a moments leisure again. Major has placed
that portion of his business under my charge, and it required very
continuous labor. I have an office in the an outhouse, which
has, I think, been a tobacco manufactory & Michel (one of the clerks)
& I sleep in the loft just under the rafters, where the wasps already
begin to give signs of advancing spring. A slight contrast, is it

[page 4]
not to the sumptuous apartment I left in N. Eutaw St.? This system
of life however agrees with me admirably–I have had but one
cold this winter & that I caught on my first visit to Centreville
last November, by sleeping in a tent on the wet ground Willie
quarters with the Major whenever he goes. They have a room in a house
near here–The last place we were quartered in was a young
ladies institute & when we left Michel pressed (polite for bagged)
two pillows & as he thought, two sheets. In his hurry however he
got a counterpane in place of one sheet. He & I are therefore very
comfortable between a sheet and a counterpane, a luxury I have not
enjoyed since I have been with the army. My sheets have always
been a very fine pair of blankets that I purchased in Charlottesville
& for which I paid the extravagant price of $13.–If we ever get
home again we will none of us know the value of money, such
extraordinary prices are paid here for everything. I wish very much
Ma could find an opportunity to send me some of my summer
clothes, otherwise I shall be obliged to pay Richmond prices for
everything I wear this summer. In every letter that I have
received for some time I have been roundly abused for not
having written home and I think it is about time I had set
myself right before the family on that subject. My time for writing
is necessarily limited, but I have never suffered a month to go
by without writing and have some times written twice or oftener
in a month–my letters have always been long ones because
having so few chances to write I have generally put in as much
as possible. I am very sorry they should have miscarried, as I
know how terrible it must be for Ma & Pa to be cut off from all
their children particularly as they have always made such

[page 5]
companions of them, and I promise you I never shall
allow a month to go by without writing, when I have
the time & opportunity will write oftener. Your delightful
letter, Sister, was a great treat to me altho’ it has been
so long unanswered. It seems rather late to mention Christ-
mas doings, but your description of the children’s enjoyment was so
graphic that I could almost hear them scream. How I do want
to see them & talk to them again. Tell Tutu I hope to come
“home again back again” very soon. I want to see Cary street & hear
Nelly scream once more very much. And if the prayers of a down-
trodden & oppressed people avail anything surely Maryland must soon
be freed from her tyrants. Everyone here hopes soon to see a
“Maryland Line” worthy of the name & fame of their ancestors. It is
thought by military men that five regiments can be raised, and
every one acknowledges that better men than the Marylanders now
in the service cannot be found. I am sure if they ever have the
chance it will not be their fault if the prayers of the women &
children are not speedily answered, and our homes once more
opened to us & our families once more united in peace & love.
Willie Nicholas & Louis Smith read a portion of your letter &
when they saw the anxiety of a gentleman you mentioned, to
be in Dixie, they both exclaimed that they wanted to see him
more than anyone else in Maryland. I want to see all at
Sudbrook & you may rest assured that I will come there first
when “we march triumphant into Maryland.” How natural was
the scene you described of Saturday morning at home–Syd
straggling down about ten or eleven o’clock & Pa not yet up, Ma
who has been up about five hours has nearly finished a letter

[page 6]
to the girls. The whole scene passed like a Panorama before
my eyes & yet I could not sit down at the table while Pa eat
his breakfast & indulge in a quiet family confab. We cant
appreciate these blessings until we are deprived of them, and
then, oh, how we do miss them! Take a picture of our breakfasts
here–Say we get down at eight o’clock & find the people have
begun to crowd on us & work commences; in about half an hour
a negro boy comes in & gives a nod which is understood only
by the initiated, & in a few minutes the crowd discovers that
the clerks have all managed to slip them & get out. Clerks then
enter eating room amid a miscellaneous crowd of A\Qr. Ms. Agts.,
horse-drovers & friendly loafers of the military stripe, & the break-
fast flies. As soon as it has flown clerks reenter the office where
the crowd has become clamorous & amid some snapping & snarling
the work of the day commences. Heretofore the sight of a
woman was so rare that everyone would run to the window
to look, & all were pronounced pretty or beautiful, but we
have lately been in several small villages & are becoming
more fastidious. In this place there is a large female
school & being distant from the seat of war it is still carried
on; it is across the river from our office, but we see the girls
walking about in droves on the other side, and if we only
had time might employ it very pleasantly, for there must
be some pretty ones among them who would like to get
up flirtatious. When I was in Richmond about the
first of the month I actually went to a hop at the American
Hotel. It was a very primitive affair. I attended in my
ordinary Manassas rig & with a pair of boots about three inches

[page 7]
thick . I found a young lady from Petersburg who was a very
good dancer & we danced nearly all the evening & had quite
a good time considering. I was invited the same evening
to a small party at Col. Pegram’s but declined on account of
not having my dykes–I read a letter the other day to one of
the 1st Md. boys from Miss Sophie a. of Balt, which was full
of nothing but gossip and which was very acceptable as most
of it was entirely new to me. Speaking of gossip–I was told
the other day by a cousin of Miss Sue Voss that she was married
to Bob Elder. Is it so? I can hardly believe it. I expect
every one who can do so, will be married before this war is
over, if it ever should be over. Do you know that Willie is
now rapidly approaching the age of twenty four & that in a
few years days I will be twenty two. the barber, in cutting my hair
a few days ago, discovered & showed me half a dozen perfectly
gray hairs from the top of my head. I expect this war will
put Willie & myself off until we get to be like Willie Carr
& the Smiths. do tell Pa not to let the loss of his letter dis-
courage him, but to honor me immediately with another,
which I promise him to answer directly to the exclusion of
all my other correspondents. Give much love to Ma & Pa–
Tell Ma her familiar handwriting is very scarce in my
portfolio, & I hope she will mend her pen & her ways at once.
Syd seems to have turned out to be very worthless since I
withdrew my managing hand from him. Tell him to write
me word how the girls are getting on. Give my love to
Mr. Mc & tell him that the girls are talking of going home,
should they do so he need no longer fear the pumping process

[page 8]
as neither Willie nor I are adept at the art. Love to
Minny tell her I have an entire set of socks perfectly
worthless for want of a stitch or darn in time–
Good-bye–write to us whenever you can
dear Sister, and we will always try to reply some
time or other. Yours most affectionately

J. B. C.

John B. Cary

MSS 1415

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former editor and owner of the Staunton Spectator]

Monday night, March 24, 1862.

Various rumors to-day, scarcely worth mentioning. —
One said that 40,000 troops raised by Lincoln in Maryland
had rebelled, and then that the whole Federal army East and
West of the Blue Ridge, had retired across the Potomac —
probably on account of the Maryland “rebellion.” No news
by the papers. For several days past the cars have come in
quite early in the afternoon. Brown sugar is now retailing
at 33 1/3 cents per pound — two shillings. I bought a barrel
in Richmond when there, at 13 1/2 c, I believe it was, I cannot
enjoy the possession of it, for thinking of other persons who
must do without any. Salt is not to be had at any price —
Wood is extremely difficult to get. After burning up all of
his bean poles, Mr. Baker had to cut down a shade tree
to-day, for fuel. We were fortunate enough to get three
loads last week, one of them very small. Supplies are
again going out to the army on Allegheny mountain.

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, and a Sgt., Co. B, 1st Special Battalion [Rightor’s], Louisiana Infantry]

Monday – March 24th 1862
Rose so late this morning that I had
to breakfast with Aby & Stegh – After
breakfast ordered 18 small ladders – Genl
Magruder informed Lieut Lindsay today that
4 men from 2d Fla reg’t had deserted &
gone to the blockading Str & that
he does not think it safe to risk going
on our Expedition! It is too provoking – &
hard to have to give up after 3 weeks hard
work & preparation! I do not think it very
probable that these traitors know of our
intentions, the Genl thinks they did & have
informed the str’s men of our intentions to
board & capture his – I had the mortifica
-tion of discharging the two crews & giving
the vessels in charge of their Captains –
Had a terrible fit of blues this Evening &
with a bad cold felt miserable – Spent the
afternoon Evening in my room sleeping – Spent the Evening
with Lieut Lindsay

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

March 24th
My Dear father
You will see by my letter to George where
we are now camped. We have been here several
days & will probably remain some time. The soil
is exactly alike the Albemarle red & such highly very
highly cultivated & a fine population. We will
have an informal organization of our com-
pany to day – not having enough members
for a formal one. I believe an informal
one will enable us to send out [-].
The no. of the company reenlisting is between 80 & 90.

[This next section is too faded to decipher– ( 3 ½ inches)].
I love you all.
Most affectionately your Son
W. H. Perry Jr.

William H. Perry, Jr., 1836-1915, of the Richmond Howitzers; a lawyer in Virginia after the war.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private of the 23rd Ohio]

Monday, Mar. 24, 1862

Guard mounting no
parade
Received letter from
John Olin and answered
it. Companies H & I
returned from their
scout this afternoon
brought with them
16 prisoners and 12 horses
and some guns this is
the report
stormy snowing at
times

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts Infantry]
Monday
March 24
Slept very well during the night
and went on at six this morning
The negro gave me some good breakfast of
tea and short cake. This afternoon read
and sung and fiddled and played chess
and backgammon. Received a letter from
home this evening. Have felt very pleasant
to day. Drilled a little this afternoon.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, of Lynchburg, Va., former diplomat, newspaper editor and bank officer, with 5 sons in the Confederate Army]
Monday 24Fair and cool–Large correspondence
at Bank. Very busy during office hours
Letters from Charles & Eugene. That of the
former short,but expressive of despair & mourning.
at its date, he had heard of the death of his
little boy only. He was at Warrenton. Eugene
describes himself as being destitute of all
comforts being separated from his baggage.
He blames the colonel for want of care &
interest in the Regt. He writes for things
that I must send him at once. They have
not been in a tent in all this bad weather.
Eugene has really had a seasoning[?]. He says he
rather enjoys the hard life–I believe he does.
He has a spirit which only lacks the oppor
tunity to distinguish its possessor–The Enemy
seem confounded by Johnsons retreat–They have
fallen back & then have had large masses of
their troops sent from Potomac to Fortress Monroe
If Richd be their attempt[?] they will make their
attack from that direction–Attended a meeting
of the Committee appointed by the meeting of citi
zens Tuesday last. It was as fruitless as I knew
it would be–adjourned to Thursday night
Went with Mary R. & Mary J. to call upon
Mrs C[?] and her daughter, refugees
from Fairfax. William & Charles knew them
last summer and were indebted to them for
hospitality & kindness–Wm gave them a letter
to me. Called on Mrs Erwin & daughter also
at Cabell[?] House–Recd dispatch from Smith
at Charlottesville, declining to take John’ house.
Mary R’s silver arrived from Abing-
-don today, she deeming it safer here than
there. My eyes very sore.

MSS 4763

Mulberry P. March 24th 1862

Dear Mary
I wrote Mary Lewis a few lines the other
day I recd a letter from Mr. Cox, written the day after
he left Airwell he said he had been to the Bank
and requested them to stop both checks I though
you had recieved the $100 chks on the Farmers Bank of
Va., & if you nave, why should he stop the payment.
I fear you will have the soldiers of both armies on
you—but you had better remain at home & try to
keep cool–scolding will not do with such men–
I send you one of your letters to me I wish you to read it, &
think over it–and at the same time, I assure you,
so far from being in good spirits at the hope of my
family feeling the war I am often made very miserable
by thinking about it, and other family matters–
I am very anxious to visit home, & now that the Battery
is about to be changed have some slight hope, but
it will depend on the “Virginia,” expected out to morrow

[page 2]
if she can run over the “Monitor” I think Magruder
will give me leave–You remember John Worden,
who was in Washington when you were there, & had such
a fine boy–he commanded the “Monitor,” and & lost his
sight–Tucker & Barry are at Norfolk, I have
not seen them since the fight–Web was here to
day, on his way down, & thinks we shall have a
fight to morrow, his vessel the “Teaser” was well fought
but she is so small that they can not hit her–
I have not seen the sheet you wrote about, but can
not say that I did not bring it with me–I have no
servant, and but little time to attend to my things-
It has been so long since I tasted butter that I do
not know how it tastes–So far, hard fare agrees with
me–I will be able to send some money home, next
month, if I get what is due me–

Kiss the children Love to all–Write me a good
long letter. Your afft husband
C[allender].St.G[eorge]. Noland

Lt. William A. Webb was in command of the CSS Teaser, a former tugboat, which took an active role in the battle of Hampton Roads as tender to the CSS Virginia (Merrimac). On July 4, 1862, a Union shell blew up Teaser’s boiler,forcing her crew to abandon ship. She was refitted and served in the Union Navy as the USS Teaser for the remainder of the war.

The Island March 24th/62 (Monday Morning)

Monday Morning has at last come my own beloved Husband and I again
write to let you hear from me I received your dear letter saturday evening & was
a little comforted by it but I am still very uneasy about your substitute.
I trust to hear you are safe by tomorrows mail–I have not been able
to sleep a single night since I left you what with my anxiety, and
seperation from you & my cold which has been very annoying-we went
to church yesterday to hear the new minister (Mr. Mortimer) who I dont
think particularly interesting from the discourse I heard yesterday
His explanations seemed so trite & common place so wanting in every
thing spiritual that even I, ignorant as I know I am, of all those
beautiful truths you have tried to teach me felt as if I had seen a light
which had not yet been revealed to him. What a hopeless task to explain
even one single text from the Bible according to its natural sense
alone & how elevated does the spiritual sense appear when contrasted
with it.–But you have doubtless felt all this & a great deal more
because you know so much more about it–

I saw a good many of the neighbors who seemed very glad to welcome me
back & all inquired particularly after you–to day I am going down to
B. Hall & will return this evening–Everybody about here looks very
uneasy & are thinking where they will go, as it is currently reported
that all the country north of James River will be given up–the
neighborhood is full of refugees & we hear daily of large caravans
crossing at Centreville & going Southward–Tommy has not heard
yet whether his name was in the militia roll but is going to
inquire this morning & I will tell him to let you hear the
result–He is waiting now & I will have to close hurriedly
I still intend going to Rd tomorrow morning & expect Tommy
will go down with me–I cant telly you how I dread the trip
especially the time I shall spend with the Dentist without
your being near to comfort & sustain me during my sufferings
but I shall be too thankful when all is over & I can go
back to my little haven of rest–[?] is quite sick today
with one of her headaches–Tommy sends his love & will
write–

[page 2]
a line when he hears what was done last Saturday at the
C.H. as he told Mr. Hobson if his name was on the militia roll
to put it on his instead–Goodbye now my ever blessed Hus
band & may God in his mercy spare you to me is the
constant prayer of your devoted wife
JCB Cabell
Remember me to yr father—

[in another hand]
Mr. Cabell
Dr Sir I have been up to Mr Hobson
but he was not at home, so I do not know any thing
about the matter. I write this to let you [know] as

sister desired, but I expect to go any how but
I dont like to let her know it. Good bye & if
I should never see you again I hope your
will not forget: T.B.J.

MSS 38-111

Philip Barraud Cabell, 1836-1904, nephew of General Philip St. George Cocke and grandson of General John Harwell Cocke, was one of the few antebellum students at the University of Virginia to obtain a master’s degree. After the war he was a professor at Urbana University in Ohio, and later a minister of a Swedenborgian church in Wilmington Delaware. His wife Julia Calvert Bolling Cabell known as “Pinkie”, had been a popular Virginia belle before their marriage the previous year.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former editor and owner of the Staunton Spectator]

Sunday night, March 23, 1862.

Legh walked in this evening, to our great astonishment.
As soon as we could recover sufficiently to enquire how he
happened to come, he told us that He when the men were
inspected to be “mustered in,” he was rejected, on account of his
defective vision. He gave us a glowing account of whaat his
adventures on the way and with the army. The trip was
very exciting and pleasant to him, and he would have been
glad to stay for a short time, but was of course gratified
that he was not taken in for three years. The army, he
says, seemed to be in a high state of enjoyment, but glad
to receive the reinforcement from this county. The volun-
teers were dressed in every imaginable style — some wore
slouched hats, some caps of their own manufacture, and others
the old-fashioned high-crowned beavers; the only thing uniform
about them was the dirt. When he arrived at New Market
alla large number of wagons were engaged in bringing the
stores from Mt. Jackson. The loading loads were emptied in
great haste and the teams hurried back for more, as the
enemy were approaching. The people of the neighborhood
were flying with what property they could carry off —
some apparently poor persons having their chickens
tied on the wagons. The men, however, old and young, were
coming into the army with their guns. The hurry & tu-
mult were kept up nearly all night. The next day the
Augusta troops were marched down near Mt. Jackson, and
they met meeting the army coming this way, and were quartered nearon
the Wren farm. The cavalry were between them and the
enemy at Woodstock, and a battle was regarded as certain. —
The next morning (Friday 21) Saturday 21the army suddenly put into
rapid motion towards Woodstock, and it was passed turned out
that they were pursuing the retreating enemy: The people Legh
encountered appeared greatly relieved when they learned that
that the Yankees had gone back. He brings no news certain in
telligence as to affairs — only the rumors we had heard before —
Jackson, however, had received no reinforcements from
Johnson’s army. A Lieutenant of Legh’s regiment was
engaged to do the washing for some of his men!

MSS 38-258