Camp on Roads Hill Apr 9th

Dear Aunt

I received your
very kind letter yesterday and
also the one you sent by
J Berry but I had no time
ton answer it on account
of the almost incessant
marching and countermarching
since we left Winchester.
We are getting a little rest
now since the enemy have
come to a stand at Edinburg
Our troops burnt the bridge
across the river there &
the enemy cannot get across
without rebuilding the bridge
they have built it up once
or twice already but Ashby
tears it down with cannon as fast as
they build it up

[page 2]
We have had a hard time
since the battle our tents
were all sent away and
we only got them again
yesterday it is now sleeting
and has been for three days
We have had a great deal
of wet weather lately
which sets hard with our
new recruits and the militia
There is a great many of
the militia sick and
complaining while there is no
sickness among those that
have been in service the last
year. The election of officers
takes place in our company
tomorrow if the day is such
that we can be out I have
no idea who will be elected
captain but I think that

[page 3]
Lieut McKenny will stand a
good chance for the office he
will be more suitable than
Lieut Randolph as he is a man
of steadier habits than the latter
Colonel Harman obtained a list
of our wounded prisoners who
are in Winchester James Payne
is said to be living and
doing will the ladies about
Winchester have taken them
in their houses and treating
them with the best of care
We heard that Sam Beard
was in the hospital at
Harrisonburg but do not know
whether to believe it or not
as I think he would have
certainly written & let it
be known where he was.
Colonel Baylor received a
dispatch yesterday saying that

[page 4]
the yankees made and attack on
Yorktown sunday morning &
were defeated with a dreadful
slaughter & also that the
enemy were defeated at
Corinth in Tennesee with a
great loss in men and
lost eight baterries[sic]. I think
the tide is turned again
& our army will be
successful in the end.
I must draw my letter
to a close. Give my love to
aunt Ann Uncle James
family and receive a due
share yourself. Nothing more
but remain as ever your
affectionate nephew
T. M. Smiley

Thomas M. Smiley, Company D, 5th Virginia

MSS 1807

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Wednesday 9th–It has been raining incessantly for two
days and nights–& still continues to do so–Katy is sick & I had
to dress without fire this morning & clean out my own bed-
room–It is so raw, chilly — & unpleasant today that I hate
to leave my seat one moment–Mr. Mears is off in the Hack
for Durham–He called to say goodbye–Tom–Eliza &
Liz are all engaged with interesting books I have writ
-ten a long letter to Mrs. Jewett–The ladies all keep closely in
their rooms such weather as this–We have 5 very pleasant
families boarding here now–We separate after each meal
but assemble in the parlour after tea & spend our eve-
nings together–Four of the ladies are sisters & room
near each other–Mrs. Wilson & daughter quite an in
-teresting lady with a very pretty daughter (Mary),
Mrs. Reid, Mrs. Downy, Mrs. Davis –& Miss Murder–
Some 6 or 7 children among them–Then we have
another Mrs. Davis–No relation of the other ladies–She
being from Louisiana–very pretty–Young & agree
-able–She has two children–Her husband is on parole–Was
taken at Roanoke–Mr. Lee & Mr. Garroll were in tonight–
Mr. Fetter in the morning, Mr. Montague in the afternoon to sit with
Eliza–

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Joseph A. Waddell, former owner and editor of the Staunton Spectator and a civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Wednesday night, April 9, 1862

No cars from Richmond yet, and not a
word from that quarter, the telegraph wire
being down. Reports of skirmishing down the
Valley, but it is an every-day occurrence be-
tween our cavalry and the enemy. Recruits still
passing through to join Jackson. The weather still
stormy, — sleeting nearly all day — very cold. Davy
Strasburg came up with me to supper. Mr. Tate
came in afterwards. I am not well to- night. Have
just finished reading “The Bride of Lammermoor.”

[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]

Wednesday – Apl 9th 1862
The Enemy opened the day by Killing
Sgt Jenkins of the La Guards – he
was shooting across the creek at
a yankee when another one shot
him in the neck – Killing him
instantly – It rained all day
the firing was very slight today
only seventeen [?] shots from our
Cannon & nine from the Enemy
I am confined to bed today
sick – severe cold, head &
stomach-ache – under treatment
of Dr Gray – taken quinine &c [Surgeon R. A. Gray]
Our boys still in the trenches
with the prospect of another
wet night – We heard today
of our great Victory near Corinth
Miss – Our men seem to be in
fine spirits – & we all
anticipate an equally
brilliant achievement here
before long – I telegraphed
to Mr Gibson today of
Jenkins death – also to Father that all was well
with us – Aby left this morn-
-ing for Head Qus – Felt
very sick this Evening.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Samuel Johnson of the 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]

Still continues to hail. Are very short of
raitions, we never have suffered as much
before. During the afternoon the hail
turned to snow, which fell all night. I
was too cold to sleep, so made my
self miserable by keeping fire warm
all night. Our horses are up to their
girts in the mud, and are half frozen
to death.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8492

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

wednesday 9 A more disagreeable day is not
often witnessed. A very cold day rain
nearly all the time. I thought something
of the discomforts of our men on bivouac
and more especially of those of my boys.
There was not a particle of news–not
a despatch from any quarter–more
than we had last evening. I am on the
tenter hooks of impatience as to the Merri
=mac, which went out Monday at
noon. We must infer that the thick
weather on the roads has prevented
operations. Never was a single ship
so important in a fight–It is hard
to realize all the advantages to occur
from her capturing the Monitor whilst
her capture or defeat would be pre-
judicial to our cause but not be fatal
I learn there is alarm in Richmond
and the women and children are go-
ing out of town–The fear on the Penin
sula doubtless, is [?] Magruder
and there is danger certainly of his being
forced back–Lewis in his letter says
it is thought the next design of the
enemy is to throw troops over to the
right bank of the James River at the
mouth of the Nansemond & to assail Suffolk
and thus take Norfolk. The Monitor
out of the way this would be a danger
=ous scheme–Recd a long letter from
Lanty dated 3’He was in bivouac
on the hill hear [?] [?] above
Rodes house, which I think is the
place Jackson will make a stand at. It
is the last ground I know near home
As he is forced up the Valley it will be
more & more difficult for him to
defend himself as the Valley grows
wider. Lanty says not a word of [?]
[?] reasoning marked him from
which I infer he has recd none yet
It seems the artillery were very near
being captured, on Monday 24′, the mor-
ning after the battle of Kernstown, only
[?] neglect in giving orders for
him to move.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Wednesday, Apr. 9, 1862

Played for Guard
Mounting. no Parade
Practiced as usual.
Having very disagreeable
weather.
Captn Drake came in
to day has been
to Gallipolis with
monies
Had my Hair cut
off short

James L. Drake, Captain of Co. H., 1817-1880. Severely wounded in September 1862 and brevetted out as a Major.

MSS 10317

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

Wednesday
April 9
Wrote a letter or at least com-
menced one home to-day. It is
rainy but I had a good piazza to stand
under on my beat. Played and read this afternoon.

MSS 11293

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

Tuesday – April 8th 1862
An awful night! last night – It rained
the whole night long & every man got
wet – we had an alarm at abt
midnight but it was quieted down –
Our pickets on our left fired a good
many shots during the night at the Enemy’s
pickets, or rather at what they thought, were –
Woke up this morning with a worse
headache & sick stomach – we did not
get up till 8 o’c when the rain stopped
for awhile – slight skirmishing on our right
& left this morning – Asked Capt Smith
again to let me join the Companies
[-] battalion on that duty but he
will not let me go! My fine rifle
is thus almost lost. Had a severe
chill at twelve o’c today & hot fever afterwards
Capt Cohen & Lieut Lyons gave me a bed
& the use of their floor & fire tonight
I feel used up – The enemy did not
shoot a gun today – their skirmishers
hauled off also at abt one o’clock –
It rained nearly all day & tonight
is a terrible one, rain & storm, the
Crescents & Co”L” are still in the
trenches – the 10th La has been
relieved by the 11th Ala & are in
comfortable quarters tonight – the
Guards are skirmishing today – Cadets
& the Guards having been relieved by
them – last night. Sgt Bertram
of the Grivots was shot by one
of our pickets last night while
taking the relief guard round –
Killing him dead – he was shot
through the breast. He was one of
the best men in the Co. We hear that the
Enemy has drawn off all along our
line – the Enemy did not
use their artillery in York
town today – A prisoner
was taken today inside our
line – he reports that they
are nearly starved, the
roads being bad that they
Cannot get up their large
Guns, & provisions

[Co. B of 1st La. Bn. known as “Crescent Rifles” or “Crescent City Rifles”]
[Co. A of 1st La. Bn. known as “Louisiana Guards”]
[Co. E of 1st La. Bn. known as “Grivot Guards”]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; annotations by Robert K. Krick]

MSS 6154

My darling wife

We have been fighting
a little every day since Saturday morning
and this is the reason why I have not
written to you before–we are constantly
on the watch and I have had very
little sleep during the whole time–last
night was the most disagreeable night
I ever spent–we were kept at our guns
all night while it was raining hard
and cold–I have no doubt but that
we will gain a significant victory–dont
believe half the lies you see in the
papers–Capt Southall telegraphs almost
every day–I think of you and the
dear ones at home almost all the
time. I would have written before, but
the mail is so irregular and I dont
know when you will get this–we have
been very much encouraged by the
news from Corinth–I wrote to you
last friday and as I had just had
my hair cut, I sent you a lock-
I received yours of the 3d today
write often and be of good courage
I hope if I should never see you again
to meet you hereafter–God grant this
Best love to all at home–Ma & Pa
Aunt Sarah, your mother, Virginia, &c
I love my darling wife and
think of her always. Your devoted husband

[unsigned letter of Sgt. Howe Peyton Cochran, 1st Virginia Artillery]

MSS 9380-a