Dear Sir  [General John Hartwell Cocke]

Aunt Jennie–the wife of your servant
Uncle Henry leaves this evening for Bremo–She
tells me you have a good deal of butter & fine
Asparagus & I must send a basket down & she know
you will send me a lb or 2–We are in great
excitement here in regard to the fate of Richmond
& poor Petersburg my native place I hope all will
be for the best  We are over run with soldiers
both sick & well from 2 to 3 thousand They
have not only pressed all of the ware houses
& vacant homes & private property & yet they
speak of taking our Churches for the sick & wounded
These & the refugees have nearly brought us to
starvation I have never known any thing to
equal the demand for food & the scarcity
of it I had rented a house & before I could
move in it Refugees took possession of it & we
cannot move them out of it except by ejectment to which

[page 2]
we would not resort Mr Doughen’s health is
indifferent he & my daughter unite with
me in affectionate regard to you–you son
Charles & lady Dr Brent & wife & particularly
to Mrs Courtney Cocke & her daughters  We expected
to have had Aunt Jenny to have lived with us
& hope to have  her yet–Please tell Hen
ry we are glad to hear he is well—
very respectfully your friend
Lucy L Doughen
Any kind remembrance you will send us
in these hard times will come safely to hand
consigned to James Boy he lives just at
the packet landing

MSS 640

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of the Letcher Artillery]

 May 6th beautiful morning cool

air blowing.  Packed up every thing & started
off by 9 ½ o’clock.  (Tanner went to Rich –d
with surplus baggage.)  Col Marshalls Regt.
in advance, our battery next.  Roads in
tolerable good order, marched 10 miles
today stopped one mile beyond Massaponax
Church.  Placed our battery in position on
a hill overlooking the country (fields) for
several miles around, in direction of
Spotsylvania C. H.  Plan of Camp on 2nd
page back marked “2nd”.  Wagons did not
come up till nearly 8 o’c PM altho we arrived at
4 ½ o’c P.M.  Had nothing to eat from 6 o’c in
morning till 9 ½ o’c at night.  Slept very
soundly that night – after eating fat
bacon & tough bread for supper.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

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

                      May 6th

At seven. A. M. got under weigh again.
Arrived at. West Point at four P. M.
Here the Gun Boats rounded into
position to cover our landing.  a
company of rebel cavalry being seen on
the shore they opened on them – but
a few well directed shots, caused the
Johnnies to retreat to the woods in a hurry.
In these woods.  there are some 10,000 rebs
commanded by Gen’l Longstreet of Va. and
Whitting of Mass.  at six P. M. the div.
commenced to disembark.  Skirmishing
briskly all night long.  several were killed
and wounded on both sides.  the day has
been cool and unpleasant.  We expect
a break down. in the morning.

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

Brampton
May 6, 62

My dear Georgia

There was some excitement
on yesterday in the neighborhood from
the fact that a body of Federal
Cavalry had occupied Culpepper C H
this morning.  A courier from there
staid at my house at night & he
estimated the enemy at 500, but it
now seems that they did not number
ovver sixty & that from some mis=
apprehension our Cavalry numbering
one hundred retreated.  The Captain lost
two horses and a negro & several men
who were out fishing were captured.
There is a painful rumor which I
believe to be true that Robt E Scott
was killed on Friday last–It seems
that two yankee deserters had established

[page 2]
themselves in a cabin on his
premises with a free negro, & were
committing many depredations, &
that with some others Mr Scott
was to arrest them when he was
shot and a gentleman with him.
The Federal Cavalry retreated
from Culpeper, but I fear
they will return with a force for a more
permanent stay.  It is said that
a regiment of our troops came yesterday
to Rapidan to picket.  I wrote you last
week to send over my carriage
horses by Jim, but have seen nothing
of him or Geo.  I propose doing a little
work with them & then coming over
to see you think I shall come next
week.  I have nearly planted my

[page 3]
corn & when the garden is put in order
& the ice pond too fixed I shall
feel more at leisure.  It was never
more necessary to make every effort to
raise supplies for the future, and yet
there does not seem to be any active
efforts made.  Our people are despondent.
Confidence in Mr Davis capacity is gone
& the belief is that Virginia will be
given up to the Yankees, yet evils are
hardly ever as great as we anticipate,
and I hope cheerfully for a better day
yet in store for us.
The box of Soap sent over to you should be opened
& sun exposed to the Sun. Keep the Salt very
carefully in a dry place we will need it very
much in the Fall.  I do not know what

[page 4]
Garden seeds to bring over to you I have
but few left that you would need.
The garden is in a bad plight but a few
days will improve its appearance very
much.  I am preparing a bed for tomatoes
& early yams.  Have planted okra, snap beans
an abundance of salsify and a small
lot of beets & parsnips–The corn is up & looks
well.  The country is assuming a beautiful
appearance & nature shows no sign of the ravages
around us.  The wheat field in front of the
house does not look well, was much injured
by the fly last Fall has not recuperated.
The field on the river promises a good yield
John Welch has returned-. Cal Welch is
seriously sick and looks very badly
All send their love to Fanny & yourself
a kiss for our boys.  I wish to be with you
very much–My love to Fanny, Yrs most truly
A.G.G.

First Union raid in vicinity of Culpeper occurred May 5, 1862


Robert Eden Scott, 1801-1962, served in the House of Delegates and represented Virginia in the Provisional Confederate Congress, 1861-1862.  As Grinnan relates he was killed in a skirmish with a group of Union deserters in Fauquier County, Va.


Andrew Glassell Grinnan, 1827-1902 to Georgia Screven Bryan Grinnan, 1837-1912


MSS 2188-a

Camp Winfield Scott Near Yorktown  May 6th 1862

My Dear Father yours of April 30th is received & as I have plenty of time
I will answer it, my last letter from you dated at Cheeseman Landing was
rather short I had to close it for the reason I could not write under the
circumstances of course when we received the news of the evacuation of York
town we were pretty much excited & could not sit down to write A letter
the Rebels evacuated Yorktown early Sunday morning the Berdan sharp
shooters saw the Pickett being drawn in, mistrusted something was going
on, they crawled up close to the Fortifications & looked in & found that
the bird had flown the Rebels left behind A large quantity of flour &
provisions of all kinds also all their Tents clothing & all their amunition
for their big guns they left notices saying if we would follow them where our
gunboats could not reach them they would Fight us, I have just learned
that Richmond is captured & that Magruder has unconditionly surrendered
whether it is so I am not able to say if such is the case the Rebel Government have
received a tremendous blow, & it leaves Beauregard alone to fight, if however the
Rebels have only evacuated these place to fly into the interior, where we will
have to follow them it will only seem to prolong the war, the Army which was
at Yorktown we have divided  & hemed them in so there is no chance for an
escape you will think of course that I can give you all the particulars
but we here although within A short distance of Yorktown have got to wait
for the papers before we know the details of the evacuation, Sunday morning
Co F was detailed as usual to unload ordinance the company had just commenced
when Major Hall received the following dispatch Major Hall and no more
Yorktown is evacuated our troops occupy the town signed Major Barry chief
of Artillery as I said before it has turned out just as I expected it would for
this reason I believe they have means of gaining information which we know not
of and are acquainted with all of our movements they found they could not
make A successful stand against such odds & thought it prudent to evacuate
they were however cut off yesterday they made A stand and had A fight which
lasted all day & most all night we have orders to be ready to move at any moment
but not called on we are now under orders & are liable to be called  on
any moment Genl. Franklins Division is in the rear between Richmond &
Williamsburgh our troops have driven them beyond Williamsburgh about five
miles I am waiting for the paper to come up so that I can find out more
more[sic] particular the wether is getting quite warm hopeing you will have the
pleasure of seeing me in Portland soon I remain you son George W. Leavitt
P.S. I saw Joseph Friday he looks first rate & says his health is good.

Letters from George Leavitt of the 5th New York and his brother Joseph of the 5th Maine 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 Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt., Co B., 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), Louisiana Infantry; now with the Hampton Legion]

                      Tuesday – May 6th 1862
Our whole army got under weigh last
night – I woke up this morning at 5 o’c
& got off on foot as the last troops
were moving out of town   we leave a
good many of men wounded here &
I fear the Enemy will capture many a sick
man & straggler – Such a scene as the retreat
of a great army presents – I marched twelve miles
without stopping, passing through one continuous
train of wagons, artilery & troops, haulting
at ten o’clock at a widow Ladies on the road
who said that she had nothing to cook for me.
I sat in the door talking to the good women,
when two young ladies came in from a neighbors
adding considerably to the conversation & my
entertainment   they were general in their regrets
that Genl Johns[t]on had command instead of Magruder
who had protected them for twelve mo’s & he would
never have retreated before the enemy in this
way – the whole party shed tears of sorrow
when they asked me what they should do, if I
thought the Yankees would hurt them – One of the
young ladies was really very pretty & right intel-
-igent too – To my surprise the old ladies had
a very good dinner prepared for me, of ham
& eggs, Coffee & bread – whether because I had made
myself agreeable to them or not I cannot say –
the yard was full of soldiers & the good people
made me come in & make myself at home –
I parted with these Kind & passing acquaintances
with a sad heart for their fate, tomorrow the
Enemy will be upon them – marching on by the
West Point road I joined the Hampton legion
abt dark at a point 3 miles from that place                                                      
where the Enemy are said to have landed
twenty regiments, evidently with the intention of
cutting off our retreat to Richmond – The
prospects are very fair for us to have a
fight with them in the morning – Slept
with Mullie tonight

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

                        F

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

Tuesday 6  clear and cool.  Jackson crossed
the Ridge to Meachums River and then
took the Rail Road to Staunton where
his army arrived Sunday & Monday and
effected a Junction with Johnson (2d) Ewell
crossed too & occupies the old position
of Jackson. Altogether they have 23,000
men and can sweep Banks out of the
Valley–all reports [agree?] that he is fal
-ling back–Our forces reoccupy Harris
-sonburg–Norfolk is yet safe–Our army
witht the loss of some such & their
heavy guns have taken up their new
position–Much sickness said to be in
McClellans army.  Mrs. Robertson
and the girls dines with us–also Mrs
Mary Berkeley (widow of Dr. Edmund Berke
-ley of Staunton)  They came last night to
see Averett–A young Dr Rogers of
the Maryland Regt. called with a letter
of introduction to Mary Isabella from a
University friend of his.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of James Dismore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Tuesday May 6, 1862

After Guard Mounting
went with a post of
Co. G on a scout
Alex went along
Went out about 10
miles.  Much exasper-
ated with the
conduct of the Capt
Brought in two Horses
from Mr Caldwells
30 Regiment came in
to day.  Moved up
our things to Camp this
morning.  A post of a
foraging party taken
prisoners to day
Sam Mclain taken
Hear Yorktown is
evacuation with
other good news mostly
clear

MSS 10317
esday, May 7, 1862

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


Tuesday
May 6

On guard at the second divi-
ision.  an order came to day
that we were going on pickett.
Felt rather bad at first but commended
myself to God and felt better.  The news
was contradicted to-night.

MSS 11293