May 27 1862

Dear Father
I have not recd
any letter from you since
your first two though I
expect to tomorrow or soon
I am gaining strength
slowly but think I shall
not try to go back to my
Reg until Richmond is
taken which I think will
be within a week or two
The news is rather bad
about Banks I supposed that
he had a large force he has
The Rebs can now come to
mannassa junction & cut off
the R.R. communication
with McDowal from this
way but they can be sent by
the way of Acqua creek

[page 2]
I do not think that should
McClellan drive the Rebs from
Richmond they would dare
fall back  on McDowal & on
Washington for ti would take
them some time to march
here & McC would be at their
heels neither could they get
provisions & when they get
to washington they are not
there.  there are some forts to
pass & some troops to dispute
the passage two Reg passed
through the streets last night
one the 26 N.Y. & two today
& there are some troops here
I think by the looks on the
hills there seem to be new
encampments made since
we left I hope that they will
raise 2 or 300  000 more troops
& finish this thing up the
Rebs are straining every

[page 3]
nerve to increase their army
If after leaving Richmond
they go south McC. will
follow them while a part of
McD. & Banks capture these
few thousand that have dared
to venture off so far from
the main army Halleck
I think has got them at
Corinth. But Hunter he
ought to be recalled &
sent back into the
mountains to hunt these
guerilarys & then to raise
a negro Brigade to fight.
(I guess I will resign) it
is well enough & the best
thing they can do to have
them do the work & drudgery
but when they come to fight=
ing I say white men of the
northern army lay down
your arms & go home

[[page 4]
Perhaps you would like
to know what we have to
eat tea or coffee & bread
for supper (this is full
rations where a man is able
to sit up) & breakfast dinner
vegetable soup (which I dont
happen to kike) meat bread & evry
other day potatoes & if we go
out we are not allowed to
fetch any thing in but I get
my nurse to get me Butter
& Eggs I have two eggs fer
breakfast & butter every meal
so I live very well & when
I go out I generaly smuggle
in something I want
Direct Mantion House
Hospital Alexandria Va have
you heard from A. P. Jones lately?
How are H & g getting along in
N.Y. Have you planted garden
yet? Has Old John got entirely
well does he feel as young as
ever?  How does school go off?
How do Fisher & Co make it selling
goods do they sell more than
Bradley Bros? I shall not start fer
my Reg until I know where it is
& I have had no answer from my
letter to Parker they may be sent back to
here they were in no corps. Resp C. E. Bradley

Charles Ellery Bradley, 1842-1915, Co. I, 32nd New York


MSS 9728

On the Chickahominy River
5 miles from Richmond May 27th 1862

Dear Charley
I have been making
out your description list and thinking
you might if you, got better get a furlough
by having it, I send it with that of
Geo S. Ganoung which you will be
kind enough to give him–
I was very glad Charly to hear that you
had good care and was getting better, I
can never forget how kind you were to me
when I had the measles on Staten Island,
and I shal always consider it a great favor,
by doing anything to contribute to your
happiness–I have been quite sick but
am getting some better, although I am not
able to do any duty yet, It has been very
sickly with in the Regt, since you left
The Rebbls are one one side of the River
and our forces on the other.  They through
a shell quite near our camp yesterday
Our forces are buisy, bridgeing the river in
several places wher they have possession
of both sides–Charley I wish you would
tell George Ganoung that I was sory I
could not see him before he went away, but
it was impossible, tell him to be carefull
and not expose  himself unnessary while His
wound is heeling–Hopeing Charly that
you will let me do everything in my powr
and for you that you will soon get well
I remain your truly
H.W. Jackson Jr
P.S. write by return mail

letter to Charles Ellery Bradley of the 32nd New York; he and George S. Ganoung were both in Company I.  Hiram W. Jackson, Jr, was 1st Lieutenant of the same Company]

MSS 9728

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

 Tuesday 27  The details of Jacksons opera
tions in the Valley came in  better &
better- Never was an army so entirely
routed and demoralized with so little
loss of life to the victorious party–The
amt. of stores of all kinds captured is
enormous.  2500 prisoners–not a feder
al soldier this side of the Potomac
“Honor for Jackson” –the old war cry
is now on every ones mouth.  Af
ter the battler of Kernstown I was almost
the only one who who here did not de
nounce him.  I saw in him the fighting
maniac a [?] with which
most of our generals are not afflicted
–Chas. & Sue spent the day with us.
Whilst at dinner we had a terrible
scare.  The children were playing
hide & seek and Wyndham fell
out of the parlor window on the
grass plot, fully 10 feet–fortunately
he did not light on his head
and was not at all hurt.  This is
the second instance in which my grand
children have made singular escapes
from falls

MSS 4763 

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                        Tuesday – May 27th 1862
Went over to Mrs Taylors after breakfast –
Capt Harrison sick today – Paid off
some officers & men today – went over to
head quarters, but could hear no news
In the fight this afternoon the 28th N.C.
regt repulsed the Enemy & captured
some fifty prisoners – Rode to the
Legion’s camp & learned (for Mullie)  
that they had done nothing on the
Newbridge road, but stood in the rain
and water all night – Could hear the
Musketry distinctly this afternoon –
Spent an hour with Capt Squires Co  
Washington Artilery – where I saw Will
Fellows & other friends – [O. S.] Babcock, Hartz
& others of the old Crescents – Came in
town at dark & spent the night with
Mullie at Mr Harveys – Everything is in
dread suspense at the inaction of the
great armies – Bed at 10 ½

[Mullie:  his brother Captain Thomas Muldrup Logan]
[Captain Squires:  Captain Charles Winder Squires]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards;  family notes by Sally Rice Forsyth Donnelly]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of John Tyler of Letcher’s Artillery]

May 27^th.  Awoke this morning still rain-

[from the diary of Jonathan Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars, as copied and annotated at a later date]

May 27  To day Captains Brown Keyes & McIntosh
were detailed for picket duty.  This was the
first duty of this kind any of us had performed.
It was a hot day & the sky was without a
cloud.  Heavy firing of Cannon & Musketry
on our right gave notice that the rebels
were watchful & active.  We expected orders
every minute to march.  None came this day
& we retired to our rest undisturbed, awaiting
the morn to hear whence the firing came.

MSS 9044 

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

                        May 27th
Yesterday all was remarkably quiet. although-
-h we were expecting to move every
moment.  To day Bartlett’s brigade. the
1st N. J. Battery, and a squadron of the
1st N. Y. cavalry were sent out to Mechanics-
-ville on picket, to guard the road leading
to Richmond and Meadow bridge of over
the Chickahominy.  During the afternoon
two balloons were sent up, to reconnoiter:
a heavy cannonading is heard on our
right; supposed to be Gen Porters corps
engaged.  Pleasant during the fore afternoon
although it rained quite hard in the

fore noon      

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493
     

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

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

It is very cloudy to day–& it makes us who are
left feel sad to see others leaving & in so large a number as the
Murder family–They all go off at 7 o’clock–6 ladies &
five children-1 servant & Lieutenant Murder
who had his arm shattered at Hatteras by a shell from the
Yankees—Mrs Wilson the oldest sister is a lovely character
very intelligent & fine looking she would grace a Court
her daughter Mary is a sweet affectionate girl–& will no
doubt make a very strong fine woman when older–She is now
only 16 & has never been in company==Mrs Reid is the youngest
of the family & like the others very clever–But I saw less of her
than the others she has two little boys–Willie & Jimmie–
Mrs Da[?]ing is more dignified than the rest-& has 3 children
of the smartest kind–Maggie–Charlie & [blank space] Then there
is Miss Murder that they all look up to & Miss Davis they call Grand
Ma–She is an invalid.  I have never seen her–
They are all going to Charlotte to keep house together–We
shall miss them very much–It is pleasant and painful to form
acquaintances at a Hotel.  For as soon as we become in
-timate we have to part–This has been the case some 1/2
dozen times since we came here—

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as trnascribed at a later date]

Monday, May 26

A beautiful day.  I can scarcely realize dear brother Archie is at home and it is so delightful to have him.  No news from Winchester of any importance.  All is quiet.

MSS 9759