[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

20th  Mr Flandin comes–very cor=
dial & very voluble.  He gives us a
long sitting.  We have a nice mess
of cherries from our tree.  Little
Mol & Luc indignant to tears at
the execution of  Mr Mumford in
New Orleans, his offence being
that he hauled down the Federal Flag
at the occupation of New-Orleans.
Luc says God is with us, our
cause is just and we can never
be conquered. Plenty of Patriotism
in our house!  Sister Ann much
comforted by letters from Mat
Dick is being doctored by Jim.
Jim says Brad pines after
his old haunts and rides in Fauquier
and after Lueann[?] –but I dont
believe love ever troubled him much,
more’s the pity.

MSS 2563-b

[letter of John Dinwiddie begun on the 18th of June in Staunton, Va.continues ]

Near Charlle,  Friday June 20th 1862
I started from Staunton in half and hour and
though it was 11 o’c A.M. and so hot, we travelled well
& reached Waynesboro (15 miles) before sunset, and caped
on a beautiful mound just this side of the town, where
I spent a most delightful night as I generally do now.  I always

[page 4]
sleep under the “broad blue canopy,” having occupied
a tent only 3 times since we left Strasburg.  Yesterday
we again passed in  1 1/2 miles of Greenwood, and I
called long enough to get a good snack and
shake & unshake hands.  We camped last night
at Meecham’s River, 8 miles from Greend & 10 from Charlle.
Have had an awful march from last nights camp
to this place 11 miles  have been in rear of a
column of nearly 10,000 men, and have about
1/2 an inch of dirt in my throat–I have serious
intentions of opening a brick yard.  We have no
idea where we will go to–supposed destination is
Hanover Junction.  We only say–“Soldier’s rations, –all
he can get–& Jackson for a leader”.  The army is
in fine spirit and I hope it promises sure victory.
You see I had commenced to write you a long
letter and I intended to try to give you some idea of
our fun and frolick but I had time to give you
only one scene.  On a future day I will give you
the more serious and thoughtful side of this life and
in so doing, I will endeavour to give you some idea
of my model soldier & particular Sergt Saml
J. Coffman.  But now, my dear Bettie, I must
stop for a thousand questions are being thrust
at me every moment, being as usual in

[cross hatched on page 4]
command of the company on the march.
We start early tomorrow, and it is now so
dark I can hardly see.  My heart is
always with you, my dear wife, and
my thoughts & prayers are for you good
health & safety. I have had only one
letter from you dated the 4th June.
May the Lord have you in his holy
keeping. Much love to all

Yours affy
                   Jas D

James Dinwiddie, 1837-1907, 1st Lt., Carrington’s Company, Virginia Light Artillery.


MSS 10102

                                                         Camp near Richmond
                                                                    June 20th 1862

I received your loving precious letter, my darling, through
the hands of John Flournoy-on his return to camp.
I was very much annoyed that the press  at the ticket of-
fice & the movement of the train onto the bridge prevented
me from pressing our lips and receiving one more of
your sweet kisses as we parted.  I came into camp shortly
after the train left and in the course of an hour
an order came for the Regiment to reconoitre[sic]  in the direction
of White Oak Swamp and Chapins Bluff and discover
the motions of the Enemy. I went in command and did
not get back to camp, having to push my investigations
down some twenty five miles below Richmond, until
about noon the next day.  since that time I have
been in camp resting.
I am very sorry we determined it was best for you to
return home Tuesday morning.  As you suggest the
company of Mrs Knight, for she is stopping at the
“Spotswood,” would have enabled you to pass your
time comfortably while I was away on duty at
the camp or in the field. But I was much gladdened

[page 2]
and comforted by your visit, my darling, and I thank
you most sincerely for it.  It is most delightful to me
to think over the time we were together and to dwell
on the conversations we held with each other.
Such a visit does much to cheer and sustain me
in this seperation[sic] from you.  It is now within
four days of a year, my darling, since I left you
and home to enter the army.  It has been a
year crowded with incidents of most momentous
importance to our State and Confederacy– of
events that will be read with interest for generations
to come by the Student of History and the Statesman.
It will tell of a government directed by wise patriots
overthrown by mad ambition, sectional hate and
unreasoning fanaticism.  It will tell of a peaceful
people summoned to arms to resist invasion and
subjugation.  The nations of the earth have looked with
complacency upon the spectacle of a fierce and
strong democracy, in a spirit of direct hate and meanest
vengeance, striving in every way to crush and subjugate

[page 3]
a feeble people who only ask to be let alone.  This
people, few in numbers compared with their adversaries, with
an inadequate supply of arms and munitions of war
shut out from intercourse with any portion of the
world. have kept their adversaries at bay for one
year and at the end of that time have forced them
to call for a large increase of their military
force.  It is true we, during the time, have sustained
greivous[sic] reverses. In the future we have sad
and severe trials before us that God, in his mercy
has borne us up and sustained us thus far in this
struggle for independence, and I have an abiding
faith that  He will crown us in the end with victory.
I acknowledge with gratitude His mercy to me in this
year of affliction.  While so many have fallen
around me from disease and the Enemy He has
graciously given me health and strength.  He has
mercifully protected you, my darling wife, and our
dear children, and our Servants, during these
twelve months of tribulation.  Let us praise His Holy

[page 4]
name and give thanks, with grateful souls, for His
loving kindness and mercy.  He is a ‘God of Comfort’
as St. Paul calls Him, to us.  I do sincerely pray that
all his tender care for me may excite lively emotions
of piety in my soul, and may constrain me to unite
in your prayers “that God will strengthen me and
enable me to persevere in the new life I am striving
to lead.”——-
Mrs Knight sent me a cake this morning. I hear
she leaves town tomorrow, and if nothing occurs
I shall try to visit her this afternoon or tonight.—–
Afternoon 5 o’clock–Judge Marshall & Mr. Chamberlain
of Middleburg have been spending the day with us.
I am just going to ride over to the camp of the
18th Va Regiment with the Judge, and am finishing
this letter that I may send it to the Post
Office.  Farewell, my dear wife.   I kiss you
warmly and tenderly–Kiss the children for
me. What did Dickey say of the cup?  Love
to Mrs Riddle. she must have had a dirty job
in handling the books & papers in the Office.
Goodbye, my own true wife.  Yr affec husband
                                                John T. Thornton

John Thruston Thornton, University of Virginia alumnus, Captain, Co. K., 3rd Virginia Cavalry

MSS 4021

   4 ½ Miles of Richmond
My Dear Father                                                     June 20th 1862
                  Your welcome letter came last evening.
We are in the same camp as when last I wrote
&, with us at least, all is quiet. So I have noth-
ing in the way of experience to give you – We are spend-
ing in camp necessarily a lazy life. But possibly more
pleasant than an active one, in such hot weather.
I suppose, from our not moving, that we will be
kept here to await another “on to Richmond,”  of the
young Napoleon. I say suppose because everything
is kept secret from both men & officers, even from
the Major Generals. All we learn is through intercourse
with soldiers who have seen different movements.
We know, as you doubtless do, that Jackson has
gone west again. But whether to East Tennessee,
The Valley, or Orange & adjacent country, can only
conjecture. I believe to the Valley. We also know
they are working night & day on the “Young
Virginia” in Richmond. But whether it is contempla-
ted to keep here as a defence to the city (McLellan’s
making the James river his basis having
given a new impetus to the Iron plates) or whether
to send her below the obstructions & attempt to em-
barras his army by that means, we can only
judge from what we are as you I was desi-
rous to know if we might not plant batteries
below him & harass or destroy him. I can’t find
out. I asked Captain McCarthy if he were erect-
ing such batteries, he remarked the Yankees
say so. So you see we know nothing. And, as
you, we look to the papers for information
& are equally unsatisfied with the result. I do
not say dissatisfied because I am glad  to see

[page 2]
they are able to keep their movements secret. Do you
not think the news from the different battle
grounds is cheering? The ram Arkansas does
not however seem to be as strong as the Virginia
was, as she was perforated once or twice. I have
just this moment heard that 150 prisoners came
to Richmond yesterday taken by Stone Wall near    
Orange Court House, so that he must be in
that neighbourhood.
     Our loss in the five battles of Richmond on
our side was not more than 12 or 15 thousand, This
in killed & wounded. Put Thursday’s fight at 500
Friday’s at 4,500. Sunday’s at 500, Monday’s at 2500
& Tuesday’s at 6 000; gives a total of 14 thousand. The
estimates I make exceede rather than fall short
of the true loss. Upon what data Lan founds
his calculations I can’t conceive. The enemy’s
loss was very, very much heavier. Sunday
& Tuesday (the only two fights that McGruder man-
aged) they resisted with most success. On Mon-
day morning I could stand in one place &
count more dead Yankees than we lost in the
whole fight of Sunday in killed. These Yankees were killed by
our brigade ther evening before i.e. Sunday evening; notwithstand-
ing they were ordered to cease firing upon friends & thus
silently receive the fire of these friends who
proved to be Vermont regiments. These are
facts, for I saw them myself. I walked over
Monday’s battle field before the sun was up,
Tuesday & frequently afterwards, & know the
Yankee’s lay two to our one & think many
more. This battle did not cease until 9 or
10 P.M. Monday, so that with the means we had &

[page 3]
do use we could not have moved any of our
dead from the field, indeed many wounded
still were there & or course they are attended to
before the dead – first our wounded are cared
for – then the Yankee wounded – then our
dead then the Yankee dead – the dead of both
sides generally being buried where they lay
unless friends take them home or move them
to some tree or their grave is marked, if their
name is known with whatever is most con-
venient & or substantial.  This (Monday’s) I con-
sider our most brilliant fight of the five.
It was here that Pryor’s brigade fought so  
gallantly. Tuesday’s fight was almost a disas-
ter. to us, yet the Yankees loss was much heav-
ier even here I think than ours. I did not go
over the battle field until wounded were re-
moved & nearly all the dead buried. But many of
my company did – they went from camp with
the impression that they would see many more dead
friends than enemies – they came back saying
there were more dead Yankees; some one who
thought they were about equal. And this ex-
cluded a collection of dead of from 500 – 1,000
bodies of the enemy who had been removed by
the enemy & placed far from the field, wh:
full[?] was reported in a reliable form. I think it is the
superious accuracy of our infantry in their aim
wh: makes battles more destructive to the enemy
than to ourselves. In one place where they took
a yankee battery there were 64 horses killed
belonging to that battery alone. Indeed it is
painful to see the great number of fine
horses killed in every fight, both ours & the

[page 4]
enemy’s. Our infantry shoot very finely – I saw
the top plank on a fence so riddled with
balls that a cat would have difficulty
living behind it. This too you know is about
the right height. But there is one think wh:
I believe would prevent an aggressive move
from being successful. It is the want of proper
discipline in the infantry, this want always
creates a want of reliance on one another. This
renders the troops more subject to panics &
unfit for long stubborn fights. Undisciplined
troops make one charge & ours do make
these charges very  gallantly, but driven
back in this charge they will rarely re-
peat the charge or if rendered is never
successful [—] in our army
fall back to the rear; so at times in tolerable
order but oftener as stragglers & can’t be
used until reorganized, wh: reorganization
can be more or less speedy as they have
been subject previously to more or less disci-
pline. This discipline is what saved McLellan’s
army, or if ours had been equally disciplined they
would have been lost to the north.  I omitted one
difference which is made generally in burying the
dead. Our men are put in graves, the enemy
often have merely dirt thrown over them as
they lie. I send a Yankee letter – there is
nothing remarkable about it – save that
of the hundreds I have seen it is the
best in composition & far the best in spelling,
about the only one without something hatefully
vulgar. Can you have a pr. of shoes made
& send them to Rd. for me? If so do so soon

[written upside down on the top of page 4]
as you can conveniently. I could I suppose get a
pr in Rd. but they would cost so much more. I
have just bo’t a pr of pants for wh. I had to
give 25 dollars & they are not extra in quality but[?]

[written upside down on the top of page 3]
numbers of the company are paying 30 or 35 in
Richmond for Jackets & pants. I will write when
I wish you to send me more paper. Do you not
think McLellan is the biggest liar in the world? It is

[written upside down on the top of page 2]
said his first dispatch after his repulse above at
Williamsburg was that he had beaten the rebels
along the whole line without the loss of a single
man. It is said he is the son of Dr. Mc’n. of Phila. who is
[written upside down on the top of page 1]
one of the biggest liars in the world. Ask Mother
or Mrs. Smith if they know if this is true of the General’s
father. My very best love to all
     May heaven ever bless you
                                 Dear father farewell
                                     W. H. Perry Jr.

William H. Perry, Jr., 1836-1915, a Virginia lawyer after the war


 [Brig. Gen. Roger A. Pryor –UVA Law School]

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d

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

     June 20th

Yesterday moved camp a short distance.  the
Johnnies have kept up a pretty brisk fire upon
our lines to day, but as usual no material
injury has been done by them.  Pleasant and
extremely warm.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

[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]

                        Friday – June 20th 1862
Left Mr Coffins bedside this morning at 5 ½
o’clock – he seems better  tbut still very low. It is
very doubtful if he lives – Called on Dan Wilson
& learned the particulars of John’s heroic death
in the Valley – one hf their regt was Killed or
wounded – they charged & captured six of the Enemys
Cannon all that Genl Shilds  had – The battle of
Cross Keys has taken the life of one of my warm-
-est friends – I learn today of Hallecks Evacuation of
Corinth – the place seems too sickly to hold Either Army –
Breakfasted at Mr Harveys this morning – had not
seen him for a week – he heard of Jno’s death last
friday & went to Lynchburg on a/c of it. Mr Harvey
will be home as soon as the remains reach there – The people
& soldiers at Cross Keys are going to Erect a monument to      
those of the brave 7th La Regt who fell at that place, they          
died like heroes – Retd to the office at 8 o’c – Mr Dunlop sent  
his carriage for Brother at ten o’c – Took a good sleep today –  
-thing of moment transpired among the lines today  
The Fords are better and gone home                          


[“He is confusing Cross Keys with  Port Republic here. The 7th did 
just about nothing at CK, but played a central role, at great cost, at Port Republic. “-RKK]

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

MSS 6154

                 
[page 44]        
 [from the diary of Samuel Johnson of the 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]

                         June 30th  

At 9. A. M we harnessed up again, and
continued our retreat.  At one P. M. we
formed a line of battle in prolongation of
Kearney’s Div. at Glendale;  our right resting
on the Charles City cross roads.  At ½ past
two P. M. Longstreets div. was discovered
advancing to attack our lines; at three
he opened a brisk fire on us from a 6 pdr
battery.  Battery D. 2nd U. S. and our battery
immediately opened fire on his lines, and

for three hours poured in upon him a most
deadly and distructive fire. So accurate was

our fire, that one battery which was in
position in our immediate front, was entirely
demolished, and two others which were trying
to gain a position, were so completely
disabled, that they become perfectly useless:
not however until we had one man
instantly killed, and another mortally woun-
-ded.  About six P. M. the vents being
blown out of our guns, and the guns being
so much heated as to render them unfit
for service, we were releived by a R. I.
battery.  We then retired about one mile
to the rear:  all in our immediate front,
had now become very quiet: the rebs
having been repulsed in all their attempts
to dislodge us.  On our left however things
wore a much different aspect.  Heintzelmans
corps greatly outnumbered by the rebs, was
being severely pressed, and slowly but
surely driven, though they disputed every
inch of the ground with a terrible stuborn
stubbornness, which cost the rebel army a
large amount of valuable lives.  Every
thing on that part of the line began to
wear a most serious face, and for a short
time the capture of our entire army
seemed very probable..  Fortunately Mc Call’s

division of the 5th Corps, and the 1st N. J.
brigade of the 1st Div. of the 6th Corps, cor
came up at this critical moment, and
were sent to the immediate front. and
the tide of battle soon changed:  the
rebs were repulsed. and driven back in
confusion.  all the lost ground was
regained, and we remained, undisputed
victors on that part of the line also,
At 8. P. M. we were sent to the front
again, and just as we were going into
position, a brigade of the rebs was discov-
-ered crawling on their hands and knees
up the hill to charge on our line of
batteries.  Battery D. 2nd U. S. immediately
opened on them a double shotted fire of
canister, driving them back in confusion,
killing and wounding one half their
number.  After this all became very quiet;
we remained in our position until mid-
night.  when we limbered up our guns
and fell back.  We lost also one man
taken prisoner.  Warm and quite
pleasant.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

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

Friday, June 20, 1862
after Guard
Mounting by the way
I guess I did nothing
Read a novel
[Pathway of?] the mountain
outlaw
Practiced this afternoon
Had parade after
which drilled
Played again at
twilight
Have done nothing
this day
Cloudy cleared off
this evening
Hear that Gardner
has recd an apointment
of Capt & A.Q. M. in the
Regulars
Several of the officers
drunk this evening

MSS 10317

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

Friday  the rain is over–& the weather again very good–Too cold
for the season–I would like a shawl around me–Christian[a?]
Campbell has returned from Fayetteville she called to see us, & we
heard thro’ her of a great many of our Wilmington friends–& that
several of them in Fayetteville were returning as Mrs Dawson
has done to Wilmington–Tired of being from home–they will
run the risk of the Town being taken.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]