Petersburg Va. June 11th 1862.
Dear Ma,
          We are in this great city.  It is
now 2 P.M.  The train starts at 4
that is to take us to Lynchburg Va,
From there we will take the shortest
route to reach Gen. Stonewalls Jackson
Army.  Yes we are going to reinforce
that victorious chieftain.  While
we rejoice that we are to have so
great a leader, yet we can but
dread the hardships we must
encounter.  It is confidently believed
here that by hard fighting we can
soon bring the war to a close.
We go trusting in the righteousness
of our cause, and Sanguine of
Success.  I will send you a
Richmond paper which must to a great

[page 2]
extent answer for my letters.
You need not be uneasy about us.
We will try to go well prepared
though we will be allowed only what
baggage we can carry. – I write
in Haste.  Direct to Richmond
& to the 60th Ga. Reg.
     I am as ever
                        John.

1st Lieutenant John Y. Bedingfield, 60th Georgia.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13119

                              Lynchburg   June 11th 1862
My Dear Father –
                       Your letter from Rich-
mond has been received, and the sad
tidings of Aunt Elvira’s death which
it contained had already reached me
through the city papers. It is indeed
melancholy to reflect upon such a
beautiful life as hers terminating in
such deep & heart-breaking affliction.
     Almost crushed as she was by her hus-
band’s unhappy fate, and with so
little to cheer her, death must have
been a grateful relief to her sorrow.
     There remains to all who mourn her
loss the recollection that her life
was one of surpassing purity, and
that it closed when it ceased to
be happy.
     I am glad that you have
an opportunity of visiting Aunt
Martha, and being with her
to sympathize in your mutual
bereavement. I hope that your
presence will do much to
cheer, & console her.
     As operations before Richmond
seem to be at a stand –still, and
there is no prospect of an immediate
general engagement, I have Con-
cluded to wait until next Mon-
day before returning. At that
time I shall certainly leave
unless something intervenes to pre-
vent me.
     Sarah is quite well, as
indeed are all the family.
     I breakfasted at Rivermont
yesterday, & found all well.
     I called to see Cousin Margaret
yesterday, & found her well. She
reported Joe, & Stuart as rapidly
improving. Joe speaks of join-

[page 2]
ing his regiment in a short while,
and Stuart is walking about –
     I am very much pleased with
the horse of Maj. Cabell and think
it would be well for me to take
him. I am satisfied that I
could sell him in the army
Easily for $3,00 or $3,50.- [Daniel must mean $300 or $350 dollars.]
     Remember me affectionate-
ly to Aunt Martha, and the Chil-
dren, and believe me
               Your Affectionate Son
                        John W. Daniel.

[transcription and note by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]


1st Lieutenant John Warwick Daniel, Co. C 27th Va. and later Co. C 11th Va., attained the rank of major before being permanently disable in the Battle of the Wilderness. Studied law at the University of Virginia after the war, entered politics and served in the Virginia House of Delegates, the U. S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  Called the “Lame Lion of Lynchburg” he was a noted orator, especially known for his address on Robert E. Lee.


MSS 158

[from the diary of Samuel Johnson, private, 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]
                        June 11th

The past six days have been very quiet, and
monotonous.  Have had an inspection by
Capt Platt, Chief of Arti. 1st Div 6th Corps.
Most every day there has been more
or less fireing between the pickets, but no
material injury has been inflicted on either
side.  With the exception of the 10th ( on that
day rained very hard) the weather has been
mild and quite pleasant.  To day we
received orders to relieve the 1st N. J. Battery
F, who were on picket at Mechanicsville
at the Meadow bridge.

[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]

               
                        Wednesday – June 11th 1862
Rose this morning at five o’clock & went
round to Harveys, taking breakfast with
him after which went to the office –
spending the day & night there –
Everything is very quiet today – a Ga picket
caught a Lieut Col Carny [?] of a Penn regt last
Evening – he reports their loss of 800 Killed &
abt four thousand wounded in the last battles –
twenty-two three hundred will cover our loss.  In a
most touching sight today Capt H & I were out & met a
returned soldier with two ladies   one a married woman
with a baby & the other a pretty young girl – they asked
for the 14th NoCa regt & I informed the young lady that
she could not go so far as the lines on ac mud &c – she
burst into tears at my discouraging statements – The poor
girl had come all the way from NoCa to see her brother & she
& her friend had started to walk six miles through the mu
mud to see him! Went out to the Legion & brought Mullie in with
me to spend tomorrow.  Went to Harveys, taking supper
at Mrs Taylors


[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

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

Tuesday, June 11, ’62

Another day gone
and little done
Had roast beef
again for dinner to
day.  Practiced this
forenoon
Wrote letter to
John Olin
Played several pieces
this evening
Slept some this after-
noon
The boys have two
dances one last and
one this night
Heard through Alex’s
letter that Phil Stoner
is married
Two companies D & G
went to Bluestone this
day.  Mostly Cloudy
Cool
                   

MSS  10317

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

Wednesday 11 Clear but cold enough for
fire–Last night some 40 officers
captured by Jackson arrived in
the town–they are on parole. I
question the policy of letting them
see every thing as they pass through
the country–Seventeen Hundred
prisoners arrived this evening and
are to remain here awhile.  News
from Jackson victory Tuesday  en
hances its importance.  Shields army
is quite demoralized–Gen Rodes
came up yesterday–called to see him
His wound is doing well and he
will be fit for duty in a fortnight.

MSS 4763 

                                    Camp Near Richmond Va
                                           June 10th 1862
My Dear Creek
                    I received your welcome letter of
the 4th by Mr Stone.  I am very sorry t hear
of Maggie’s sickness.  I hope by this time she
has got well, but it gives me a great deal of
uneasiness as there seems to be so much
sickness among children at home.  You
must be very careful about her just now
when green fruit is so plenty, and so
injurious to health. probably it may be
Measles she is taking.  Are they not raging
about Anderson at present? It is the best
time for anyone to have them young, but
it will require great care on your part but I
need not tell you this for I know you will do
all in your poser if not to much, which is
sometimes worse than too little.
Everything has been quiet since the Battle,
on our part of the lines.  Sometimes our

[page 2]
pickets kill one or two of the enemy’s Scouts
or takes them prisoner, but have never seen them
in force since 1st. Dont know how long it
may be before we will have another fight.
Our Regt has not done any duty since the
Battle, and no talk of our having to do any.  We
are about three mile from our front lines
and have got tents &c for our men again and
are very comfortably encamped n a large
clover field about two miles from Richmond
on the Williamsburg road, and things look
as if we were going to rest awhile from our
labors wh[ich] we all need ve[r]y much, and
their[sic]  is plenty of fresh troops now to take
our places in doing picket duty &c.
Most of our wounded men are doing well.
Very few if any of them will die and a great
many of them have already returned to
duty their wounds being slight.  I am sorry
to say that fears are entertained that J.B.
Carpenter and Elijah M. Holland are both
in the hands of the enemy.  Carpenter
has not been seen since nearly the close of

[page 3]
the Battle.  I recollect seeing him myself about
seven o’clock P.M. and he was then fighting
Bravely in the ranks of his company and unhurt
but nothing has been seen or heard of him since.
he could not have been Killed or we would have
found his body.  he may have got wounded and
started back and taking the wrong way has fallen
into the hands of the enemy.  Holland was
wounded in the arm and started back to the
rear and has not been hear off [sic] since either
he must have taken the wrong direction and
been taken prisoner or something would have
been heard from him before this.  his wound
was not serious, only a flesh wound.
Tell Billy Smith Gambrell is getting along finely
and will soon be able to come home. he is one
of the Bravest soldiers in our Regiment.
William is well and getting along finely
still the old man yet.
this is Yankee paper I am writing to you on.  I have got
a pretty good supply of it and will send you some at
the first opportunity
I don’t know of anything else that would interest

[page 4]
you. I will write Jim and Jink this evening if
I have time.
Kiss dear little Maggie for me and take good
care of her

           Your affect. Husband
                  William

William B. Anderson, Major of the 4th South Carolina Volunteers


MSS 10366

          Warsaw Ind  June 10  1862
Dear Cousin & wife
                           With much
pleasure I embrace the
opportunity of answering a
very kind leter which I
recieved from you when
at Winchester Va. but could
not answer at that time on
acount of an order being
issued by the comander in
chief to the affect that no
leters should be sent
across the lines in the rear
of our Division.
We left We left Dam No 4 Md on
the 1st day of March, and crosed
the Potomac into Va.  We had
a great deal of hard marching
and some prety tough times
but I always took it cool

[page 2]
and got along first rate.
I had good health all
the time.
We had some Skirmising
with the rebels, but was
never in any general
engagement.
Ours was the firs Regt in
Winchester, and were ordered
to Manases junction just
the day before the Battle at
Winchester, so you see we just
missed it.
We came to Washington City
on the 5th of May and
were 17 days being disbanded
I had a fine time while
there, Seen enough to pay
me for all the hardships
I had seen while soldering
I had intended to stop
in Ohio and pay you a
visit, but they needed me

[page 3]
very much in the
Store and I had to
hurry home or loose
my place.  We arived hom
on the morning of the
24th and I went rite to work
and have hardly had time
to visit my Friends, in the
Country yet.
We are doing a fine trade
our cash receipts, is $1000,00
a week.  We are in our new
room, and very nice one
it is too.  I think selling
goods suits me much
beter than Soldiering.
but I never shall regret
that I went. and if I thought
it was really necessary for
me to go again, I should
not stay at home one day
-but I think the
Rebellion is fast being crushed.

[page 4]
I was very sory that I
could not stop and pay you
a visit, for I tshould like
very much to see all of you.
And if at anytime buisness
is so that I can leave the store
I will surely give you
a call, Ellen wants to go
to Ohio some time this
summer, and if posable
I will go with Her.
But I cannot see why
you cant come and see us
I know you would have
a pleasant time, and
nothing would give me
more pleasure, than to
spend a few days with you
Cousin Lucy try and
coax Dave to come, I
know you would have a good
                                time

[page 5]
Please give my kind
regard to Cin, I wrote
to Her last Winter but
presume she never got
my leter or she would
certainly have answered it.
She answered my first an
one very promptly.
My love to Aunt & Uncle
& Hank & Bety. tell them
all I wold like to see
them I wrote Henry one
leter and He dident answer
and I think it is not my
duty to write any morre till
He answers.
Please answer soon
Cous Lucy write a good deal
I always love to read your
leters.
no more this time
But Am Truly

Jo Baker

from a miscellaneous collection of Civil War letters


MSS 10694

Mechanicsville, Va., June 10th  1862  Dear Father–The last
letter that I received from you was dated the 26th of last month We
was Paid off last week & the Paymaster took a Package maide up by
the Company which amounted to fifteen hundred dollars which he takes
to Washington & from there he sends it to the care of Mr. Harris that keeps
on the corner of exchange and  Middle Street He is the Brother of the first
Lieutenant of this Company last Sunday I was over to the Fifth of New
York regiment & saw brother George & I found him well he said the last letter
that he received from you was dated the thirtyeth we came up from Picket this
Morning from the woods that line the banks of the Chickahominy and on the
other side which is no further than thirty yards Lays the Pickets of the enemy
We brought in this morning into camp A Man that belongs to A Virgi
nia Battery He said that the Enemy were evacuating Richmond
& that Jeff Davis had run away among the Prisoners is A North Carolinian
who said that he had his choice to enlist for three months service But after
he had served his three months he found that there was no way of  his
getting out & rather as he said than stay there he deserted & came into our
lines he said that he never was on their side but he was pressed into it
but he thought our side would win. P.S. there is no way that I can get
Postage stamps without paying six cents Apiece & rather than do that
I wish you would send one dollars worth of stamps & if you receive that
fifteen dollars send me word & I want to know whether 5142 is the number
of Mr Stevens box, George has not got paid off yet but expects to be in two
or three days & he said that he should send it to Lizzy give my love to all
I am well & hope this will find you & all the rest the same I want you
to know that I can keep my promise by sending you the fifteen dollars
I have not received but one paper from you for some time & I wish you would
send them to me, as soon as this month is out I shall have two months pay
belonging to me & I shall send the same amount that I have this time
but I hope that I shall be in Richmond before that time comes off Tell
Henry & William to write.

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York 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 Jonathan B. Hager of the 14th Regulars]

June 10  Today was rainy, disagreeable and cold.  No comfort
              to be found anywhere but in bed, where I enjoyed it
              nearly the entire day reading & sleeping. Retired
              about tattoo realising the momentous fact
              that an immense amount of sleep can be
              borne in Camp life.

MSS 9044