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

Monday, November 17  Rainy day.  A report of Longstreet’s repulse of Burnside
Three cavalrymen have just called to spend the night.  I expect to go to Winchester
tomorrow if it does not rain.  I am very fearful of scarlet fever but they in
Winchester do not seem to think it prevalent and Dr. H. does not seem to think it
imprudent.  So I go, though reluctant.  God protect my little ones.

MSS 9759

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

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

Sunday
Nov 16
Went out on inspection this morning.  It has
rained nearly all day and is going to be
a rainy night.  I wrote a letter home this
afternoon.  Have enjoyed the day very well.
this evening George and I laid here in the tent and
talked in the dark.  a mail came in today
but I got no letters.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of Frank C. Fitzhugh of Cutshaw’s Battery]

  Sunday 16
   Our Battery kept a position on
a hill left of the road all
day.  Courtneys Bat’y on the
right.  Camped at same
place tonight that we had
last

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 4448

                            Camp Baylor
                                 Nov. 16th ’62

My dear Father,
                          I wrote you
from Harrisonburg but in such
a hurried manner that I had
not time to collect my thoughts.
  That epistle was only to let
you know what has become
of me & was a substitute
for the one which I ought to
have written from Staunton
more than a week previous.
    I arrived in Winchester Thursday
but did not come to camp un
til Saturday evening having heard
that the Regmt was going about
ten miles on piquet when I
 arrived,  I got to camp just as

[page 2]
the boys were returning from
picket.  We are encamped about
four miles from town & near
the place where we were encamped
a year ago—we have no tents
but have made ourselves little
log “bunks” which by the way
are tolerably comfortable-they
will do pretty well in dry weather
but we can not make them turn
water very well–the weather has
been quite favorable for some time
for soldiering but last night
we had some rain & my bunk
leakedked [sic] a little tho’ not e-
nough to make it uncomfortable.
  Two cases of Small Pox made
their appearance in our Regmt
a few days since & in conse-
quence thereof the Regmt has been
placed in quarentine–the cases

[page 3]
are in the Co. from Grayson.
The whole Regmt I believe is
being vaccinated–Hearing that
the Small Pox was in Staunton
I got Dr. Jno. Tate to vaccinate
me the day I left Greenville but
it didn’t take much effect & the
day I got here I scratched the
scab off carrying a log of wood.
I think I shall get the Dr. to
vaccinate me again.  I (You) used
to be very much afraid of this
disease but since I have been
compelled to go where it was
I have become perfectly indif-
ferent.  Please don’t [missing word] yourselves any
uneasiness on account of our situ-
ation–I will write you if the
Disease spreads thro’ the Regmt.
We are separated from the Bri-
gade and are not allowed to go any

[page 4]
where at all.  I don’t know how
long we will be kept in this
situation, for some weeks tho’,
I presume if the Yankees don’t
interrupt us. There are no Yan-
kees between this & the river on
this side of the Mountain.
Gen. A.P. Hill’s command is
at Berryville in Clark.  Gen. D.H.
Hill’s at Straburg–Gen. Ewell’s at
Whitepost–some where near
Front Royal – Gen. Longstreet’s in
Culpeper & Gen. Jackson’s old di-
vision near Winchester.  I looked
for my knapsack as I came thro’
Charlottesville but found it had
been rifled.  The boys generally are
enjoying good health–as the owner
of this pen is waiting for it I will
bring my letter to a close.  I shall
write home again very soon.
             Yours truly,
                         James

Corporal James Graham Tate, Co. A., 4th Virginia

MSS 9232-n

[from the diary of  Wesley A. Hammond, Co. E., 42nd Virginia “Dixie Greys”

Sunday 16 – Go to Court St. Church to hear
Rev. Y. S. Edwards preach a powerful
sermon from [word lined through] Nerb. 12:16.  Bishop
Ecarly was present – Man by the name of
Thompson died in Ward at night
died a wretched death.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

Nov 16th 1862
My dearest Charles-
                            I received
your letter of the 12th last night
I have time now for but a few
hurried lines, on business, in
reply–I have heard from
Mr Redin-the Government
has allowed that claim-
Mr. Brooks is already repaid,
and I have directed the rest of
the money to be at once applied
to the settlement of the two
bills in Philadelphia, which
have weighed so heavily on
my heart, and which it will

[page 2]
about suffice to cover.  This is
an agonizing subject to me,
yet to have all connected with
those last ten days fully and
honorably settled will be an
inexpressible relief to me–
I am most desirous to know
that the receipted bills are in
Mr. Redin’s possession–
   It is right to mention to
you, in this connection that
Uncle Edward tells me of a
desire expressed by Mrs
Davenport, herself to raise a
monument at Laurel Hill in
the Spring-if I did not object-
she has never alluded to the

[page 3]
subject to me yet as the
suggestion might be made
at any moment, I wish distinctly
to know, in advance, what
your wishes are.  Of course
I should if time were allowed,
consult you then, but I wish
to know your views previously–
I have received a very
affectionate letter from Uncle
William, sent through the
rebel Secretary of War–He
urges me to write to him
& suggests that I should do
so, through our War Department.
Would you object to my
dong so?  Ask Uncle Alfred

[page 4]
frankly his opinion & wishes.
I could do it through Mr
Ferguson–do not fail to
consult Uncle Alfred on this
head–Nothing would induce
me to write before hearing
from you–All our friends
were well in Virginia except
John Daniel who has again
been wounded-in the hand-
slightly–We are all quite
well–With love to Uncle
Alfred-if he is with you-
always your devoted Sister–
         M. V. Ellet—
Your important letter was
safely put away–Burn This

Mary Virginia Ellet, later Cabell, to her  brother Colonel Charles Rivers Ellet, in command of the ram Queen of the West, the same boat commanded by their late father Charles Ellet, Jr., mortally wounded in the naval assault on Memphis. Charles R. had received popular acclaim for raising the Union flag over that city.  Uncle Alfred was the younger brother of Charles Ellet, Jr., and a Union brigadier general.  Another family separated by the war, Mary refers to her uncle in Virginia who wished her to come with her younger siblings to Virginia when their mother died shortly after their father.  Family friend John [Warwick] Daniel later became a U.S. Senator from Virginia. After the war he traveled to Philadelphia in search of medical help in the company of his good friend William D. Cabell a distant cousin of the Ellet family.  The recently widowed Cabell met his young cousin and married her.  Mary Virginia helped him run two schools and  later became a founding officer to the Daughters of the American Revolution

MSS 276

Fort Tillinghast, Va., Nov 16/62

My Dear Wife,
                        I have received yours of
Nov 11th or I suppose it is one of your
letters, there was no signature, but I could
guess near enough where it came from,
I mailed you a letter on Monday last, Novr
12th  I suppose you had not received it when
you wrote your last or you would have
mentioned it.  It is a very cold cloudy day,
I have on one of those shirts that you
sent me, I find it very warm and com-
fortable, and it fits to a charm, You ask
me if I know of any Capt Chandler, who
has been placed on Gen Hooker’s staff, I
know of none, it is not our Capt Chandler.
if it is we know nothing about it.  I am on
guard to-day and consequently can not
get much of a chance to write much, as
there are calls for me quite often,
Sergeant Earp is still quite ill, although
he is getting better, he is in the Hospital

[page 2]
I believe I mentioned to you some time
ago that Orderly Sergeant Carroll, was to
have a second Lieut commission in our
company and that his name was forwarded
to Mass for the same, and that that was one
reason why Earp did’nt get along in his
sickness any better, Last Friday a letter
came to Earp from Gov Andrews, giv-
ing him (Earp) the commission, so you
see that Carroll is shoved entirely out
of it, since Earp has had the letter
he has been recovering, slow, but sure,
We are all anxiously awaiting the coming
of Pay day, ware entirely played out, of
money, some say that we are to be paid
off the 20th of this month and some
say not untill January, I dont pretend
to know anything about it, but I dont
believe that Government has any right
to keep her soldiers out of their pay, for
so long a time, because there are a great
many married men in the army, who
really need their pay at this time of year.

[page 3]
about the removal of McClellan, I care
nothing about it, if it will hasten in anyway
the close of the war, I am glad of it, if not,
I am indifferent to the change.  It is now
about time for me to “post” another “relief”
If I have another opportunity to write any
more to-day I will do so–I send you some
flowers from the garden of a staunch Union
Man, by the name of Birch (formerly from
Mass.)–Perhaps it will be gratifying for you
to know that I have never been in any
better health since I let home than I am
at the present time.  My appetite is enor-
mous, I eat all that I can get and should
probably eat a great deal more if I could
get it, I am very fleshy, having almost
got Aldermanic proportions, The general
health of the company is very good,
Hopeing to see you and our darlings
ere long I remain yours in love
                                             Robert

Robert, an unidentified soldier from Lynn, Mass., in Co. M., 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

MSS 1242

[from the diary of John Ward of the 102nd Pennsylvania]

Nov 16th
Left Compe at
7 oclock A.M. and
Pass Chatlates
Stshan to
Wevervill and
camp for the
Night
Genl Burnside
Was With us to
Day

[Written in the margin: “Whe march 15 miles to Day”]

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12913

      Camp near Williamsport,
           Nov. 16th, 1862   Md

Dear Mother,
                        I have a
good chance to write this
morning and I thought
that I would improve an
opportunity to write you
a few lines. I am well
as usual; but can not
say that I enjoy myself
for I cannot help but
think of you at home.
Mother, I have been anx
iously waiting for a letter
from you, hoping to
learn how you are getting
along and what you
have concluded to do.
I want you to tell me all a-

[page 2]
bout your affairs at home
whether you have con-
tracted any new debts
since I came away, and
how many of the old ones
have been paid up.  I
want to know all about
the debts.  Mother, I know
it is hard for you to
bear the calamity just
brought upon you; but
such calamities must come
and we must bear them.
I would be more reconciled
to Father’s death if I
could have been at home.
I hope to you be at home
before long to see you
all and help look to your
wants.  But I do not
want you to depend too
much on my coming home

[page 3]
for I  may not come.
The Captain has prom
ised to detail me as re
cruiting Sergeant for
the regiment.  If he
does I shall be at home
for some time at least.
If you can find any
one that will take old
Nig to take my place
in the army, make
the bargain and send
him on to us.  And I
will enclose a letter which
I want you to copy off
(or have Em to do it) and
send to E.B. Washburne.
He is representative from
our district to congress
and he got Bailey’s diss
charge, and I think can
get mine  You can

[page 4]
get his address of
the Sheriff in Mt. Carroll
or of C.B. Smith.
You had better not
tell him what you want
Washburnes address for
Do not tell anyone that
I know anything about
your writing.  Just send
him the letter and a
wait results.  I want you
to tell him all about the
property you have now.
How much old corn
you have and how much
wheat and do try to
keep things together.
I shall do all I can to
come home son.  Give
my love to all the family
and regards to inquiring
friends.  I am, as ever,
your loving son,
                W. H. Redman
Mrs Catharine Redman
PS. I  received a letter from A.J.
Brock.  He is well and all the
boys that went with him.

William Henry Redman, Co. C., 12th Illinois Cavalry

MSS 7415