[from the dispatch book of General Alfred  Pleasonton]

Hd. Qrs. Cav: Division
Newby’s Crossroads
 Nov 8. 4. P.M
To General Wilcox
    Com’dg 9th army corps

General–Have reached this
point & find that the rebels
have been making use of this
road to pass to Culpepper–I
drove some cavalry off of
it & one of my squadrons of
the 5th Cavalry (Averell’s brigade0
is charging them had Lt. [Oak?]
badly wounded with several
of his men–I have reinforced
the [in]fantry by a couple of regts
under Col. Farnsworth–not
finding a good country or camp
within vicinity-I shall return
to the neighborhood of Amiss-
ville, & report to receive further
orders from Genl Burnside
to whom pleas send this

[page 2]
dispatch–Hill & Jackson
Corps are still on the other
side of the mountains–If
the General desires their
communication with
Culpepper to be cut off
it will require a force of
infantry to do it, to hold
this place & Woodsville–
       Very respectfully
           A. Pleasonton
                 Brig. Genl
                    comdg–
MSS 495

Very respectfully
    A. Pleasonton
       Brig. Genl.

MSS 945
              

Camp near White Plains Va Nov. 8/62
Dear parents,
         I have been anxiously watching the
mail day after day and week but
not a line has reached me for a long time I have
not recieved a letter from you since you wrote
to me about fathers diging potatoes.  I do not not
know as you have recieved my letters but I
have written nearly every week.  Since I wrote
to you last we have left Md. and marched for
six days across the country into Va. we started
the last day of Oct. we are now camped on the
railroad between Manassas Junction and
Manassas gap the rebels keep falling back as we
advance there has been no fighting except a few
skirmishes between their rear guard and our
advance guard the general opinion of the
people is that the rebels will fall back to
the Rapahannock river and there make
a desperate stand and if possible drive us out
of the state again but I do not think they
will be able to do it this time if they will
permit Gen. McClellan to have his own way
and do as he thinks best.  It has been very cold
here for a few days and yesterday about two
inches of snow fell today it is quite pleasant
and warm again and the snow has all
left us.

[letter of Hiram Cash of Co. K, 5th Maine will continue on Nov. 9]

MSS 12916

               Saltville Va. 8. Novr. 1862
My dear Little Nannie:
                                      I have just returned from a
horse-back trip of twelve or thirteen miles & take
this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of
the 2nd inst: –
          I am sorry that you should have been
so indisposed and while I should have liked
to have met you at Mr. Byars’ before this I do
not wish you to come until you are entirely
ready – In fact I am just in possession of a
message from Mrs Byars asking you not to come
earlier than this day two weeks as she desires
between this & that time to pay a visit to some
friends in Wythe County – Please therefore don’t come
until that time and don’t come then unless
you are ready – I should prefer that you ar-
-rive at Glade Spring on that day of the week
because then I could meet & be with you all
the next day –
          I instructed the Agent at Glade Spring
not to forward articles to me at this place until
I asked him to do so – If they have a sewing
machine at Byars’ I did not see it –
          You need not have “The Republican”
sent to me as I see it daily –

[page 2]
Chesnuts are abundant here & so is cold weather –
          The Boots, Gloves & Umbrella were received
from John Williams & he is to have a heavy
winter suit made for – For that reason I
will have no use for the cloth at home
mentioned by you –
          Please let me know a day
or two before you get to Glade Spring that
I may meet you –
           Tender my love to each mem-
-ber of the family & kiss Willie for me –
                                                Your Own
                                                           Choctaw

Captain William B. King, Saltville Light Artillery

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

Saturday 8th – Feel pretty wellcontented to day – read pretty much
all day – go to Baptist Church at night

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]

Sat. 8.  Warmer – snow melts – busy helping make arrangements for
sick–Young Nicholson whom I saw dying–is dead – his bro. is down with
measles.  Moved Col. [Enoch J.] Ayres into a house, fitted up for hospital –
Met an excellent Chapl. of 16th Mass – great experience through temperance
devoted, pious excellent gentlemanly man.  At dress parade
I presented a sword &c to Col. D[derrom] for [from] his Employees.
Another death at that Emory Hospital.  Thos. Beckwith Co. F of measles.
wrote his mother – Sudden – his Co. will send body home –
Capt. B – called – under conviction talked & prayed with him.  Had
promised his dying sister he would be ready to follow her –
a year & more ago – felt more deeply since came to Regt.
then before – W. also called   talked & prayed with him.
We have all measles cases in one Hos. tent & other sick in
Hos. house – more comfortable – It is 11 P.M.   we go on
picket tomorrow at 8 – without shelter tents for two days
     Letter fr. M. H. & fine map of Va. fr. Mr. [Julius Erasmus?] Hilgard

the Rev. Arthur B. Fuller was chaplain of the 16th Massachusetts

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

     Nov. 8th, ’62.
Started very early
to-day. Loss of sleep
last night render-
ed today’s march
very fatiguing. To-
day first saw cot[t]-
on growing & in
bales. Passed
through Gallatin – a
town larger than
Glasgow, Ky. Mor-
gan’s rear guard

went out of the
place as our ad-
vance of caval-
ry came into it.
Encamped two
miles this side
of town on the
Cumberland
river, on a stone
bank over 50 ft.
high. Cactus
growing, spon-
taneously, on the
bank of the riv-
er. Ordered to
subsi[s]t our men
on half rations
until further orders.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm  
                     

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

Saturday, Nov. 8, 1862
Was up early  this
morning Saw Sam off
soon after daylight
left for home
Stopped in Savannah
short time went to
Olins  did not see E[?]
Thought to go to Olives[burg?]
but nearly gave it
up on ac’t of the storm
wrote to Jennie but
about [2?] OClock P.M. started
but some difficulty
in getting through
with the Colt
arrived there about 8
oclock.  Went to the
choir meeting and found
Jennie & Will there
Snow this afternoon
Cloudy & cold.

MSS 10317

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

Saturday 8  Small offering at the
Board–last Saturday’s the largest
discount ever made by any Bank

here.  I offered my new affiance
Bond which was approved–I sub
stituated T.C.S. Ferguson for Wm. A.
[Roads?]–The Bond is far stronger
-not only in consequence of the sub-
stitution , but by the increased
wealth of the other securities who
are J. S. Davis, Ed T. Taylor, Ro. C. Saun
ders, Charles A. Gwatkins, Benj. Taliaferro
Charles M. Blackford, & S.W. Shelton
Ferguson was cautious in becoming
security & I ought to be more gratified
for this mark of his confidence
in [?] it as a serious matter
justifying investigation  Rumors
of fresh skirmishes along the
Blue Ridge–Miss Lizzie went
to the University this morg with
-out an escort–Eugene returned
in the afternoon train and
will stay until Monday  At
night Mrs Riddle  & Mrs Lee of
Martinsburg took tea with us
introduced by Conrad’s letter–Their
anecdotes were interesting

MSS 4763

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

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Saturday, November 8, 1862

Read with more pleasure than usual though
my wandering thoughts troubled me; when I knelled
to say my prayers I could not collect myself-
I was obliged to sit, & think-Oh will I never
never have more faith–I would like to be
filled with it so much so as to cast my cares
on the Lord-  there is one thing that fills me
with sorrow.  I dare not even write it here &
still when I try to pray my lips seem
paralyzed=I know that I never pray for
this as I should do=I hope that the spirit
maketh intercession for me for thereby my
heart groaneth & is weighed down with this
fear= & it is not for my self=..
The girls left this evening=I broached the
subject of wearing mourning for Peachy to Pa
& though he said nothing positively we greatly fear he
may object, as he has always done to Mas wearing
it for any of her relations..
to morrow is Sunday–Oh, that I may be
enabled to keep the Sabbath day holy, six days
shalt thou labor & do all that thou hast to do but
the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God
in it thou shalt do no manner of work
How had this law is to keep=I will endeavour
to remember it to morrow, & keep it holy in
word and thought. Oh, that my dear husband
may be like minded.

MSS 15406