[from the dispatch book of General Alfred Pleasonton]

Hd. Qrs. Cav: Brigade
near Chester Gap  12.45 P.M.

To Colonel A. V. Colburn-
Ass’t Ad’jt. Gen’l

Colonel–I have reconnoitered this
country very carefully it being
a very bad one for cavalry & artillery
My scouts are just in from the
Gap & report Hill division three
miles from my present position–
in & on the other side of the
Gap–my pickets at Sandy
Hook saw about fifty cavalry
ride by from the direction
of Flint Hill into the Gap
& looked like a patrol–a
considerable way one train passed
down from the Gap to Sperryville
this morning–Stuart is
at Flint Hill. & has set
another trap for me, of
which I have just heard,
& into which I shall
most assuredly not go in

[page 2]
My information is reliable
& by pushing a corps in this
way, we may not be too late–
The rebels have been passing this
Gap for nine days–
  I am compelled to make a
detour but will do so in as
short a time as possible & give
the General all the information
I can–I shall pass to Barbees
& Orleans–
                       Very respectfully
                         A. Pleasonton
                         Brig-General

MSS 495

Fort Tillinghast, Nov 6/62
My Dear Wife
I have received
the box, I got it this afternoon I
was very much pleased with the
contents, It came just in the “nick
of time” A’int them bouncing
Apples, I am very much obliged to
your Father for them, and hope
to repay him for them at some
time, Tell Mother that her pies
disappeared in double quick time
amid exclamations such as these,
Them’s bully, That’s d==d nice,
That’s first rate, &c &c, the
Pie that Abigal sent was very
nice but did’nt suit my taste
so well as Mothers, Your cakes
were excellent and went like hot
bread, The Butter is splendid
such butter would be worth 75cts
per pound, here, Tell Ellen

[page 2]
that I am very much obliged
to her, and will endeavor to
repay her at some future time
The shirts are capital, they
are so soft and nice, I think
they will fit to a charm, the
Quilt is just what I wanted
it is just large enough, all the
Boys say these are the largest
apples of the kind that they ever
saw, I cant stop to say any
more now, I am on guard to-
night, I’ll have a nice supper
about 12 or 1 o’clk to-night, I’ll
write again between this and
Sunday,  Good night to you
Dear Wife, remember me to
all and as your true and
loving husband,
                        Robert
I did’nt find any Tobacco in the box

[letter from Robert an unidentified soldier from Lynn, Massachusetts, in Co. M., 1st Masssachusetts Heavy Artillery]

MSS 1242

[from the diary of Capt. William F. Hunter of the 97th Ohio]

     Nov. 6th, ’62.

Up as usual.
“Jim” lost my Havre-
sack last night, so
I have nothing to
eat this morning. Cline-
smith gave me a crack-
er, & I made my break-
fast of that & a little
coffee.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

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

Thursday, Nov. 6, 1862

Went up to Ashland
this forenoon to get some
clothes got Coat Pants &
G Coat Bill $45.00
Found Herb still in
Ashland
Gwalts girls visiting
here this afternoon
This evening Tom &
I went to Mrs Lees
to a Corn Husking
remained until quite
late after supper played
some with the Natives
Cloudy  Cool

MSS 10317

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

Thurs 6.  Raw cold day   windy – wrote letters to friends of sick & dead.
Lt. Col Ayres sick with Typhoid fever – We are fixing
up a house within our lines for hospital.
   It is near 4 P.M. – the muffled drums announce that daily funeral
fr. the hospital – 6 buried tonight – To night I am to present a sword sent
fr Paterson to Col Derrom – He was not present at dress
parade – At Eveg.  Mr Reid (now of Xn. Commission) & Lt. Col. _ of
2d. Pa. Cav. called – pleasant talk of an hour or two.  They both
wanted me as Chapl. to that Regt – the one I was invited to
last winter –   We are ordered to reduce baggage & be
ready for instant movement –Hereafter the entire Regt.
goes on picket for two days alternately with other Regt.
of Brigade.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

Thursday 6  Contrary to expectation,  the
rain ceased during the night, &
the morning proved cold–Thanks
giving day–church opened but
I was not able to attend – Mary
did and then went to the D[?]’s
where we dined.–This is my dear
Lucy Landons birthday.  Had
she lived she would 31 years old
Young Barnaby came to spend the
evening with Lanty–Dropped in
about 4 at the annual meeting
of the O. & A. Rail Road. Fine
looking body of men.  Much debate
upon [tunnel?] points and the
scene altogether quite Virginian
and characteristic.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Thursday, November 6, 1862

Did not spend the day profitably-I
was interrupted by company before I had
finished my reading & therefore was not
prepared for the day.  Mrs Blackburn
& the girls came over & sympathized with
us in our grief–It is not many years since
we were in the same relations towards them
truly trouble draws friends closer together
Mrs B. soon left but the girls chose to
stay till Saturday evening.  We were glad to see
them & I had looked to E[mma?] for spiritual
comfort, but dont know why, but when I
spoke on the subject of religion, she seems
unable to talk.  Why its it, I know that she
is a good girl–Oh: It is sin, sin,  she feels
her own sinfulness & can not comfort me
I will look unto Jesus=I know he is
a comforter. I only hope in trouble  Oh
that I could feel him in my heart=I know
my desire is sincere But my faith is
so small, unbelief so great that I
almost fear I will never know an
abiding hope=O. God forgive me  teach
an humble submission to thy will
do with me as thou wilt, But increase
in me  thy a holy desire to love & serve
thee with my whole heart & give me Thy
Holy Spirit–for Jesus Christ’s sake
                                                    Amen

MSS 15406

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

Thursday 6th–this is thanksgiving day appointed by our prayer
book–But it is raining so very hard that Mr Wingfield has
concluded not to have the Bells rung–So he will miss the thanks
-giving offering–It is raw & chilly- & I am thinking
of the poor soldiers–A company passed here yesterday on
their way to Chatham County to look up Deserters.  Joe Hill
son of Mr Thomas Hill was with them as Lieutenant–they
had walked 12 miles -& had still 3 to go before resting–they are
now exposed to this dreadful weather–Oh this horrid-cruel
War when will it end–

MSS 6960

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

Wednesday
Nov 5
It has been a very warm day to day for the
season.  We had a rather fatiguing drill in
the bayonet exercise and i felt rather weak.
Have not done much but read today.  The Lieutenant
spoke to me about doing the company writing to night
and I hope that I may have a more pleasant situation
than I have now.  It seems as if God was loading me
with favors and yet how bad I am to repine and suf-
fer discontent to creep into my heart.  O how great
is the love of the Savior to His children if they will
only lean on Him.  May I ever be ready to do His
will, and trust all things to Him. As I write I can
hear the sweet tones of an accordion from Company
G. and O what delight it gives me to hear it.  How
it brings back the memory of past days, when I was
at home among friends.

MSS 11293

[post script to the letter of Nov 6th written by Robert, and unidentified soldier in Co. M, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery to his wife Priscilla, Lynn, Massachusetts]

            Friday Morn  Nov 7th
You may tell Abigal that I
am very much obliged to her for
that pie, and that I will try and
satisfy her when I come home.
That Halibut was very welcome
it relished first rate, and was very
nice. The vest I found very usefull
last night, as it was very cold on
guard, The quilt I used for an
hour or two, in the first part of the
night, and I found it very warm
and comfortable,  Its the first time
I’ve laid warm for a long time
more next time I write
          Yours in love
                Robert

MSS 1242