Camp Near Winchester Sunday Oct 5th. 62

                               Va
  Camp Near Winchester
                Oct the 5/62
Dear Brother
                      I take the
present Opper th tunity
of dropping you a few lines
to let you know that
I am well at present
hoping when theas few
lines Come to hand
they may find you
injoying the Same
Blessing I have no news
of importance to write
to you O this pleasent
Sab Sunday I would like
to be with you at old mount
Union Church But now
deprived o all sutch
pleasures I hope the it
wont be long untill I
Can Come home a gain
Butit looks like a poor

[page 2]
Chance for me to ever
get home I I dont
get to come home shortely
I am going to run the
Blockade Brother I will
advise you to stay out
of this war as long as
possible It is a awfull
thing to see men shot
donw down like a brute
and then dont get
a decnt Buriel Just
a li little hole dug an then
Rolled in like a hog–
It is little prophet for
a poor Soldier to run
him Self in danger for
sutch treatmen as this
they air trying to pass a
Bill in congress for the
Confederate Soldier to
Fight under a Black
Flag and in if they do

[page 3]
you will see me marching
to the Rear for I dont
like to fight under a
red Flag too well
when they Fight under
a Black flag they dont
take any prisoners they
kill evrry man they get
a chance then the
yankey would hung all
they ketch of us this kind
of fighting dont pleas me
Battles  I have been in
several of them I was
slitely wonded wance O
no one has any idea
what a war is untill
you try it dear Brother
if it is my part to fall
on the Battle Field I
have a hope in prepare
to meet me in heaven

[page 4]
George I expect
a gainst I Come home
you will be have you
a wif wife give my
Best Respects to all
the Pretty Girls tell Father
I have some more
powder for him I will
send it the first
Chance
Now I must Being
theas few lines to close
write Soon direct
your letter to W Winchestr
Winchester Va.
Father & Mother sisters
Brothers if I never return
home promise to meet
me in heaven where
we will nevr part nomore
So nothing more
But Remain your
affection a Brother untill
Death James B.Painter

James Barney Painter, Corporal, Co. K, 28th Virginia

MSS 10661

    Camp Near Winchester
          October the 5th/62
Dear Father and Mother
                    I take this
present Oppertunity of
dropping you a few lines
to let you know that
I am well at present
hoping when theas few
lines come to hand
they may Find you
enjoying the Same
Blessing   I have no news
of importance to write
to you I Recd your letter
a few days ago I was glad
to here from you all
we have had several hard
Battles lately the Battle of
Boonsboro (and) Sharpsburg
the Battle of Sharpsburg
was the most Bloody
Battle a[s] ever was faught

[page 2]
On the American
Continent  Stone wall
Jackson Captured harpers
ferry & with 8000 priseners
& about 1300 stand of
Small arms several pieces
artilery and a great
many other things a
qonitity of ammunition
this move in Maryland
was only to flank the
yankey at harpers ferry
But we lost a great
many of Lovering Boys
-& I must give you
the names of wounded
in our Company Phillip
E. Firebaugh Thomas Slack
Lieut James A Graybill
William J Manges [Manger?] I
was not in the Fight
and the reason was
I was bare footed at that time

[page 3]
the Fight at Sharpsburg
th the yankey attacted us
we we whiped Back on
the lift[sic] a bout 2 milles
in the Senter we held
our position all next
day the yankeys sent a
Flag of truce to Berry
there dead But General
Lee would not let them
we Berried Our dead and
then we at night then
Retreated a Cross the
River the yankeys so badly
Fatigued they never fired
a gun after us after we
Crossed the River  Gen Jackson
Concealed him self and
let a bout 5000 of the
enemy cross the Rifer
an then opened fire
on them killed and
captured the hole mass

[page 4]
the River was full of
dead and wounded  O this
war is a awful thing
there was was a bout 8
9 dead yankey to one of
our men  times is qiet
now I dont think we
will have any more hard
Fighting this year we dont
Get very much to eat now
only befef and Bread with
but verry little salt
I have Got me a good
Suit of close for winter
and a a new a pair of
Shoes I Father and Mother
it is heard telling what
this war is a going to turn
to times will get hearder
Now I must Bring theas
few lines to a close I Give
my love to the Children–
So nothing more Gut still
Resprean Remain your son
Fare well James B. Painter

James B. Painter  Co. K, 28th Virginia

MSS 10661

Fort Tillinghast  Oct 5/62

My Dear Wife
                        This is a beautiful Sabbath
morn I never saw a more pleasant at this
time of year, last night we had a heavy rain
the first we have had for many weeks, I have
nothing of importance to write, everything is
going along the same as usual, My health is
very good, much better now than it has been
at any time since our advance.  We still have
quite a number of sick men in the company,
but they are improveing as the cool weather
comes on, I suppose you are those cold east-
erly storms this month, I should lie to
be there to enjoy them with you.  We have just
been out on inspection, we begin to look some as
we did at Fort Albany.  You wrote some time ago
about selling the Shop to Wm. Did you ever say
anything to him about it, if so, What answer
did he make you,  Has anything ever been done
with those Kid Skins that I left in the

[page 2]
in the Shop, if there has not, why dont your
Father use them up, he may have them and
be welcome to them, they will spoil if they
are not used, By the way, I want you to ask Hen
Batcheller what he can get me twenty five or
thirty pounds of Navy tobacco for, the lowest
price I can make a large profit on it out here
if I can get if of Hen at a reasonable price.
Did I ever tell you that when the new recruits
came for the 14th regmt that the notorious Albert
J. Terrell was among them, he is in Co K,
at Fort Albany, he gambles with any one who
is green enough to play with him, and is sure
to get their money, he makes a good deal out
of the new regmts that encamp around here.
he is detested by all decent men, My mess
are pareing apples to day. they went off somewhere
this week and “skied,” some, and now we are going
to have some apple sauce, it will be quite a
rarity for us,  Ben Alley is here staying with his
brother Richard for a few days, he is one of the

[page 3]
paroled prisoners, from Richmond, who were
taken last May, you will remember that about
six thousand were paroled a short time ago, he
among the number, he “blows” as much as ever,
All the “boys” are wishing for pay day to come, I
dont think that we shall be paid off  now, until
there is four months wages due us, there is
a great want of money among us I dont think
there is three dollars in the whole company.
The Paymasters are probably among the fighting
regmts paying them off.  How do you get along
with you school.  Have you any more scholars
or have’nt you any, Ernie says he is learning
to paint.  How does he succeed, is he an
apt scholar, or is he to unsteady and nervous
like his father, How is Ada geting along.
Is she well, and does she plague you as much
as ever, I should think that Ernie was large
enough to take care of her the most of the
the time. Dont they have some good times
playing together, I should think they might

[page 4]
How I should like to be there and see
them and all the rest of of[sic] you.  I
guess I must try and get a furlough to
come home when the regmt comes, I
dont know what McClellan is up to
but I think that he will strike a blow
soon that will be felt to the very vitals
of the Southern Confederacy.  We will wait
paitiently and see,—I did not think this
morning that I would attempt to write
to you untill I had heard from you again
I know that I have not written anything
that will interest you, but it seemed
to me this morning that I wanted to
say something to you, and as this is one
way that loved ones have of saying some
thing to to loved ones far away, I have tried
to say a few words to you, Dear wife this morn
ing, hopeing that you excuse whatever of the
letter is uninteresting to you, and promising to
try and do better next time I remain yours in love Robert

Robert, of Lynn, Massachusetts, an unidentified soldier in Co. M of the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

MSS 1242

               Entrenched Camp
Saturday[sic] morning Oct 5
Cousin Meade
                     As Hubbard is
absent from Camp on a short
furlough and Meade is per-
forming Guard duty I write
again this morning to let you
know how George is   The sore
places on the hip and back
seem to be more troublesome to
day but with exception he is
still improving You may
rest assured that his friends
here will leave nothing undone
that will add to his comfort
or hasten his progress towards
recovery      Yours in haste
                    H Everard Meade

letter re George Smith Bernard of the 12th Virginia

MSS 7745
                     

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

                                Oct 5th

On the 29th of Sept  Capt Porter resigned his
commission and left for home.  On the 1st of this
month  G. W. Clarke  another of our men was
very suddenly taken from us by death, having
been sick but a few days.  C. C. Currier also
died in the Hospital at Fort Monroe.
New regts are constantly joining the army.
Pleasant and mild.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

                                             Sunday
                                        Arlington Hights
                                                Camp Chase Oct 5 [1862]

                                           
Dear Sister Helen,
                           Here it is Sunday
again and we have got a little time
to breathe and write – we have had
to work pretty hard for the last
week – we have drilled about all
the time from sun rise to sunset –
There is a Lieut here – one of McClellan
aids and he has kept us at work
pretty well – Col Wright is acting
Brigadeer Genl amd Adjt Brown
is acting asst Adjt Genl. so you
see there has been some promotions
in the Regiment – We have been

out on Inspection this Morning
but it was a Regimental instead
of Company Inspection and had
to hold those old knapsacks for
an hour in the hot sun – it has
been awful hot for a week or two
as hot as I ever saw it in July
in Conn but it will be cool evenings
by and by I guess – – *
                             Our Company went
down to the bridge Tuesday to
guard it and we shall go again
Tomorrow – we have some good times
down there for we have to search every
team and all the boxes and barrels
and we have all the apples and peaches
we want and we take our hooks and
lines and fish off this bridge and
we got 3 ducks last time   we put
a piece of meat on the hook and threw
it into the street and when the
duck swallowed it we just drew

him in and baited for another
and when we come across a hen
or anything in the eating line we
generally confiscate it – did you
read a piece in the N. H. Journal & Cs
about the ration that we draw
Stone our asst Commisary write two letters
a week for that paper and he tried
to make out that we have more
than we can eat of fresh meat
bread sugar etc and it isent [sic] true
about once a week we have a good
meal of fresh meat and good rice
and molasses but the rest of the
time we have to eat salt beef that
sometimes is stale and not fit to eat
and beans we have about every meal
but I cant eat them   I have lived on
them too long. – now don’t think that
we are starving for we have more than
we can eat of salt hoss and hard
crackers but I want to have you know

that we don’t have things quite
as nice as Stone  tries to make out
          I received two papers from Chas.
yesterday – rather expected a letter
last week but only got one from
Campbell..   Every thing is quiet in Camp
haven’t had any more marching orders
          Regiments are coming in all around us
again – we haven’t had any rain
since we left Washington   it is dreadful
dusty and dry here – I suppose the
leaves are beginning to fall in Conn
          Tell George that it is just not the time
to hunt Grey squirrels..
          I see by the papers this
morning that the Rebels have raised
the black flag   don’t know as it is
true or not but I guess we can raise
about a black a flag as they can
and can play the same game –
     That Proclamation rather stirs
them up – I wonder what Genl
thinks of it – how are all the
people of Meriden – is every thing
lovely – I shall expect a letter

[Howard continues his letter in the top margin on page one.]
from Chas this week
with all the news
I guess he has as much
time as I do and I
manage to answer all
my letters –
     This letter is rather
dirty but it can’t
be helped we are
dirty folks down
here although I
had a bathe in
the Potomac –
yesterday –
     Give my love to all
the folks and write
soon     Your brother
                     Jim

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12668

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler, of Letcher’s Artillery]

 (Oct 5th) Sunday
Head aches quite badly this morning.  No service to
day in our little church.  Genl Wright was to see me
this morning, enjoyed his conversation very much
found he had met with Uncle Joe Evans in Leesburg
He gave me some interesting accounts of his ex-
-periences with the Yankees, one of which related
to their stealing his watch & coat.  Highway robbery.

Mr Braden sent me up this morning, the N.Y.
Herald, of 30th Ult. & a book published at the North
entitled “Heroic incidents of the civil War in America”
of course very truthful.  While Genl Wright was
with me Dr Jackson came.  He seems to be not
an advocate for much medicine for which I am glad
of.  Prescribed blue mass night & morning for a few
days, ascribes my feelings to my liver principally.
Genl Wright informed me of two opportunities
to Richmond which I shall avail myself of.
Wrote letter this evening to Jennie & Jimmie.
Mr & Miss Miller were over here & came up to see
me.  Miss Mary brought over some very pretty
flowers which Miss Lizzie very kindly put in here for
me to feast my eyes on.  Quite cool this evening.  Miss Lizzie
came to see me.  Mrs Peyton & Miss Lizzie passed the evening
with me.  The former told me good joke about “killing hogs”.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, Co. E, 42nd Virginia (Dixie Greys)

Sunday 5 – Write to Hon. W. R. Staples.
Examined by Dr. Graham – Receive
a certificate for discharge – & receive
a pass to go to Winchester Hospital –
report there.  very much dissatisfied.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, October 5, 1862

Spent a pleasant & delightful day
Enjoyed reading more than I had done
for a long time–Read my bible & then
an excellent sermon from S[?]
Eccl–11nd  17th verse.
          ” I hated life, because the
work that is wrought under the sun is grievous
unto me”–But do not judge from
the text that it was a gloomy sermon
it only separated the good things from the
evil & showed us what to turn from, where
to place our trust & in whom to believe–
God be merciful unto us–My tongue is
parched & dry I know. no pray so suitable
for me as this. God be merciful to me a
sinner & often utter it when my thoughts
can not frame, nor tongue utter any other
This always suits me, I am always
a sinner–
 F & B walked up to the church to see a sick man
found hi lying on a bench, with only a comfort
to cover him & with typhoid fever-poor
fellow.  F will make him more comfortable
if possible–Mr Phillipot & Hillary called
to see Emma & spent the night–not
very interesting young men.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406