[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood of the 13th Masssachusetts, Co. C]
Friday July 25th/62
Pleasant in forenoon
Showery during afternoon and
evening Worked as usual
at the Depot
[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12521
Martinsburg, Va.
July 25th 1862
Dear Father, Mother, Brothers
and Sisters–You all
will please excuse me for
addressing you all; for I
want time to do otherwise
I have recd. all of your
letters,and I tell you they
were gladly received.
Be assured that all you
write to me, is interesting,
though you think it but
little consequence. I am
all right; and never had
my health better in my
life. You would hardly know
me I am so fleshy and have
such a “big” “Mus–Tosh” I
shall send you my picture
[page 2]
at the earliest convenience
Our occupation now
is principally scouting
and going out as picket
We bring in a Secesh band
nearly every day. Yesterday
we caught an old Secesher
with a Rebel flag- about
seven or eight miles from
here in the mountains I was
out scouting all day yesterday
and until 12 oclock last night
I have a good horse and good
arms, have a Sabre, car-
bine, and a Revolver, and
can shoot 13 times per min
ute The carbine is loaded at
the breech and a person can
load and shoot it 13 times per
minute: So you see that with
it & the revolver I can shoot
about 13 times. Our Col is
commander of 40 miles
[page 3]
Square, Martinsburg being
at the center We sometimes]
go Scouting to the distance
of 40 miles from Camp
and are gone Several days
Maj Gen. Pope has issued
a proclamation declaring
that the Cittizens shall feed
and Support the Soldiers
of his Command while
Scouting & passing through
the country hence we
carry no raitions out
when being so we just call
on the Cittizens You people
of Ill know nothing about
the hardships of this war
What would you think if
40 or 50 men would call
on you for dinner or a
feed for horses every
day or two? fancy that you
would think it very hard
[page 4]
A part of our company stoped
yesterday at an old Quakers
for dinner & horse feed.
He was very kind and said
that he is willing to give us
any thing we wished, if he could,
but that he knew very well
that if the Rebel Jackson should
ever get back into this Valley
he will be a ruined man
He gave us bread, butter, &
milk for our dinner and
Oats for our horses.
It is likely that we shall
remain encamped here
fore some time as t his is
to be a regular military
post, and will be fortified
soon. Maj Gen. Wooll was
here day before yesterday
and inspected the troops
here. He is a gray–headed old
man and is the first Maj
Gen that I have seen
I saw Gen Sigel at Bloom-
ingtoon Ills, but he is a Brig-
adier Gen. Gen. Sigel is
now somewhere near Harpers
Ferry and Maj.Gen Wooll
makes his head Quarter at
Baltimore Turn back to next
page (a scarcity of paper and stamps)
[in right margin of pages 2 and 3]
commander of 40 miles would think it very hard
[crosshatched on page 2]
Em you wished to know abut my lat-
tin books. I do not owe Oneal any
thing and wish you to get my books
if he has them. I think that they are at
home. Em I want you to look up all my
books. [?] ONeal has my Higher Algebra
Get it home if possible. Wooley promised
to to[sic] pay Miss Black 40 cents I owe here.
I want you to see that she gets if if Woolley
dont pay it and that Miss Drake gets
that dollar I borrowed of her.
Wooley may have my Lattin Books
You ask how I spent the fourth
of Wheeling
Well I paraded the Streets ^ with the
Regiment and enjoyed myself
quite well. think I could enjoy
[cross hatched on page 3]
myself better though had I been as
you wished “at home” Oh yes
I supposed that you did have
a good time All I have to say
go it while you are young but
girls do be -ware what kind of
company you keep Remember
the old saying that “a person is
known by the company they keep”
I must bid you all good bye
and promise to write again soon
Do write Soon and give me partic
ulars about harvesting &c Tell me
all the news about School marms &
My Friends W H Redman
No pay yet but think will be getting it soon
William H. Redman, Co. C. 12th Illinois Cavalry
MSS 7415
[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Friday, July 25, 1862
Guard mounting
this afternoon
went on an expedition
with several of the Band
boys & four companies
of our Reg’t in to Monroe
Co to get the family of
Caldwell over to a
point near the river where
the comps were halted until
after dark. I went toward
the Camp bathed had my
supper &c after dark were
joined by two more cos Inf
one Howitzer & small detachment
of Cavalry Marched up the
River about 12 miles two comps
leaving us 5 miles from the
Ferry to guard some. Went to
near the mouth of Indian [?]
arrived there 3 [?] to M & Bivouaced
Regt–clear warm
MSS 10317
[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]
Friday, July 25, 1862
Though I still felt sick I thought that I would
walk with Fannie as it might be
beneficial to me–but the sun made me
violently sick at my stomach–I laid down
& have not been able to eat, or sit up
since–read the Beckhams all day – I must say
that it is interesting but it seems to me
that it is a book which will make much
more mischief in the world that[sic]
it will do good…
I took a blue pill,–slept very well
[partial transcription by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor in 1972]
MSS 15406
[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Friday 25th It has turned out a beautiful day–Liz left here this morning
for Oxford to put her brother Dan to school–She will have a long
ride 45 miles–She will reach there to night–& return tomorrow–
Sarah spent the morning in my room. Her baggage has not yet ar-
-rived–Eliza received a long letter from Mr Mason today–He is attach
ed to General Winder’s Brigade–& is Major to the Artillery Ordnance
He is in Stone Wall Jackson’s army
MSS 6960
[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]
Friday July 25th
Bright beautiful morning. No rain during the day. Last Monday Jackson left Gordonsville for Madison Court House, en route for parts unknown. I spent the evening at the Briars. The Carters came today.
MSS 9759
Camp on Farm at White House
July 23d. 1862
I wrote you yesterday, my own darling wife, and although I have
no news of interest to disclose or any thought particularly bright
to communicate, yet because my heart is full of your dear image
and my memory constantly busy with tender recollections of you and
our sweet home, I am again gladly holding this, the only kind of commu-
nion I can have with you, dearest. Yesterday I said to day was the an-
niversary of the day on which I last year met you and we rode together to Oak Hill.
Delightful beyond expressions, are the thrilling memories of that day that
stir my soul. It was the first time we had been together after I entered
the Army. Although I have since that hour been with you three times
at home and once in Richmond, and although each time my heart has
drunk delicious draughts of happiness so that I cannot say one meeting
was more blessed and blissful than another, yet I shall delight to
keep these anniversaries, and as this the first one comes around
I dwell with joy on the particular incidents that marked it, and
recall with ecstacy your every tone and gesture and look. I see
you now, darling, as you looked when I arrived, and we stood
folded in each others arms. I enter the carriage with you and
the children, and I gaze into your dear eyes and kiss your sweet
lips, as you lean your head upon my shoulder and I encircle
your waist with my arm. I remember the love that was so
full, so abundant, so overflowing it would refuse me nothing.
I am with you again at Oak Hill: we walk together through the
house that is very dear to me, and occupy the room that you and
I may call our bridal chamber. We are together by the bedside
of our noble, generous, affectionate Christian brother. May
not you and I darling so live and so die, that we may meet
him again “on that blessed shore, Where adieus and farewells
are sounds unknown”? We stroll arm in arm beneath the
shade of the old oaks I have loved so long, and over the
lawn that was the scene of my boyish sports. We
ride together through the farms and as we talk of
[page 2]
the dangers to which I shall be exposed the tears are streaming
from your gentle eyes. Our Heavenly Father has in mercy and com=-
-passion sheilded you and I to this hour. Shall we not, darling, with
holy faith, trust him in the future?-Yea, even “though he slay
us, let us trust in him.” – If no other motive should impel us to
be true worshippers of the Almighty God, save gratitude for the
blessings he has showered on us, that is surely sufficient.
He, “out of the abundance of His tender mercies”, has poured the
oil of joy and gladness on our heads, and we should praise
Him with our hearts and our tongues. And we returned from
Oak Hill to our own loved home, to that home to which my soul
travels each weary day that I am seperated from you, dear wife of
my youth. When two days more have passed over it will be
five months since I stood on the threshold of that home.
How many long days must pass,–how many suns must
rise and set before I again, if ever, shall press with
my feet that loved spot, neither you nor I can tell.
But let us look forward & upward, darling, with con-
fidence that our God, if it be best, will bring us together
again under the roof that has sheltered us for so many
happy years.— This is not an interesting letter to send
you, darling, but it is the best I can do. You will
wonder where the paper on which it is written (and very good
paper it is) comes from. Know then it is a leaf from
a blank book in which Robert Tyler had pasted many
of his political essays. The Yankees took it from
Dr. Tyler’s (Roberts brother’s) residence, & carried it to a hospital
about three miles from our camps. We captured the Yankees,
107 in number, and thus the book fell into our hands. My
love for Josie Y Mrs Riddle. Kiss the children for me. A thousand tender
[ink stain]inging kisses for you, darling. I take you close to my heart-& pray God to bless
& preserve & protect you & our dear children. Yr. affec. husband, John T. Thornton
[in right hand margin of page one]
Thursday Morning, July 24th 1862. I greet you this morning, my dear wife, with a long, long kiss of love.
Would that I could bend over you, as you lie asleep, and touch your eyelids with my lips, and as you wake and
open your arms to receive me I would fall into them and receive with joy the tender, gentle, loving caresses
you would bestow upon me. God bless you & watch over you & reunite you soon to your fond husband. J. T. Thornton
Lt. Col. John Thruston Thornton, 3rd Va. Cavalry, University of Virginia alumnus and father of future University of Virginia professor of engineering William Mynn Thornton
MSS 4021
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of the 25th Massachusetts]
July 24th
Near Gordonsville
Dear Nell
It has been a long
time since I have written to any
of you. I did write to you once and
gave the letter to one of the Hurrican
Rifles to give to Mr Loeb who had
been up here and was going home,
but I was too late and about a
week after the letter was handed back
to me in a very dilapidated condition
so I had to bear it up. A few days
after the battle around Richmond
commenced and I had no more time
to think of writing until they were
over. On account of my wound I could
not get in a very convenient position
for writing so I sent a message in a
letter which Ned Burruss wrote home
I suppose you will wonder how I
got out here. Sam and I not wanting
to go to a hospital and finding
Richmond too expensive applied
to Mr Haxall with whom Sam
and Ned Burruss were acquainted
[page 2]
to know whether he could recommend
any place to us. He was very kind,
said that he would invite us to his
farm which is in the neighborhood
but that his family was so large that
he could not accomodate us and
wrote to Dr. Jones the proprietor of
this place to know if he would receive
us. The answer being in the affirmative
we came out here as speedily as possible
and are now very pleasantly situated.
The family are as kind and attentive
as possible. My wound is getting on
finely. I can hobble about a little on
crutches and will be ready for service
again in two or three weeks. Sams
wound is getting improving more slowly. It was
a more severe wound than mine and
he was not in a good state of health
at the time. Our regiment was en-
gaged in only two of the fights around
Richmond in the last of which Sam
and [I] received our wounds Our
company lost five killed and some
fifteen I think wounded. Lieut Smith
[page 3]
and his brother both of them splendid
fellows were killed none of the rrest
were particular friends of mine
We had an alarm here about ten
days ago about the Yankees. They were
at Orange Court House about twelve
miles above here and were reported
to be advancing. We had no troops
about here at the time except a few
cavalry. The people in the neighbor
hood took the alarm and were driving
sending off their negroes and stock
to more secure places. It proved to be
however only a marauding party of
cavalry and they did not come any
farther. Since that time Jackson
has come up with his army and
is encamped in the neighborhood
We had a visit this morning from
Billy Ogden and Clarence Percy. Their
regiment is about a mile and a half
from here and hearing of their prox
imity I sent a note to Billy and
he came down to see us. He was very
much surprised to find us here
[page 4]
He is in fine health and has been
through all the fights in the valley
under Jackson and those around
Richmond without a scratch. Do
you know where Uncle Ogdens
family are did they leave New
Orleans when the Yanks captured
it or are they still there. Billy did
not know anything about them. He
rote me that Ab was captured at
Port Jackson, was paroled, and then
got married to the sister of his
former wife. Tip, Fred and Edward
were at Vicksburg when las[t] heard
from. I hope you were not uneasy
about me. I would have let you know
my condition after the battle sooner
but I was at the hospital where
I was first carried for two days
before I could get word to anybody
and then Dr Hall was about telegraphing
a list of casualties and I thought
that would do. Give much love to
Mother and Nettie and to the servants
Your affectionate brother
Horatio N. Smith
Horatio Smith, Co. D. 21st Mississippi to his sister of “Elmsley,” near Woodville, Miss.
MSS 3772
