Hd Quarters 1st Brig
                                       Va Vols July 13th
                                         Sabbath Evening
My dearest friend,

                On a dirty sheet of paper captured
of the yankees I am about to write a few lines
I have seen enough of battles, wounded men and
all the circumstances of the battlefield to do me
for years to come.  Have lived 5 days on a
little number of crackers and no meat,
have had men killed on either side of me
and in fact had a good time in general.
  Haven’t had time to think of anybody
in the world–already it seems as if
it were years since I left Nelson and
yet I have not the slightest wish to re-
turn–Have seen many friends–many
that I shall never see again–everybody
seems to have been killed except myself.
I was in Richmond on yesterday–called
on Miss Ella Palmer for a few minutes
she said Waid was “destestable, greatest
fopp she ever saw”. I saw said youth
some days ago–delivered note–he
said he was going next day to start
for Balto.  I only saw him for a few
minutes as I was in great haste.
I dined at Dr. Bolton’s on yesterday.  Was
surprized to meet John Stockton late yesterday
evening on his way to the theatre.
Saw Summerfield Smith and George in town
yesterday–met Carter Singleton the other
day-Haven’t seen Charles.  I am now
aching courier at Hd qs of 1st Brgade
for Genl. Winder.  Flies light on my
hand so that I cannot possibly write

[page 2]
Consequently shall expect you to ex-
cuse.  Remember me to all friends
Tell Miss Mary that I would write to her
but that she can see from the letters
that I  have nothing to say.  I have never been
able to hear one word from the letters
you and Miss Mary wrote to me–although
I have diligently inquired for them.
I hardly know where to tell you
to direct, your answer if this is
worth answering–But suppose you
had better Direct
                    to care of Genl. C.S. Winder
                    Comd 1st Brig Va Vols
                         Near Richmond
                   Genl. Jacksons Division
                      or Army of the Valley
When time is more to command
and I have more settled ideas I shall
again write.  If you would do anything
to alleviate the ennui of monotonous
cam life–now doubly tiresome when
quiet follows so closely upon the heels
of the battle’s roar write to me
               Your best friend
                   P. G. Harrison
[?] being published was a gross piece of slan-
der and shall be corrected.

Peachy Gessner Harrison, 1839-1926, 2nd Regiment Virginia Cavalry

MSS 38-111
 

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                        Sunday – July 13th 1862
After breakfast with Mrs H at 8
this morning, went round to see Mullie
& got his papers & accts of Capt Goodwin – Mr
H lent me his horse & I rode out to
Camp Randolph & settled Mullies business
there with the qr’master – Returned at 12 ½
o’c but learned from Brother George that
there is no afternoon train on Sunday to
Petersburg – dined with Mr & Mrs H – after
which we went round to Mr Dunlops &
spent the Evening there with Mullie – Mr
& Mrs D were very Kind in their Expressions
of regret at our departure – Returned to Mr
Harveys at 9 o’c & spent the Evening with
them – Jacksons army are moving by
rail in the directions of the valley today
Pope is reported at Gordonsville – Wrote a
letter to Sallie & one to Miss Sallie Didlake –
Did not get up to bed till 12 ½ o’c
tonight – up packing –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154

[letter of Andrew J. Gillespie of Ancell’s Company, Virginia Light Artillery, continues]

Sunday Evening July 13
no change in my helth since yesterday Washington Black has just
returned from drury’s Bluff whoom I expect to send this letter by and
he saw nathan Nathan and says he Nathan was doing duty But looked
rather thin from the fact that the company had a vary hard time bellow
here hard marching and they say nearly starved which is the case on
all marches and int time of Battle they Have moved Back to drurys Bluff
where they ware before the fite, the conscript law exempting men over 35 years
of age who have not reinlisted has on the 16 day of the present month has bin
in doubt in our camp whether o not it would go into effect on account of
some little piece that came out in the papers a short time ago but
Mr Black say it was read out to the men at Drurys Bluff last night
that they would bee let off the 16 and if it dos go into effect Nathan
will bee at home in a short time and posaby before you receive this litter
I have not knews concerning the too armys it is said however that some of our
Troops are falling Back and I suppose to get and more healthy region out of the
swamps
            Davy King is complaining a little But does duty and eats his meals o
I hope nothing serious Harvy has bin right Poly since his pa was hear and took
some medison but has got well again infact he was not so but what he could
go about but I could see he felt vary badly their has bin a goodmany of this camp
sent off sick and I am glad to see that heir is no difaculty in geting them
off to Hospitals in their own county if they are abloe to go and the men think
that is the greatest thing  thing [sic] Fluvanna has done during the war to establish
                                                                                                 Hospitals in the county

[page 3]
when Davy wrote to his wife we expected to move down the road but the
officers did not like the camp and they moved to this place and if we move
from this place I will let you Know as soon as I can
    question does Leewellen and Edga grow mutch Do they go off from the
house and stay like they used to doo when I was their if they doo I know you
must suffer with uneasyness I hope you have lernt them better doo you stay
by yourself mutch who stays with you have you baught any corn and what doo you
have to pay I admire your refusing to accept any contribution from the [word omitted]
and I want to try to Keep you in something to eat eaven if you have to sell
something that you can spair best and live on it. as long as you can make out
I dont want it to bee throwed at you that the county had to support you
in my absence and if I live I hope you can make out until the war
is over which I hope will not bee many months at most and peace cant come
too soon for me and if I live to see it it will bee the happyest day that
ever have seen in my life and not me only, but all the privates=

[page 4]
=we are expecting when cosin Jame comes down that you and Davy wife will
send us somethin from Home to eat for that is all the talk  if I was gust at
home to get something cook at home & milk ane Buter and vegitables to eat it is in
the mouth of evry one that I hear say any about eating I want to hear from
Jas Houchins let me hear in your letters how he is geting all is quiet here and not talk
of Fighting we have had some vary hat days here and it is said that a great ma[n]y of
the wounded died it is said that nearly too Hundred have bin buryed at
Oakwood Cematry in one day and for several days together of course the sick
and wound are included in the number I have see upwards of 40 buryed
in a day of the sick only Lewis goes home Monday sick he started yesterday
but was too late to take the Boat, John Keid  has bin goon home several days
the old man stayed until he got him off I will close by subscribing myself
                                                           your devoted Husband A.J. Gillespie
dont let metus forget his pa sis &
mary I recon will forget me in the clear
Len & Edga dont want to see their pa do you
what did Ed say to his whip I sent him

MSS 9564

July 13  1862

Dear Father

It has been
about two weeks since I have
received any letter from you
You have not answered my
last letter but I will write
once more.  I thought that
before this I should have
been to my Regt but have
not got my pay the Dr
has been saying that the
Pay master would be here
until I begin to think
that he is not coming
at all & think of going
this to washington this
week after it but may
not for my paymaster may
not have come back from
down the river & I may not

[page 2]
go for a week or two. should
I go & any letters come here
for me they will be sent to
me.  It has been very cool
thus far for July.  I am very
much better than I was
when I came here.  our food
better then it was at
first. we can buy milk
for 8 cts a qt & blackberies are
very plenty also whortleberies
I eat a great many as they
are very healthy & all we
have to do is to pick them
What kind of a time
did you have the 4th
did they have a knockdown
at Platt[?]  I have got my
tooth in it fils good &
I can eat with it. the boys
cannot tell it from my
other teeth.  the Gov is soon
to let us carry on the war

[page 3]
as we like & that will not
be to guard Reble propety
but to help our selves to
what we like.  Are eny of the
Spencer boys enlisting
or had they rather be drafted
& get 8 or 11 Dol a months &
no bounty & be laughed
at by the Volenteers. They
boys will stand a chance
to be drafted.  A Gen
Casey of Ohio was here
& addressed us the other
day he spoke right to
the point.  Has Hud[?] gone
to his Reg or is he in
N.Y. I have two good
shirts Amsa Westbrook
is here.  Cap Carl of the
26 Reg I hear has resigned
& gone home to get up a
Reg. Diven has gone
home to raise troops

[page 4]
it is about time that the
north were stired up
again.  I think that there
will be need of a good
many more troops & I  hope
that N.Y. will not be the first
to draft but she has used her
men about as poorly as an
state in the union

[letter of Charles Ellery Bradley of the 32nd New York will continue on the 15th]

MSS 9728

ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD CO.

AGENT’S OFFICE

  Cairo,     July 13______186 2

Col Hillyer
                I have received some in
formation on the boat that I think
is worth attention.

1t James Patterson a stout thick set
man Has been a Steam Boat Runner
in St Louis & in Memphis.  He has been
with Jeff Thompson all the time from
the beginning of the war and told a
friend he was going again

2d Major John McDonald formerly of
the 8th Mo now of the detective force
was not loyal before the war and was
a steam boat runner in st Louis. has
a saloon in the alley in the rear of
the Washenon House. The building belongs
to sesech heirs and he got the right
to possess the building from Provost Martial
free of rent & authority from Genl Lew Wallace
to keep a bar.  He forced the former occupant
to sell out to him everything for $5000 and
has rented rooms off from his place
receiving $75 per month and
paying nothing

[page 2]
These facts come to me
from undoubted authority

Yours &c

E.D. Ostand Capt.

docketed:

Cairo July 13, 1862
E.D. Ostand
Relative to certain
traitors in Union
ranks

MSS 10645

[from the diary of Charles Hay, Co. H, 23rd Ohio]  
                                                                              
                             Camp Jones, Flat Top, July 13 [?] th.
     The scarcity of water in this vicinity and
how to replenish our stock of the same, have
been subjects of some concern for some time.
It was decided to remove to some point
where water was better and more abundant,
and, after searching, it was settled that we
encamp some two miles east of Jumping
Branch, and 15 miles from here, where
the supply of the best of water was greater
than the demand.  The Reg’t. marched there
today, but, owing to a lack of transporta=
=tion, the Hospital Dep’t remains here until   
teams can return for our removal.

MSS 13925

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

Sunday, July 13, 1862

Reville beat at
4 oclock got up did
not feel very well
Struck Tents and left
soon after 5 oclock
Oweing to tardiness
did not get our chest
carried.  Marched down
the mountain marched
about 14 miles to
2 miles east of
Jumping Branch
found there Gillmores
Cavalry Howitzers &
2 companies of the 30th
Our tents came this
evening  pitched
them
Mostly clear but Hazy
Played frequently
on the road.

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood, Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]

 Sunday   July 13th/62
Pleasant all day
                  Inspection at eight
Oclock, after which Mitchell and
myself went to the brook, and
had a bath.  I washed my
Shirt and pants.  After the
pants got dry enough to put
on, we went to Mrs Edmunds.
There was so many soldiers there,
that we did not stop but a
few minutes.  After eating all
the Cherries and blackberries we
wanted, we returned to Camp.
Lieutenant Colonel Batchelder is here to
day.  He is detached from the
Regt, has and is provost Marshall
in Banks Corps.  Banks is a few
miles from here on the road to
Ganesville.  Services at half past six
after which we had a short drill

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

Camp Near Harrison’s Landing Va July 13th 1862

Brother William–your letter of July 13th has been received you
wish to know if any siege guns were lost only one small one it was not
captured by the enemy but the gun was rendered useless by the breaking
of one of the wheels & could not be drawn off the Field Our Regiment lost but
one Office[r] at the Battle of Gaines mills Capt Patridge of Co. J. at the
Battle of Gaines Mills we lost one hundred & ten men Killed & wounded
at Malvern Hills we were on the extreme left but took no part in the
engagement, although we whipped the enemy in every battle we have
been defended, we have not accomplished what this Army intended
to accomplish & what it could & ought to have accomplished it is of no use
to argue the question Facts Facts are the things Genl McClellan when
Yorktown was evacuated had An Army large enough & willing enough
to walk into Richmond & I expect the Army could have captured
Richmond Genl McClellans Plea proberly was to take Yorktown and
Richmond without loss of many lives what is the result of this long delay
this waiting untill this place without loss of life, the result is this one halfe

of the Army has been used up by sickness killed in battle & taken prisoners
& nothing has been accomplished with every facility for coming out of this
Campagne successfully & with an Army & an amount of Money such as no
other Genl on this continent ever had Genl McClellan has failed to accomplish
what this Army could have accomplished, I dont say I could do better, but
we have been digging & building earthworks & bridges, new roads have been
built through every mile of the rout we have travelled since leaving Fortress
 Munroe & now all this work has been done for nothing, you will say it was A
Military necessity, well all I have to say is, it ought not to have been so
you may ask could it have been prevented, it could have been prevented two
months ago, Genl McClellan with the Army he had not business to have been
more that ten weeks at the Farthest in entering Richmond, you may think I
am talking wild it may be so. I am not the only one in the Army that
thinks as I do, in my next I will argue the case with you; my Health is
very good all I want is something good to eat, everything we get is tasteless
I have sent Home for A Box now: if you are disposed to put in anything
that you think will taste good do so, whatever you have to send Lizzy
will put in the box give my respects to Mrs Leavitt From
Your Brother   George

Letters of George Leavitt of the 5th New York and his brother George of the 5th Maine
were copied into a ledger by their father in the fall of 1865 as a remembrance of them.  Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at 2nd Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania.


MSS 66

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

    July 13^th