Monday
Jan 12
Went on a Company drill to day in the forenoon
Wrote some in the afternoon.
A squad was detailed from this regiment for guard
in the city.  Rosecranz’s victory is confirmed
to-night for which God be thanked.  Went in with
George to see Dr. Whitney this evening and staid
till roll call

MSS 11293

Camp 10th Va Cav
Very Dear Bro.
                    our kind letter
came duly to hand.  Many
thanks for your thoughtfulness
My trip to camp after
leaving you, was without
incident.  We are situated
about 2 miles from Ivy
Depot on Va. C.R.R.
Fitzhugh Lee as you are
probably aware, is still in
the Valley with his Division
when last heard from he
was in Hardy.  We hear from
the movements every day,
as the men are constantly
coming in with half dead
horses, or else entirely

[page 2]
dismounted – So that we
have many more in “Q”
than with the regt.  I hope
that all will be here soon.
Wonder if they wont give the
whole Divn a 30 days
furlough to remount.  The
hardships, fatigues, & sufferings
of the men have been
almost incredible.
We have put up chimneys
to tens, or else built huts–
Stables, are now building
I guess the “hoss Cavy” will
make old Albemarle
howl this winter.
I have had many kind
invitations to knock
about & visit in the
county, but as yet have

[page 3]
staid closely in camp.
Have been studying
a good deal lately, the Bible
& polemic theology.  Have
read “Rutledge”, &
“What will he do”&c &
“Jack Hinton.”
Yesterday went to Chville
dined with Dr B – saw a Miss
Leftwich (yr sister) who boards
with him – Met some other
ladies in town, a Miss Mosby
& Miss Asby.
Have promised to preach
at Ch’ville soon.
I am in high spirits about
the war – think it will be
over in a year, & then you
& I will sail for Europe,
& returning settle on your

[page 4]
[the right hand margin of this page has been cut away]
estate in Texas.
Tucker has a due bill
(for $20 I think) wh h
spoke to me about
company will be disban
Hawley’s company is
the Regt. — We hav
news Dr Douglas a
nice man from Ric
county.  Take care
health, mind about that
stand. straight every
think of it – exercise
God bless you, & keep y
true and pure
     Yr Aff Bro
                   J

[found with the letters of Charles Elisha Taylor Taylor of the 10th Virginia Cavalry, a Baptist minister after the war and eventually president of Wake Forest]

MSS 3091

                              Headqr’s Cav. Div.
                                    12 Jan 1863

Captain,
                   Gen. Stuart requests that you
will send young Stephen Dandridge, to his
headquarters this evening, as his father is
here, and is very anxious to see him
before returning to the Valley
                   Very Respy
                         Your obt. servt.
                                Jno. Esten Cooke
                        Capt. Art. &c
Capt. Poague, or
Officer Com’dg Poague’s Battery

John Esten Cooke, 1830-1886, was a first cousin of Jeb Stuart’s wife Flora Cooke, and served on the General’s staff, and after Stuart’s death, with several others.  A noted author he wrote biographies of both Lee and Jackson and romantic fiction glorifying the “Lost Cause”  including the popular “Surry of Eagle’s nest.”

MSS 5295-h

Camp of the Fifth Maine Volunteers Near the Rapahanock Va Jany 12th 1863

Dear Father–Captain Harris returned back to take charge of
the Company last night & brot the things that were sent to me
which I am much oblidged to the givers I am expecting A box from Brooklyn
as Ellen wrote to me on the fourth & said she was gone to send it the first of
the week tell Mary Wallace that I am much oblidged to her for thinking s
much of me as to send that loafe of bread which my tent mates thought was
good & it did not take us long to devour it I can tell you ask her for me how Mrs
Hardenberk gets along as I take A great likeing to her intended Husband
as I took  him for A good old Man & always thought that She would make A
good Wife for him as she was so lively when I was at home, as she used to
handle me kind of rough when I used to go at the sugar in the closet it
seems by your letters that Johny takes A great interest in yours to me as you
write that he is always at your shoulder looking on to see what you write
but I was pleased when I came to that part of your letter where it began
John Leavitt the second & I think that Johny writes A good letter & I take
A pleasure to read one from him I do not understand why A letter will not
come to you directed the old way as I always thought there was A delivery
box for them that had no box of their own & I cannot see into it
although I shall direct the way that you wrote you think that General
Rosecrans is one of them & so do I & think that if there was A few more
of such Generals in the Potomac Army you would see different things
done as I know that there is a good fighting stuff in the Army as there
is in the Western Army because they have been tried & have never been
found wanting so much for the Army of the Potomac, Tell Mother
from me that she must take tings as they come, I know that the last
year has been a sad one to her on the account of the death of Edward
& George. Good Brothers they were to me but I Hope that the year of sixty
three will be A  happy one to you & Her as I shall try not to do any thing
to cause either of you any pain & I have that resolution when the first
of the year came round, & the good advice that you have written, I have
taken to myself & think that you as A father do perfectly right in so
writing I close this by wishing that you would tell Frank Crawford
that I got his letter of of[sic] the fourth & shall write the first opportunity
& have not forgot him tell him that Edward Crie sends his love to him
  I now close by hopeing that this will be the happiest Year to you & Mother
of your lives, from your Truely & Affectionate Son Joseph Leavitt

Letters of Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied in a ledger by their father John in the fall of 1865 as a remembrance of his sons both of whom died in the war, George at Second Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania.

MSS 66

[from the letterbook of Captain Thomas J. Linnekin]

                                                U.S. Steamer “Currituck”
                                                            Dividing Creek, Va.
                                               January 12  ” 1863

Sir
                                 I beg to report on my arrival here from
information obtained from a Negro I proceeded to the
South West Branch, and found a large Manufactory for
Salt in a Steam Saw Mill owned by a man named
Oscar Yerby.  he has been extensively engaged in Supplying
Richmond with Salt.  I sent a party on shore in charge
of the executive Officer to destroy the work  they
destroyed all the Kettles &c with the Exception of the
Boiler, which they were unable to destroy owing
to its being very heavily bricked round and unless
we burned the Mill and a large quantity of Lumber
        I left word for Yerby to discontinue the Manufactory
of Salt. Otherwise I would raise all his buildings
to the ground at some future day.
      I also ascertained that vessels run in here, with
Contraband Goods, very frequently, furnishing the
inhabitants with all they needed.  Not having
any chart of the place I did not venture in until
to day.  the weather being so moderate I successfully
Entered.  now that I am acquainted with the Entrance
to the Creek I shall Keep a sharp look out, as
long as I am on this Station.

                                             Very Respectfully
                                                    Your obt Servant
                                                       T. J. Linnekin
                                                   acting Master Comdg.

To Commodorre
    A.A. Harwood
Comdg Potomac Flotilla
           Washington
                            D.C.

MSS  15134

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

Mon 12.  fine – milder – I have a cold.  shewed Gen. Getty   div. Comdr.

thro. hospital &c – Appeared quite pleased.  rode out on
picket line – clear view of City & rebel works –

[Brig. Gen. George Washington Getty commanded the 3rd Divison of the IX Corps at Fredericksburg]

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

 
     Jan. 12, ’63.
Clear & warm to-day.
Mr. Elliott buried at 3 P.M.
     At 4 P.M. ordered to be
ready to march, with 2
day’s rations in Havre-
sacks, at a moments notice.
At Tattoo (7 P.M.) notified
that we would march at
1 A.M. to-morrow.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former newspaper publisher, and civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

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

Monday 12th long to be remembered day – Eliza is married. Left me for
good – & tho’ I do not fully realize it is so – Still I believe it sufficient
to make me sad – They were united by the Reverend Mr J  Wingfield
of Portsmouth  in the Episcopal Church at 1/2 past 12 O’Clock the
12th Inst – & left immediately from the Church door for Durham
to take the cars at 7 O’clock for Columbus Georgia – The groom
& bride behaved remarkably well & every thing went off as it
should have done – They both looked handsome – & the Church
was very full – Tho’ there was but one invitation given out
of the family – & it had been kept very private – Mrs Dawson
move[d] up to the Hotel shortly after we returned fro the church
& her presence has enlivened me some, & prevented my feeling
that my Child has given herself away & left me – Eliza Ann Wright
has also arrived & we will soon have a community of Wilmingtonians –
Ann [?] takes Eliza’s marriage & departure very much to heart
She cannot become reconciled to it = We met with kind friends
Mrs Phillips sent an elegant Lunch – & Mrs Mallett a bas
-ket full of everything nice she could think of to eat on the
road – Mrs Campbell has been truly kind= & we can never for
-get her – She will soon be comfortably fixed –

MSS 6960

[from the diary of George W. Dabney, clerk of Campbell County, Va.]

12.  13.  Mond & Tues
Cloudy & cold
hauling leaves & [scattering?]
all this week – & getting rails

MSS 3315