[A Confederate officer discusses extended medical furloughs and obtaining clothing for members of his regiment]
North Garden
Albemarle Co., Va.
Nov. 24, 1864
Dear Lieut:–
The description lists have been received.
Sergt. [Gillock] left here to-day for his command
for the purpose of reporting to it under
orders from the War Department causing all
soldiers now on furlough who are, or may be able to travel
to report, at the expiration of their furloughs, to their commands, there to be
examined. I prepared a letter for you early this
morning, but an impression was made on my
mind that Sergt. G. would not get off to-day, and therefore,
allowed him to go off without giving him
my letter.
Make out a descriptive list for
Private S. C. [Silas C.] Pugh to the extent you can, with
the understanding that I am to fill it out—
complete it. I make this statement because
I cannot, from memory, furnish you
with all the necessary information. What
I cannot furnish now I will obtain
hereafter from him and complete the
descriptive list. He will not be able for duty
for some time. I saw his wound some little
time ago. It is in a much worse condition
than I expected to find it. The wound at
first was more severe that I had believed it
to be.
S. C. Pugh’s list clothing akc. (2nd year) commences
1st Jany. 1864.
Clothing drawn, 2 cotton shirts—2 pr. drawers.
Was enlisted 1st July, 1861, at North Garden, Albemarle
Co., state of Virginia, by J. W. Williams,
for one year. Was born in Albemarle Co. state of Va.
complexion fair—hair black—when enlisted was
a laborer.
Was wounded in left arm and shoulder on 2nd
June 1864 at (or near) ______ [Ed. note: left blank by Bethel] while engaged in
charging enemy’s skirmishers.
Day before yesterday (Tuesday) I was in
Charlottesville and visited the Medical Examining
Board on business relating to a late order,
(to which I have already referred) and while with
it the Senior Surgeon of the board proposed
examining my case, it being ascertained that the
time for which I was last furloughed would
expire in the Friday next following. To this
I consented, and an application for an extension
of my present furlough was, by special permission
of Genl. Lee, [Robert E. Lee] continued in my present
furlough, as you are aware, made out.
The Special order granting power to boards to
allow officers to go home and await their
furloughs, or the result of their applications
for furloughs, having been revoked, Dr. [James Lawrence]
Cabell, Surgeon in Charge, gave me
written permission to go into “private quarters”
for fifteen days, at the expiration of which
“he will report to me in person or be considered a deserter.”
If Sergt. [Gillock] is allowed to return
home send the descriptive list by him, if not, by mail.
Cause the A. S. [Assistant Surgeon?] to note the date of all furloughs,
or the date of the leaving of all men of the company,
and the date of the return of the same, together with
the date of the report of all men under the late order from
the War Department requiring men now absent on furlough,
who are able to travel, to report, at the expiration of their
furloughs, to their commands, that action may be taken
on their cases at their commands. I want this
information for future guidance. These latter cases
refered [sic] to will not, perhaps, come under
your observation.
Work hard to get the men well [within?] and
shod for the Winter. If this is not done they
must suffer during such weather as we
have had here for several days past. I
think of you all so often at night.
I made two efforts to obtain clothing from
this county for my men but failed. I
am trying now to procure some socks
for them. The prospect is not encouraging.
It would afford me so much pleasure
to bring down a suit for every man I have.
Give the note, which I will enclose,
to Sergt. [Gillock] if you see him, as he
returns [in a fortnight?].
I am recovering (slowly) the use
of my hand. I have not been able to close it since my
wound was first dressed.
I will furnish you with the desired roll as soon
as I can.
Yours truly,
H. M. Bichel [Hudson M. Bethel]
[Envelope]
Lt. E. I. Gregory [Edward J. Gregory]
Co. “G,” 46th Va. Regt. Infty.
Genl. Wise’s Brigade
Petersburg, Virginia
[Editor: The soldiers in this letter enlisted at North Garden, Albemarle County, Virginia, and served with Company G (“Albemarle Jackson Avengers”), 46th Virginia Infantry.
Sergeant Benjamin F. Gillock became a patient at the Charlottesville General Hospital after a suffering a gunshot wound in the thigh at Petersburg, June 1864; he was placed on detached service in February 1865 and later paroled at Appomattox, Virginia, April 1865.
Private Silas C. Pugh, wounded in the left shoulder at the Howlett Line near Petersburg, June 2, 1864, during the Battle of Cold Harbor (May 31-Jun 12, 1864), also hospitalized in Charlottesville and received a medical furlough through February 1865.
Hudson M. Bethel of Amherst County, Virginia, began his service in July 1861 as a first sergeant and later captain of Company G; wounded in action at Petersburg (a fractured left forearm), June 1864, he was hospitalized at and received several extensions of disability furloughs from the Charlottesville General Hospital and General Hospital Farmville, Virginia, July 1864—January 1865.
In April 1861 Edward J. Gregory enlisted in Richmond as a private in in Company A and rose in the ranks culminating with his election as a lieutenant of Company G, November 1863; wounded at Petersburg in June 1864 and hospitalized at Charlottesville, he acted as the company’s commander until his parole at Appomattox.
Dr. James Lawrence Cabell (1813-1889), practiced medicine in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Paris before his University of Virginia faculty appointment as professor of anatomy, surgery and phyisiology. He became surgeon-in-charge and chief surgeon of the Charlottesville General Hospital during the war.
Major General Henry Alexander Wise (1806-1876), a former governor of Virginia, commanded Wise’s Brigade during the Army of Northern Virginia’s Petersburg Campaign. He was among remaining senior Confederate officers at Appomattox who advised General Lee to surrender.]
MSS 10897