{"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=United+States%E2%80%94History%E2%80%94Civil+War%2C+1861-1865\u0026page=6","prev":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=United+States%E2%80%94History%E2%80%94Civil+War%2C+1861-1865\u0026page=5","next":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=United+States%E2%80%94History%E2%80%94Civil+War%2C+1861-1865\u0026page=7","last":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog.json?f%5Baccess_subjects%5D%5B%5D=United+States%E2%80%94History%E2%80%94Civil+War%2C+1861-1865\u0026page=15"},"meta":{"pages":{"current_page":6,"next_page":7,"prev_page":5,"total_pages":15,"limit_value":10,"offset_value":50,"total_count":146,"first_page?":false,"last_page?":false}},"data":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter fragment to Martha E. McCoy, 1864","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","parent_ssim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter fragment to Martha E. McCoy","title_ssm":["Letter fragment to Martha E. McCoy"],"title_tesim":["Letter fragment to Martha E. McCoy"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter fragment to Martha E. McCoy, 1864"],"text":["Letter fragment to Martha E. McCoy, 1864","Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 25th","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","English","January 16th, 1864\nCamp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA.","My dear sister\nMiss M. E. McCoy\nIt is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive \u0026 well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you \u0026 Caroline's family \u0026 also all of my friends \u0026 relations in the enjoyment of the same great \u0026 highly favored blessing.","Indeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along \u0026 as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough \u0026 he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated \u0026 can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong \u0026 Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able \u0026 Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson \u0026 Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load \u0026 all was right so far as we have yet seen.","I got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage \u0026 send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, \u0026 two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it \u0026 when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.","You said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately \u0026 that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight \u0026 that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more \u0026 have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good...","Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1864"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1864 January 16"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":2,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 25th","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 25th","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1864],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eJanuary 16th, 1864\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear sister\u003cbr\u003e\nMiss M. E. McCoy\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive \u0026amp; well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you \u0026amp; Caroline's family \u0026amp; also all of my friends \u0026amp; relations in the enjoyment of the same great \u0026amp; highly favored blessing.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIndeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along \u0026amp; as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough \u0026amp; he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated \u0026amp; can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong \u0026amp; Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able \u0026amp; Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson \u0026amp; Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load \u0026amp; all was right so far as we have yet seen.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage \u0026amp; send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, \u0026amp; two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it \u0026amp; when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately \u0026amp; that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight \u0026amp; that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more \u0026amp; have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good...\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["January 16th, 1864\nCamp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA.","My dear sister\nMiss M. E. McCoy\nIt is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive \u0026 well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you \u0026 Caroline's family \u0026 also all of my friends \u0026 relations in the enjoyment of the same great \u0026 highly favored blessing.","Indeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along \u0026 as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough \u0026 he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated \u0026 can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong \u0026 Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able \u0026 Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson \u0026 Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load \u0026 all was right so far as we have yet seen.","I got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage \u0026 send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, \u0026 two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it \u0026 when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.","You said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately \u0026 that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight \u0026 that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more \u0026 have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good..."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing."],"_nest_path_":"/components#1","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_473.xml","title_ssm":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters"],"title_tesim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters"],"unitdate_ssm":["1863-1864"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1863-1864"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863/1864"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"text":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864","MS.0393","/repositories/3/resources/473","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 25th","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","Andrew J. McCoy was born in Highland County, Virginia in 1832 and was a farmer in the Doe Hill area of that county. He enlisted at Monterey in August 1861 and served for the entire Civil War. He was paroled at Staunton, Virginia on May 25, 1865. After the War he returned to his farm at Doe Hill, where he died on November 28, 1902. He is buried in Doe Hill Cemetery, Highland County.","From October 19 to November 7, 1863, the 25th Virginia Infantry Regiment was in camp near Brandy Station. The troops continued to dismantle the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, sending the iron to Richmond, Virginia. For more information about this regiment, consult the book \"25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry\" by Richard L. Armstrong (H.E. Howard, Inc., © 1990).","Oct 25th, 1863\nCamp Near Brandy Station, Culpeper Co. Va. Miss Martha E. McCoy","Dear Affectionate Sister-\nIt is with a considerable degree of pleasure within myself that I will now take my pen in hand to address to you a few lines in order to let you know that I am in tolerable good health at this present occasion, with the exception of a very bad cold that I have had for several days past which caused me to feel somewhat under the weather. But I truly hope that when this reaches you that all of you may be in the enjoyment of [special] good health through the blessings of God the Preserver of all our health \u0026 happiness in this world of sorrow \u0026 c.","I am truly pained to learn that the health of the people of Highland Co. \u0026 especially in the neighborhood of old Doe Hill has become so disastrous \u0026 bad with disease \u0026 sickness again, \u0026 that death has again visited that vicinity. It is truly taking everything into consideration between that \u0026 the trials of this war a very solemn \u0026 serious matter, but if it is God['s] will we must try \u0026 live to endure the afflictions that is to befall us in this life \u0026 make preparations with our almighty God to meet them in consequence of our behalf through the grace of Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls in the world to come \u0026 c. But I will have to close on this subject for the present, hoping to God that he may speed you all \u0026 myself on the way in this great work.","I was sorry to hear of mother's misfortune \u0026 loss of losing her horses \u0026 the great drawback it will cause upon her with her work \u0026 c. But I suppose from what I can learn that there is no chance for her ever to get them back again. It is a great pity but what she could. Also the thieving rascals that taken them should share the punishment that they so justly deserve. I am also ashamed to know that southern men will be guilty of such disgraceful depredations on our own people, especially a poor helpless woman that is left in her situation, but I hope that such men will meet with the doom that becomes such villains.\nMartha I did not get your last letter until a day or two ago on account of the army being on motion. We did not get our regular mail until we got back off of our last trip after the yankees. I will not attempt to try to give you the particulars of our trip this time as John I. Rumisel has gone home on furlough \u0026 he will tell you all about the matter \u0026 consequently I have but little news to write to you at present.","Jared M. Wilson \u0026 Josiah Armstrong come back to the company night before last \u0026 both of them look better than ever. I saw them they look fat \u0026 fine. The rest of the boys are all well \u0026 hearty. Lieut. J. L. Hempstead is going to start away in the morning on furlough of twenty days so our company will be left without an officer until he returns again.","Martha I forgot to write to Sarah to send me a pair of mittens \u0026 I want her to send me a good heavy pair of half soles for my shoes if she can get them if she can get them by Rumisel when he comes back. I want you if you please to let her know as soon as you get this letter if it comes to hand in time. I also had on a new jeans vest when I left home. It was so warm \u0026 I left it at Augustus Stowbuses on North River Augusta Co. I would like if to have it if he can bring it to me.","You said in your letter something about naming that big boy you say I have out there if I had no name for him. I have no particular objection to the name you proposed to me to call it but I will tell you what name I had thought to give it but I still neglected to send the name to Sarah, it\nwas Davis Jackson. Write to me \u0026 let me know what you think of my name for him not that I object to your name at all.","I must close. You must excuse this kin of ink. I expect it will fade so can't read this letter at all. Very Respectfully yours \u0026 c. Your Brother Andr. J. McCoy.","Write immediately to me. Good by. Give my kindest regards to Caroline \u0026 family \u0026 all of my relations \u0026 friends. Tell mother she is due me a letter. I wrote to her some time ago \u0026 never received a letter from her","January 16th, 1864\nCamp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA.","My dear sister\nMiss M. E. McCoy\nIt is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive \u0026 well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you \u0026 Caroline's family \u0026 also all of my friends \u0026 relations in the enjoyment of the same great \u0026 highly favored blessing.","Indeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along \u0026 as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough \u0026 he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated \u0026 can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong \u0026 Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able \u0026 Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson \u0026 Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load \u0026 all was right so far as we have yet seen.","I got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage \u0026 send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, \u0026 two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it \u0026 when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.","You said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately \u0026 that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight \u0026 that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more \u0026 have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good...","March 11th, 1864\nCamp, 25th Va. Infantry. Orange Co., Va.","My dear sister\nIt is again after my respects to you that I avail myself of the privilege of dropping you a few lines in order to let you know how I am getting along \u0026 c.","I am in only tolerable health at this time \u0026 have been unwell for some time past. I am not doing any duty now \u0026 I don't feel at the present like doing any duty for some time yet. I have been troubled for about a month with some kind of a disease of the bowels and attended with a considerable swelling of the abdomen \u0026 pain in my left side \u0026 through my back \u0026 limbs \u0026 to make the matter worse with me I have taken a prodigiously bad cold \u0026 the worst kind of sore mouth \u0026 also my throat is somewhat sore. The Doctor would never tell me what he thought my complaint was. I have been going through a regular course of medicine \u0026 I am still under the charge of a Doctor but I hope that I will recover from my illness soon \u0026 in good health. I suppose it all originated from cold \u0026 exposure. I have had my health extremely well ever since I have been with the army since I last left home until now. I had thought that I was going to get along finely but it seems as though I was somewhat disappointed. But I hope these few lines may find you in the enjoyment of good health but notwithstanding I was very sorry to hear that you \u0026 Caroline had been very unwell some time ago but I truly hope that you are both in good\nhealth again \u0026.","I have nothing of much importance to write about at present. Everything along our lines appears perfectly quiet at this time but the Yankees tried to make a raid on Richmond last week but they was defeated \u0026 driven back with considerable loss. Their raiders consisted of Kilpatricks cavalry \u0026 mounted infantry about fifteen thousand strong. Col. Dahlgren was killed in the fight \u0026 the whole program of their raid was found in his pocket which showed to our people the villains intentions if they could of succeeded. They had for their main object to try \u0026 release the prisoners that we hold of theirs at Richmond at the Libby prison \u0026 then they was going to murder Jeff Davis \u0026 his cabinet \u0026 all the leading men of Richmond \u0026 then plunder \u0026 take off what they could \u0026 then burn the city down regardless of the women \u0026 children or anything else \u0026 destroy all that they could in the country that would render any service to the Rebels whatever. This was the plot that was found in the possession of the villain Yankee Col. Dahlgren commanding a part of their force.","As I do not feel much like writing today I shall close for the present hoping to hear from you soon by letter. You must excuse my scribbling \u0026 c. for I am in very much of a hurry. I remain your friend \u0026 brother as ever until death.A. J. McCoy.","This collection consists of Civil War correspondence (three items) from Confederate soldier Andrew J. McCoy to his sister Martha written while he was serving with the 25th Virginia Infantry Regiment. The letters primarily concern family matters, camp hardships, and personal news, and provide insight into the life and thoughts of an ordinary soldier.","Written from Culpepper County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and family matters.","Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing.","Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"collection_ssim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863/1864"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0393","/repositories/3/resources/473"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0393","/repositories/3/resources/473"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_ssm":["McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902"],"creator_ssim":["McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902"],"creator_persname_ssim":["McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 25th","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 25th","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["3 items"],"extent_tesim":["3 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1863,1864],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAndrew J. McCoy was born in Highland County, Virginia in 1832 and was a farmer in the Doe Hill area of that county. He enlisted at Monterey in August 1861 and served for the entire Civil War. He was paroled at Staunton, Virginia on May 25, 1865. After the War he returned to his farm at Doe Hill, where he died on November 28, 1902. He is buried in Doe Hill Cemetery, Highland County.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Andrew J. McCoy was born in Highland County, Virginia in 1832 and was a farmer in the Doe Hill area of that county. He enlisted at Monterey in August 1861 and served for the entire Civil War. He was paroled at Staunton, Virginia on May 25, 1865. After the War he returned to his farm at Doe Hill, where he died on November 28, 1902. He is buried in Doe Hill Cemetery, Highland County."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eFrom October 19 to November 7, 1863, the 25th Virginia Infantry Regiment was in camp near Brandy Station. The troops continued to dismantle the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, sending the iron to Richmond, Virginia. For more information about this regiment, consult the book \"25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry\" by Richard L. Armstrong (H.E. Howard, Inc., © 1990).\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eOct 25th, 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Brandy Station, Culpeper Co. Va. Miss Martha E. McCoy\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Affectionate Sister-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with a considerable degree of pleasure within myself that I will now take my pen in hand to address to you a few lines in order to let you know that I am in tolerable good health at this present occasion, with the exception of a very bad cold that I have had for several days past which caused me to feel somewhat under the weather. But I truly hope that when this reaches you that all of you may be in the enjoyment of [special] good health through the blessings of God the Preserver of all our health \u0026amp; happiness in this world of sorrow \u0026amp; c.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am truly pained to learn that the health of the people of Highland Co. \u0026amp; especially in the neighborhood of old Doe Hill has become so disastrous \u0026amp; bad with disease \u0026amp; sickness again, \u0026amp; that death has again visited that vicinity. It is truly taking everything into consideration between that \u0026amp; the trials of this war a very solemn \u0026amp; serious matter, but if it is God['s] will we must try \u0026amp; live to endure the afflictions that is to befall us in this life \u0026amp; make preparations with our almighty God to meet them in consequence of our behalf through the grace of Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls in the world to come \u0026amp; c. But I will have to close on this subject for the present, hoping to God that he may speed you all \u0026amp; myself on the way in this great work.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI was sorry to hear of mother's misfortune \u0026amp; loss of losing her horses \u0026amp; the great drawback it will cause upon her with her work \u0026amp; c. But I suppose from what I can learn that there is no chance for her ever to get them back again. It is a great pity but what she could. Also the thieving rascals that taken them should share the punishment that they so justly deserve. I am also ashamed to know that southern men will be guilty of such disgraceful depredations on our own people, especially a poor helpless woman that is left in her situation, but I hope that such men will meet with the doom that becomes such villains.\nMartha I did not get your last letter until a day or two ago on account of the army being on motion. We did not get our regular mail until we got back off of our last trip after the yankees. I will not attempt to try to give you the particulars of our trip this time as John I. Rumisel has gone home on furlough \u0026amp; he will tell you all about the matter \u0026amp; consequently I have but little news to write to you at present.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJared M. Wilson \u0026amp; Josiah Armstrong come back to the company night before last \u0026amp; both of them look better than ever. I saw them they look fat \u0026amp; fine. The rest of the boys are all well \u0026amp; hearty. Lieut. J. L. Hempstead is going to start away in the morning on furlough of twenty days so our company will be left without an officer until he returns again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMartha I forgot to write to Sarah to send me a pair of mittens \u0026amp; I want her to send me a good heavy pair of half soles for my shoes if she can get them if she can get them by Rumisel when he comes back. I want you if you please to let her know as soon as you get this letter if it comes to hand in time. I also had on a new jeans vest when I left home. It was so warm \u0026amp; I left it at Augustus Stowbuses on North River Augusta Co. I would like if to have it if he can bring it to me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said in your letter something about naming that big boy you say I have out there if I had no name for him. I have no particular objection to the name you proposed to me to call it but I will tell you what name I had thought to give it but I still neglected to send the name to Sarah, it\nwas Davis Jackson. Write to me \u0026amp; let me know what you think of my name for him not that I object to your name at all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must close. You must excuse this kin of ink. I expect it will fade so can't read this letter at all. Very Respectfully yours \u0026amp; c. Your Brother Andr. J. McCoy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWrite immediately to me. Good by. Give my kindest regards to Caroline \u0026amp; family \u0026amp; all of my relations \u0026amp; friends. Tell mother she is due me a letter. I wrote to her some time ago \u0026amp; never received a letter from her\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJanuary 16th, 1864\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear sister\u003cbr\u003e\nMiss M. E. McCoy\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive \u0026amp; well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you \u0026amp; Caroline's family \u0026amp; also all of my friends \u0026amp; relations in the enjoyment of the same great \u0026amp; highly favored blessing.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIndeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along \u0026amp; as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough \u0026amp; he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated \u0026amp; can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong \u0026amp; Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able \u0026amp; Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson \u0026amp; Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load \u0026amp; all was right so far as we have yet seen.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage \u0026amp; send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, \u0026amp; two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it \u0026amp; when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately \u0026amp; that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight \u0026amp; that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more \u0026amp; have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good...\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMarch 11th, 1864\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp, 25th Va. Infantry. Orange Co., Va. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear sister\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is again after my respects to you that I avail myself of the privilege of dropping you a few lines in order to let you know how I am getting along \u0026amp; c.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am in only tolerable health at this time \u0026amp; have been unwell for some time past. I am not doing any duty now \u0026amp; I don't feel at the present like doing any duty for some time yet. I have been troubled for about a month with some kind of a disease of the bowels and attended with a considerable swelling of the abdomen \u0026amp; pain in my left side \u0026amp; through my back \u0026amp; limbs \u0026amp; to make the matter worse with me I have taken a prodigiously bad cold \u0026amp; the worst kind of sore mouth \u0026amp; also my throat is somewhat sore. The Doctor would never tell me what he thought my complaint was. I have been going through a regular course of medicine \u0026amp; I am still under the charge of a Doctor but I hope that I will recover from my illness soon \u0026amp; in good health. I suppose it all originated from cold \u0026amp; exposure. I have had my health extremely well ever since I have been with the army since I last left home until now. I had thought that I was going to get along finely but it seems as though I was somewhat disappointed. But I hope these few lines may find you in the enjoyment of good health but notwithstanding I was very sorry to hear that you \u0026amp; Caroline had been very unwell some time ago but I truly hope that you are both in good\nhealth again \u0026amp;.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have nothing of much importance to write about at present. Everything along our lines appears perfectly quiet at this time but the Yankees tried to make a raid on Richmond last week but they was defeated \u0026amp; driven back with considerable loss. Their raiders consisted of Kilpatricks cavalry \u0026amp; mounted infantry about fifteen thousand strong. Col. Dahlgren was killed in the fight \u0026amp; the whole program of their raid was found in his pocket which showed to our people the villains intentions if they could of succeeded. They had for their main object to try \u0026amp; release the prisoners that we hold of theirs at Richmond at the Libby prison \u0026amp; then they was going to murder Jeff Davis \u0026amp; his cabinet \u0026amp; all the leading men of Richmond \u0026amp; then plunder \u0026amp; take off what they could \u0026amp; then burn the city down regardless of the women \u0026amp; children or anything else \u0026amp; destroy all that they could in the country that would render any service to the Rebels whatever. This was the plot that was found in the possession of the villain Yankee Col. Dahlgren commanding a part of their force.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAs I do not feel much like writing today I shall close for the present hoping to hear from you soon by letter. You must excuse my scribbling \u0026amp; c. for I am in very much of a hurry. I remain your friend \u0026amp; brother as ever until death.\u003cbr\u003eA. J. McCoy.\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Additional Information","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["From October 19 to November 7, 1863, the 25th Virginia Infantry Regiment was in camp near Brandy Station. The troops continued to dismantle the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, sending the iron to Richmond, Virginia. For more information about this regiment, consult the book \"25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry\" by Richard L. Armstrong (H.E. Howard, Inc., © 1990).","Oct 25th, 1863\nCamp Near Brandy Station, Culpeper Co. Va. Miss Martha E. McCoy","Dear Affectionate Sister-\nIt is with a considerable degree of pleasure within myself that I will now take my pen in hand to address to you a few lines in order to let you know that I am in tolerable good health at this present occasion, with the exception of a very bad cold that I have had for several days past which caused me to feel somewhat under the weather. But I truly hope that when this reaches you that all of you may be in the enjoyment of [special] good health through the blessings of God the Preserver of all our health \u0026 happiness in this world of sorrow \u0026 c.","I am truly pained to learn that the health of the people of Highland Co. \u0026 especially in the neighborhood of old Doe Hill has become so disastrous \u0026 bad with disease \u0026 sickness again, \u0026 that death has again visited that vicinity. It is truly taking everything into consideration between that \u0026 the trials of this war a very solemn \u0026 serious matter, but if it is God['s] will we must try \u0026 live to endure the afflictions that is to befall us in this life \u0026 make preparations with our almighty God to meet them in consequence of our behalf through the grace of Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls in the world to come \u0026 c. But I will have to close on this subject for the present, hoping to God that he may speed you all \u0026 myself on the way in this great work.","I was sorry to hear of mother's misfortune \u0026 loss of losing her horses \u0026 the great drawback it will cause upon her with her work \u0026 c. But I suppose from what I can learn that there is no chance for her ever to get them back again. It is a great pity but what she could. Also the thieving rascals that taken them should share the punishment that they so justly deserve. I am also ashamed to know that southern men will be guilty of such disgraceful depredations on our own people, especially a poor helpless woman that is left in her situation, but I hope that such men will meet with the doom that becomes such villains.\nMartha I did not get your last letter until a day or two ago on account of the army being on motion. We did not get our regular mail until we got back off of our last trip after the yankees. I will not attempt to try to give you the particulars of our trip this time as John I. Rumisel has gone home on furlough \u0026 he will tell you all about the matter \u0026 consequently I have but little news to write to you at present.","Jared M. Wilson \u0026 Josiah Armstrong come back to the company night before last \u0026 both of them look better than ever. I saw them they look fat \u0026 fine. The rest of the boys are all well \u0026 hearty. Lieut. J. L. Hempstead is going to start away in the morning on furlough of twenty days so our company will be left without an officer until he returns again.","Martha I forgot to write to Sarah to send me a pair of mittens \u0026 I want her to send me a good heavy pair of half soles for my shoes if she can get them if she can get them by Rumisel when he comes back. I want you if you please to let her know as soon as you get this letter if it comes to hand in time. I also had on a new jeans vest when I left home. It was so warm \u0026 I left it at Augustus Stowbuses on North River Augusta Co. I would like if to have it if he can bring it to me.","You said in your letter something about naming that big boy you say I have out there if I had no name for him. I have no particular objection to the name you proposed to me to call it but I will tell you what name I had thought to give it but I still neglected to send the name to Sarah, it\nwas Davis Jackson. Write to me \u0026 let me know what you think of my name for him not that I object to your name at all.","I must close. You must excuse this kin of ink. I expect it will fade so can't read this letter at all. Very Respectfully yours \u0026 c. Your Brother Andr. J. McCoy.","Write immediately to me. Good by. Give my kindest regards to Caroline \u0026 family \u0026 all of my relations \u0026 friends. Tell mother she is due me a letter. I wrote to her some time ago \u0026 never received a letter from her","January 16th, 1864\nCamp Near Pisgah Church, Orange Co., VA.","My dear sister\nMiss M. E. McCoy\nIt is again that I take my pen in hand this evening in haste to write you a few lines in order to inform you that I am yet alive \u0026 well at this present time. I truly hope that these few lines may find you \u0026 Caroline's family \u0026 also all of my friends \u0026 relations in the enjoyment of the same great \u0026 highly favored blessing.","Indeed Martha I have not any news to communicate to you at this time that would be interesting to you. I just write this to let you know how I am getting along \u0026 as I have a good chance of sending it to you as W.H. Wilson is going to start home in the morning on furlough \u0026 he can tell you all more satisfactorily how we are situated \u0026 can give you the news generally with more satisfaction than I can write to you. John T. Armstrong \u0026 Chismas Malcomb landed in camp and last night they left Able \u0026 Christian Simmons at Orange. Jared M. Wilson \u0026 Josiah Wilson has gone up to the Depot to meet them with two wagons to haul our boxes. Since I have been writing they have come in about dark with their load \u0026 all was right so far as we have yet seen.","I got my barrel. There was seven cheeses in it that Mother wanted me to sell for her. I will try to sell them to the best advantage \u0026 send the money home to her by some of those men. I also got four letters, one from you, one from mother, \u0026 two from Sarah. You stated in your letter that you had sent me a pound cake in Jared's barrel. I have not seen him tonight yet to say anything to him about it. He stays over at Capt. Merritt's quarters with Jared Armstrong. I will see him soon but if I get it I will be truly thankful to you for it \u0026 when I eat it I will think of my dear sister Mat who sent it to me.","You said in your letter that you had written several letters to me lately \u0026 that you hadn't got any answers from me. If you wrote I assure you that I never got them. I have not got but one letter from you for more than a month until tonight \u0026 that you was afraid that I would forget you but I can tell you that is not the case. Oh it would do me so much good to see you all once more \u0026 have a general talk with you all again. I would do my very heart good...","March 11th, 1864\nCamp, 25th Va. Infantry. Orange Co., Va.","My dear sister\nIt is again after my respects to you that I avail myself of the privilege of dropping you a few lines in order to let you know how I am getting along \u0026 c.","I am in only tolerable health at this time \u0026 have been unwell for some time past. I am not doing any duty now \u0026 I don't feel at the present like doing any duty for some time yet. I have been troubled for about a month with some kind of a disease of the bowels and attended with a considerable swelling of the abdomen \u0026 pain in my left side \u0026 through my back \u0026 limbs \u0026 to make the matter worse with me I have taken a prodigiously bad cold \u0026 the worst kind of sore mouth \u0026 also my throat is somewhat sore. The Doctor would never tell me what he thought my complaint was. I have been going through a regular course of medicine \u0026 I am still under the charge of a Doctor but I hope that I will recover from my illness soon \u0026 in good health. I suppose it all originated from cold \u0026 exposure. I have had my health extremely well ever since I have been with the army since I last left home until now. I had thought that I was going to get along finely but it seems as though I was somewhat disappointed. But I hope these few lines may find you in the enjoyment of good health but notwithstanding I was very sorry to hear that you \u0026 Caroline had been very unwell some time ago but I truly hope that you are both in good\nhealth again \u0026.","I have nothing of much importance to write about at present. Everything along our lines appears perfectly quiet at this time but the Yankees tried to make a raid on Richmond last week but they was defeated \u0026 driven back with considerable loss. Their raiders consisted of Kilpatricks cavalry \u0026 mounted infantry about fifteen thousand strong. Col. Dahlgren was killed in the fight \u0026 the whole program of their raid was found in his pocket which showed to our people the villains intentions if they could of succeeded. They had for their main object to try \u0026 release the prisoners that we hold of theirs at Richmond at the Libby prison \u0026 then they was going to murder Jeff Davis \u0026 his cabinet \u0026 all the leading men of Richmond \u0026 then plunder \u0026 take off what they could \u0026 then burn the city down regardless of the women \u0026 children or anything else \u0026 destroy all that they could in the country that would render any service to the Rebels whatever. This was the plot that was found in the possession of the villain Yankee Col. Dahlgren commanding a part of their force.","As I do not feel much like writing today I shall close for the present hoping to hear from you soon by letter. You must excuse my scribbling \u0026 c. for I am in very much of a hurry. I remain your friend \u0026 brother as ever until death.A. J. McCoy."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eAndrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863-1864. MS 0393. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Andrew J. McCoy Civil War letters, 1863-1864. MS 0393. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of Civil War correspondence (three items) from Confederate soldier Andrew J. McCoy to his sister Martha written while he was serving with the 25th Virginia Infantry Regiment. The letters primarily concern family matters, camp hardships, and personal news, and provide insight into the life and thoughts of an ordinary soldier.\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Culpepper County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and family matters.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of Civil War correspondence (three items) from Confederate soldier Andrew J. McCoy to his sister Martha written while he was serving with the 25th Virginia Infantry Regiment. The letters primarily concern family matters, camp hardships, and personal news, and provide insight into the life and thoughts of an ordinary soldier.","Written from Culpepper County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and family matters.","Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards family matters and goods sent to Andrew J. McCoy from family members. Letter consists of two pages with the remainder missing.","Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_23396dd8b5ed3a52dce726ba733f3ec1\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","McCoy, Andrew J., 1832-1902"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":3,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_473_c02"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter from Abram M. Henkel to David F. Kagey, 1864","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","parent_ssim":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter from Abram M. Henkel to David F. Kagey","title_ssm":["Letter from Abram M. Henkel to David F. Kagey"],"title_tesim":["Letter from Abram M. Henkel to David F. Kagey"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from Abram M. Henkel to David F. Kagey, 1864"],"text":["Letter from Abram M. Henkel to David F. Kagey, 1864","Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English","New Market, Va\nJan 15th 1864","Dear Friend Davy,\nI will now write you a few lines to let you know what we are all about. We are all well at present. Your folk were all well when last heard from. I suppose you have heard all about Mr. Strayer's death ere now. This neighborhood has not very much sickness now.","The Yanks are still at Martinsburg; they come up to Winchester every few days.  The Winchester people think that the Yanks will soon make a raid up the Valley. The 6th army corps has arrived at Martinsburg. Have you heard that Lieut. Coyner has taken a wife? He and Bettie Read were married on the 15th. They started to Augusta, about half an hour after they were married.  They were married at 8 o'clock A.M. They did not make much ado about it.  George Killian was married last week to Miss Sallie Anderson; they had a nice time of it. I do not know of any one else who is going to get married shortly unless it might be Davy, but I hardly think he would get married as long as this war lasts. Davy - what do you think of the order from Cooper, for the substitute men. I heard some one say that Nelson would appoint you enrolling officer of this county if you would accept of it. I think you would have a good time; you could be at home the most of the time. If you can get the position, I would like to see you come over. What do the students who have substitutes say about going into the army. We cannon join new companies only such as were in service on April 16th 1862. Nelson is going to Richmond tomorrow or next day. Rupe is going to Richmond next Monday, if nothing intervenes. How does studying go since you got back?  The sick of Thomas' brigade have all been sent away.","I received a letter from Casper several days since - he was quite well.  Resser is camped about 5 miles from here. Gilmore is camped near Forestville. I must close as it is getting late.  Write soon again.  \nYours \u0026 c\nAbram M. Henkel","Written from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1864"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1864 January 15"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":4,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"persname_ssim":["Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"names_ssim":["Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"access_subjects_ssim":["United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1864],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNew Market, Va\u003cbr\u003e\nJan 15th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Friend Davy,\u003cbr\u003e\nI will now write you a few lines to let you know what we are all about. We are all well at present. Your folk were all well when last heard from. I suppose you have heard all about Mr. Strayer's death ere now. This neighborhood has not very much sickness now.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe Yanks are still at Martinsburg; they come up to Winchester every few days.  The Winchester people think that the Yanks will soon make a raid up the Valley. The 6th army corps has arrived at Martinsburg. Have you heard that Lieut. Coyner has taken a wife? He and Bettie Read were married on the 15th. They started to Augusta, about half an hour after they were married.  They were married at 8 o'clock A.M. They did not make much ado about it.  George Killian was married last week to Miss Sallie Anderson; they had a nice time of it. I do not know of any one else who is going to get married shortly unless it might be Davy, but I hardly think he would get married as long as this war lasts. Davy - what do you think of the order from Cooper, for the substitute men. I heard some one say that Nelson would appoint you enrolling officer of this county if you would accept of it. I think you would have a good time; you could be at home the most of the time. If you can get the position, I would like to see you come over. What do the students who have substitutes say about going into the army. We cannon join new companies only such as were in service on April 16th 1862. Nelson is going to Richmond tomorrow or next day. Rupe is going to Richmond next Monday, if nothing intervenes. How does studying go since you got back?  The sick of Thomas' brigade have all been sent away.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received a letter from Casper several days since - he was quite well.  Resser is camped about 5 miles from here. Gilmore is camped near Forestville. I must close as it is getting late.  Write soon again.  \nYours \u0026amp; c\u003cbr\u003e\nAbram M. Henkel\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["New Market, Va\nJan 15th 1864","Dear Friend Davy,\nI will now write you a few lines to let you know what we are all about. We are all well at present. Your folk were all well when last heard from. I suppose you have heard all about Mr. Strayer's death ere now. This neighborhood has not very much sickness now.","The Yanks are still at Martinsburg; they come up to Winchester every few days.  The Winchester people think that the Yanks will soon make a raid up the Valley. The 6th army corps has arrived at Martinsburg. Have you heard that Lieut. Coyner has taken a wife? He and Bettie Read were married on the 15th. They started to Augusta, about half an hour after they were married.  They were married at 8 o'clock A.M. They did not make much ado about it.  George Killian was married last week to Miss Sallie Anderson; they had a nice time of it. I do not know of any one else who is going to get married shortly unless it might be Davy, but I hardly think he would get married as long as this war lasts. Davy - what do you think of the order from Cooper, for the substitute men. I heard some one say that Nelson would appoint you enrolling officer of this county if you would accept of it. I think you would have a good time; you could be at home the most of the time. If you can get the position, I would like to see you come over. What do the students who have substitutes say about going into the army. We cannon join new companies only such as were in service on April 16th 1862. Nelson is going to Richmond tomorrow or next day. Rupe is going to Richmond next Monday, if nothing intervenes. How does studying go since you got back?  The sick of Thomas' brigade have all been sent away.","I received a letter from Casper several days since - he was quite well.  Resser is camped about 5 miles from here. Gilmore is camped near Forestville. I must close as it is getting late.  Write soon again.  \nYours \u0026 c\nAbram M. Henkel"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news."],"_nest_path_":"/components#3","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_454.xml","title_ssm":["Henkel Family papers"],"title_tesim":["Henkel Family papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1863-1864"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1863-1864"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863/1864"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"text":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864","MS.0374","/repositories/3/resources/454","New Market (Va.) -- History","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","This collection is available online","Boulding Green [Bowling Green] Jan 2nd 1863","Dear Bro\nPlease excuse my not writing ere this but I hope our changing camp will be a sufficient excuse.  I arrived safely in camp on Christmas day found the boys in picket down near the river.  All are well with the exception of the wounded.  It was feared Capt Wooding's wound would prove mortal but later accounts from him report him to be improving, he still lies near Fredericksburg.  All is quiet.  Our army is going into winter quarters.  We have been hard at work on our cabins for two days.  Have you seen father concerning the rent.  He spoke of one hundred dollars a year.  I have not seen Casper concerning any assignment to a hospital and I think as we are going into winter quarters that I will not if I get my substitute, it will not be worthwhile I will enclose a letter in this to John [Windle] concerning him.","How is [Eleanor] getting?  Has Sid Rice left him yet he has not gotten to camp.  I can buy some little things [?] her such as patterns, thread, needles, fish hooks, etc. but I do not know how to get them up.","Carry on as though I was there any thing that you do I will be satisfied with.\nWrite soon and believe me to be your bro\nDHH\nWooding's Battery\nBoulding Green [Bowling Green]\nCaroline, Va\nCare Maj. James Jack's Arty","Woodville, June 19th 1863","Dear Bro,\nWe are now on the march for Winchester which point we will reach next Monday night.  We camp at Little Washington tonight. Left Fredericksburg last Tuesday. We expect to go into Maryland I would like if you could go along over. Anyway I wish you would send me some $400/$500 borrow it from some one and give a note in my name. I can get some goods back or a horse or tow.  If you have the above amt. on hand please send it. I wish the things I purchase for the farm. All well please send my rings by the first opportunity.\nYour bro\nDHH","New Market, Nov 7 1863","Dear Brother\nI have put off writing evening after evening thinking I would have something interesting to write about this evening. I feel tired but will lay to write a short letter at least every evening I tell Billy to enquire for a letter for me, yet I have a right to expect one from you having promised to write to you so frequent and not performing. Aunt Ann and Lallie got home last Sunday. They are very well and getting along very well. Barbara wished them to stay two weeks longer but Mrs. Will did not want them to stay. I was down at home Tuesday evening. Mrs. Will was putting up a box of good things for Mr. Will. They had potatoes, apples, roasted chicken, fried chicken, bread, fries, and some half bushel of real old time ginger cakes, such as old Aunt Ginnie use to bake. Mrs. Will treated me to four. I wish you could have been here for cade is something seldom been there days. They use the foam that gathers on the molasses whilst it is cooling which makes a rich and nice cake and persons are using it about here. Mr. Leavers has made several hundred gallons of molasses and they are not done boiling yet. Sarah says if she thought you would like to have it she would buy four or 5 gallons for you. They sell it at $8 a gallon but to wait there would perhaps be no chance of getting any and price may also advance; would you like to have some? The salt arrived here safely. They have not got their pork yet and I think it fortunate as this warm weather has set in.","The folks here are tolerable with little Emma is threatened with croup this evening. She still talks of you at times as being at grandfather Rodeses.  Billy has been unwell for a week on too but is better for a few days and passed through he looks thin, and badly. He and Mr. Strayer went fishing today, but did not catch any fish. This is the second days fishing Mr. S has had this week without getting any, but he seems in good spirits and speaks of going again. Mr. O, Miss Janine and the rest of us are very well. I feel very tired. I have been boiling soap today.","I regret very much to tell you that John Reid, Bob Tidler, and John Millan were captured by the Yankees. They were sent out on a scout by Capt. Nelson and I suppose ventured too far, it is reported that they were captured beyond Winchester near or at Woods factory. Their have been so many different rumors about them one scarcely knew what to believe. One day report would be they were captured and another day they were not but I believe it is now confirmed. I feel very sorry for Mrs. Reid they say she is almost inconsolable. I have not seen Miss Bettie for some time she was out at Rosenbergers whilst Sallie was their. she spoke of having had a nice time. I have not heard from your friend Miss Emma except through Mrs. Miller. I always inquire about her she says Emm gets along very well complains of nothing but the cooking which is so different from what it is here. I expect to go to see Mrs. Coyner in a few days she has just returned from Augusta where she has been for some time. Miss Emma has not written to Sarah yet I do not think it likely she will as she has not done so yet.\n    \nMr. Thomas has not brought that flour yet but Billy saw him a short time ago and he promised to bring it very soon.","I am glad to hear there is a likelihood of your getting home at Christmas.  I hope you will not be disappointed nor disappoint us. We feel anxious to see you and will try to have something nice for you. I wish sometimes you had some of these nice Fenwick or Bellflower apples to eat that you could have and some of Aunt Fannies nice bread and milk, too. The nice applies will soon be gone they are [illegible].  I hope you are enjoying good health and find your studdies less irksome. Wright whenever you have an opportunity. The time seems very long. The folks at home send their love to you.  Mrs. Will wished me to remember her to you. I must close, accept the love and best wishes of your sister.\nMary S. Kagey","P.S. Please excuse the hastily and badly written letter, it is getting late and I feel very dull.","New Market, Va\nJan 15th 1864","Dear Friend Davy,\nI will now write you a few lines to let you know what we are all about. We are all well at present. Your folk were all well when last heard from. I suppose you have heard all about Mr. Strayer's death ere now. This neighborhood has not very much sickness now.","The Yanks are still at Martinsburg; they come up to Winchester every few days.  The Winchester people think that the Yanks will soon make a raid up the Valley. The 6th army corps has arrived at Martinsburg. Have you heard that Lieut. Coyner has taken a wife? He and Bettie Read were married on the 15th. They started to Augusta, about half an hour after they were married.  They were married at 8 o'clock A.M. They did not make much ado about it.  George Killian was married last week to Miss Sallie Anderson; they had a nice time of it. I do not know of any one else who is going to get married shortly unless it might be Davy, but I hardly think he would get married as long as this war lasts. Davy - what do you think of the order from Cooper, for the substitute men. I heard some one say that Nelson would appoint you enrolling officer of this county if you would accept of it. I think you would have a good time; you could be at home the most of the time. If you can get the position, I would like to see you come over. What do the students who have substitutes say about going into the army. We cannon join new companies only such as were in service on April 16th 1862. Nelson is going to Richmond tomorrow or next day. Rupe is going to Richmond next Monday, if nothing intervenes. How does studying go since you got back?  The sick of Thomas' brigade have all been sent away.","I received a letter from Casper several days since - he was quite well.  Resser is camped about 5 miles from here. Gilmore is camped near Forestville. I must close as it is getting late.  Write soon again.  \nYours \u0026 c\nAbram M. Henkel","7 good horses $700.00\n17 cattle 450.00\n20 Hogs\t@ $4.00 80.00\n40 acres of corn @ $20 800.00\n40 thousand bales, 5cts\t2000.00\nHouse plundered of\nprovisions, jewelry,\nwatches, and clothing 600.00\n$4630.00","The above losses were all by the Union forces.","400 yds Cotton burnt\nWith at that time 40 cts $60.00\nBarn torn down 400.00\n1 full case of eye instruments\n1 case of instruments for Hydrocele","I assisted in the Federal Hospital three months in attending to wounded. Operated frequently, amputated several limbs, took up femoral artery in two cases, furnished medicines and other comforts to the sick and wounded.\nSolon P. C. Henkel, M. D.","[addressed to]\nDr. William E. Hall\n54 Va. Volunteer in\nCharge of Federal Hospital\nNew Market","This collection consists of four Civil War era letters concerning the Henkel and Kagey families of New Market, Virginia. Also included are two letters signed by Solon P. C. Henkel, M.D. for reimbursement for goods taken from his farm by Union soldiers and for medical supplies used while he cared for Union soldiers at the Federal hospital in New Market.","Written from Bowling Green, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, the wounding of Captain George W. Wooding, and family news.","Written from Woodville, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and a request for money.","Written from New Market, Virginia. The letter discusses family news, domestic matters, news of soldiers capture. At this time, David F. Kagey was a student at the University of Virginia.","Written from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news.","The letter contains a list of property taken by Union troops.","There are two copies of this letter.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Henkel Family","Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"collection_ssim":["Henkel Family papers, 1863/1864"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0374","/repositories/3/resources/454"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0374","/repositories/3/resources/454"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"geogname_ssm":["New Market (Va.) -- History","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"geogname_ssim":["New Market (Va.) -- History","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"places_ssim":["New Market (Va.) -- History","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"creator_ssm":["Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"creator_ssim":["Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_famname_ssim":["Henkel Family"],"creators_ssim":["Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Henkel Family"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["6 items"],"extent_tesim":["6 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1863,1864],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"altformavail_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://digitalcollections.vmi.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15821coll11/id/1170\"\u003eThis collection is available online\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e  "],"altformavail_heading_ssm":["Online Access"],"altformavail_tesim":["This collection is available online"],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eBoulding Green [Bowling Green] Jan 2nd 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Bro\u003cbr\u003e\nPlease excuse my not writing ere this but I hope our changing camp will be a sufficient excuse.  I arrived safely in camp on Christmas day found the boys in picket down near the river.  All are well with the exception of the wounded.  It was feared Capt Wooding's wound would prove mortal but later accounts from him report him to be improving, he still lies near Fredericksburg.  All is quiet.  Our army is going into winter quarters.  We have been hard at work on our cabins for two days.  Have you seen father concerning the rent.  He spoke of one hundred dollars a year.  I have not seen Casper concerning any assignment to a hospital and I think as we are going into winter quarters that I will not if I get my substitute, it will not be worthwhile I will enclose a letter in this to John [Windle] concerning him.  \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\nHow is [Eleanor] getting?  Has Sid Rice left him yet he has not gotten to camp.  I can buy some little things [?] her such as patterns, thread, needles, fish hooks, etc. but I do not know how to get them up.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCarry on as though I was there any thing that you do I will be satisfied with.\u003cbr\u003e\nWrite soon and believe me to be your bro\nDHH\u003cbr\u003e\nWooding's Battery\u003cbr\u003e\nBoulding Green [Bowling Green]\u003cbr\u003e\nCaroline, Va\u003cbr\u003e\nCare Maj. James Jack's Arty\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWoodville, June 19th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Bro,\u003cbr\u003e\nWe are now on the march for Winchester which point we will reach next Monday night.  We camp at Little Washington tonight. Left Fredericksburg last Tuesday. We expect to go into Maryland I would like if you could go along over. Anyway I wish you would send me some $400/$500 borrow it from some one and give a note in my name. I can get some goods back or a horse or tow.  If you have the above amt. on hand please send it. I wish the things I purchase for the farm. All well please send my rings by the first opportunity.\u003cbr\u003e\nYour bro\u003cbr\u003e\nDHH\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNew Market, Nov 7 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Brother\u003cbr\u003e\nI have put off writing evening after evening thinking I would have something interesting to write about this evening. I feel tired but will lay to write a short letter at least every evening I tell Billy to enquire for a letter for me, yet I have a right to expect one from you having promised to write to you so frequent and not performing. Aunt Ann and Lallie got home last Sunday. They are very well and getting along very well. Barbara wished them to stay two weeks longer but Mrs. Will did not want them to stay. I was down at home Tuesday evening. Mrs. Will was putting up a box of good things for Mr. Will. They had potatoes, apples, roasted chicken, fried chicken, bread, fries, and some half bushel of real old time ginger cakes, such as old Aunt Ginnie use to bake. Mrs. Will treated me to four. I wish you could have been here for cade is something seldom been there days. They use the foam that gathers on the molasses whilst it is cooling which makes a rich and nice cake and persons are using it about here. Mr. Leavers has made several hundred gallons of molasses and they are not done boiling yet. Sarah says if she thought you would like to have it she would buy four or 5 gallons for you. They sell it at $8 a gallon but to wait there would perhaps be no chance of getting any and price may also advance; would you like to have some? The salt arrived here safely. They have not got their pork yet and I think it fortunate as this warm weather has set in.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe folks here are tolerable with little Emma is threatened with croup this evening. She still talks of you at times as being at grandfather Rodeses.  Billy has been unwell for a week on too but is better for a few days and passed through he looks thin, and badly. He and Mr. Strayer went fishing today, but did not catch any fish. This is the second days fishing Mr. S has had this week without getting any, but he seems in good spirits and speaks of going again. Mr. O, Miss Janine and the rest of us are very well. I feel very tired. I have been boiling soap today.  \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI regret very much to tell you that John Reid, Bob Tidler, and John Millan were captured by the Yankees. They were sent out on a scout by Capt. Nelson and I suppose ventured too far, it is reported that they were captured beyond Winchester near or at Woods factory. Their have been so many different rumors about them one scarcely knew what to believe. One day report would be they were captured and another day they were not but I believe it is now confirmed. I feel very sorry for Mrs. Reid they say she is almost inconsolable. I have not seen Miss Bettie for some time she was out at Rosenbergers whilst Sallie was their. she spoke of having had a nice time. I have not heard from your friend Miss Emma except through Mrs. Miller. I always inquire about her she says Emm gets along very well complains of nothing but the cooking which is so different from what it is here. I expect to go to see Mrs. Coyner in a few days she has just returned from Augusta where she has been for some time. Miss Emma has not written to Sarah yet I do not think it likely she will as she has not done so yet.\n    \nMr. Thomas has not brought that flour yet but Billy saw him a short time ago and he promised to bring it very soon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am glad to hear there is a likelihood of your getting home at Christmas.  I hope you will not be disappointed nor disappoint us. We feel anxious to see you and will try to have something nice for you. I wish sometimes you had some of these nice Fenwick or Bellflower apples to eat that you could have and some of Aunt Fannies nice bread and milk, too. The nice applies will soon be gone they are [illegible].  I hope you are enjoying good health and find your studdies less irksome. Wright whenever you have an opportunity. The time seems very long. The folks at home send their love to you.  Mrs. Will wished me to remember her to you. I must close, accept the love and best wishes of your sister.\u003cbr\u003e\nMary S. Kagey \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eP.S. Please excuse the hastily and badly written letter, it is getting late and I feel very dull.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eNew Market, Va\u003cbr\u003e\nJan 15th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Friend Davy,\u003cbr\u003e\nI will now write you a few lines to let you know what we are all about. We are all well at present. Your folk were all well when last heard from. I suppose you have heard all about Mr. Strayer's death ere now. This neighborhood has not very much sickness now.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe Yanks are still at Martinsburg; they come up to Winchester every few days.  The Winchester people think that the Yanks will soon make a raid up the Valley. The 6th army corps has arrived at Martinsburg. Have you heard that Lieut. Coyner has taken a wife? He and Bettie Read were married on the 15th. They started to Augusta, about half an hour after they were married.  They were married at 8 o'clock A.M. They did not make much ado about it.  George Killian was married last week to Miss Sallie Anderson; they had a nice time of it. I do not know of any one else who is going to get married shortly unless it might be Davy, but I hardly think he would get married as long as this war lasts. Davy - what do you think of the order from Cooper, for the substitute men. I heard some one say that Nelson would appoint you enrolling officer of this county if you would accept of it. I think you would have a good time; you could be at home the most of the time. If you can get the position, I would like to see you come over. What do the students who have substitutes say about going into the army. We cannon join new companies only such as were in service on April 16th 1862. Nelson is going to Richmond tomorrow or next day. Rupe is going to Richmond next Monday, if nothing intervenes. How does studying go since you got back?  The sick of Thomas' brigade have all been sent away.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received a letter from Casper several days since - he was quite well.  Resser is camped about 5 miles from here. Gilmore is camped near Forestville. I must close as it is getting late.  Write soon again.  \nYours \u0026amp; c\u003cbr\u003e\nAbram M. Henkel\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e7 good horses $700.00\u003cbr\u003e\n17 cattle 450.00\u003cbr\u003e\n20 Hogs\t@ $4.00 80.00\u003cbr\u003e\n40 acres of corn @ $20 800.00\u003cbr\u003e\n40 thousand bales, 5cts\t2000.00\u003cbr\u003e\nHouse plundered of\u003cbr\u003e\nprovisions, jewelry,\u003cbr\u003e\nwatches, and clothing 600.00\u003cbr\u003e\n$4630.00\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe above losses were all by the Union forces.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e400 yds Cotton burnt\u003cbr\u003e\nWith at that time 40 cts $60.00\u003cbr\u003e\nBarn torn down 400.00\u003cbr\u003e\n1 full case of eye instruments\u003cbr\u003e\n1 case of instruments for Hydrocele\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI assisted in the Federal Hospital three months in attending to wounded. Operated frequently, amputated several limbs, took up femoral artery in two cases, furnished medicines and other comforts to the sick and wounded.\u003cbr\u003e\nSolon P. C. Henkel, M. D. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\n[addressed to]\u003cbr\u003e\nDr. William E. Hall\u003cbr\u003e\n54 Va. Volunteer in\u003cbr\u003e\nCharge of Federal Hospital\u003cbr\u003e\nNew Market\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Boulding Green [Bowling Green] Jan 2nd 1863","Dear Bro\nPlease excuse my not writing ere this but I hope our changing camp will be a sufficient excuse.  I arrived safely in camp on Christmas day found the boys in picket down near the river.  All are well with the exception of the wounded.  It was feared Capt Wooding's wound would prove mortal but later accounts from him report him to be improving, he still lies near Fredericksburg.  All is quiet.  Our army is going into winter quarters.  We have been hard at work on our cabins for two days.  Have you seen father concerning the rent.  He spoke of one hundred dollars a year.  I have not seen Casper concerning any assignment to a hospital and I think as we are going into winter quarters that I will not if I get my substitute, it will not be worthwhile I will enclose a letter in this to John [Windle] concerning him.","How is [Eleanor] getting?  Has Sid Rice left him yet he has not gotten to camp.  I can buy some little things [?] her such as patterns, thread, needles, fish hooks, etc. but I do not know how to get them up.","Carry on as though I was there any thing that you do I will be satisfied with.\nWrite soon and believe me to be your bro\nDHH\nWooding's Battery\nBoulding Green [Bowling Green]\nCaroline, Va\nCare Maj. James Jack's Arty","Woodville, June 19th 1863","Dear Bro,\nWe are now on the march for Winchester which point we will reach next Monday night.  We camp at Little Washington tonight. Left Fredericksburg last Tuesday. We expect to go into Maryland I would like if you could go along over. Anyway I wish you would send me some $400/$500 borrow it from some one and give a note in my name. I can get some goods back or a horse or tow.  If you have the above amt. on hand please send it. I wish the things I purchase for the farm. All well please send my rings by the first opportunity.\nYour bro\nDHH","New Market, Nov 7 1863","Dear Brother\nI have put off writing evening after evening thinking I would have something interesting to write about this evening. I feel tired but will lay to write a short letter at least every evening I tell Billy to enquire for a letter for me, yet I have a right to expect one from you having promised to write to you so frequent and not performing. Aunt Ann and Lallie got home last Sunday. They are very well and getting along very well. Barbara wished them to stay two weeks longer but Mrs. Will did not want them to stay. I was down at home Tuesday evening. Mrs. Will was putting up a box of good things for Mr. Will. They had potatoes, apples, roasted chicken, fried chicken, bread, fries, and some half bushel of real old time ginger cakes, such as old Aunt Ginnie use to bake. Mrs. Will treated me to four. I wish you could have been here for cade is something seldom been there days. They use the foam that gathers on the molasses whilst it is cooling which makes a rich and nice cake and persons are using it about here. Mr. Leavers has made several hundred gallons of molasses and they are not done boiling yet. Sarah says if she thought you would like to have it she would buy four or 5 gallons for you. They sell it at $8 a gallon but to wait there would perhaps be no chance of getting any and price may also advance; would you like to have some? The salt arrived here safely. They have not got their pork yet and I think it fortunate as this warm weather has set in.","The folks here are tolerable with little Emma is threatened with croup this evening. She still talks of you at times as being at grandfather Rodeses.  Billy has been unwell for a week on too but is better for a few days and passed through he looks thin, and badly. He and Mr. Strayer went fishing today, but did not catch any fish. This is the second days fishing Mr. S has had this week without getting any, but he seems in good spirits and speaks of going again. Mr. O, Miss Janine and the rest of us are very well. I feel very tired. I have been boiling soap today.","I regret very much to tell you that John Reid, Bob Tidler, and John Millan were captured by the Yankees. They were sent out on a scout by Capt. Nelson and I suppose ventured too far, it is reported that they were captured beyond Winchester near or at Woods factory. Their have been so many different rumors about them one scarcely knew what to believe. One day report would be they were captured and another day they were not but I believe it is now confirmed. I feel very sorry for Mrs. Reid they say she is almost inconsolable. I have not seen Miss Bettie for some time she was out at Rosenbergers whilst Sallie was their. she spoke of having had a nice time. I have not heard from your friend Miss Emma except through Mrs. Miller. I always inquire about her she says Emm gets along very well complains of nothing but the cooking which is so different from what it is here. I expect to go to see Mrs. Coyner in a few days she has just returned from Augusta where she has been for some time. Miss Emma has not written to Sarah yet I do not think it likely she will as she has not done so yet.\n    \nMr. Thomas has not brought that flour yet but Billy saw him a short time ago and he promised to bring it very soon.","I am glad to hear there is a likelihood of your getting home at Christmas.  I hope you will not be disappointed nor disappoint us. We feel anxious to see you and will try to have something nice for you. I wish sometimes you had some of these nice Fenwick or Bellflower apples to eat that you could have and some of Aunt Fannies nice bread and milk, too. The nice applies will soon be gone they are [illegible].  I hope you are enjoying good health and find your studdies less irksome. Wright whenever you have an opportunity. The time seems very long. The folks at home send their love to you.  Mrs. Will wished me to remember her to you. I must close, accept the love and best wishes of your sister.\nMary S. Kagey","P.S. Please excuse the hastily and badly written letter, it is getting late and I feel very dull.","New Market, Va\nJan 15th 1864","Dear Friend Davy,\nI will now write you a few lines to let you know what we are all about. We are all well at present. Your folk were all well when last heard from. I suppose you have heard all about Mr. Strayer's death ere now. This neighborhood has not very much sickness now.","The Yanks are still at Martinsburg; they come up to Winchester every few days.  The Winchester people think that the Yanks will soon make a raid up the Valley. The 6th army corps has arrived at Martinsburg. Have you heard that Lieut. Coyner has taken a wife? He and Bettie Read were married on the 15th. They started to Augusta, about half an hour after they were married.  They were married at 8 o'clock A.M. They did not make much ado about it.  George Killian was married last week to Miss Sallie Anderson; they had a nice time of it. I do not know of any one else who is going to get married shortly unless it might be Davy, but I hardly think he would get married as long as this war lasts. Davy - what do you think of the order from Cooper, for the substitute men. I heard some one say that Nelson would appoint you enrolling officer of this county if you would accept of it. I think you would have a good time; you could be at home the most of the time. If you can get the position, I would like to see you come over. What do the students who have substitutes say about going into the army. We cannon join new companies only such as were in service on April 16th 1862. Nelson is going to Richmond tomorrow or next day. Rupe is going to Richmond next Monday, if nothing intervenes. How does studying go since you got back?  The sick of Thomas' brigade have all been sent away.","I received a letter from Casper several days since - he was quite well.  Resser is camped about 5 miles from here. Gilmore is camped near Forestville. I must close as it is getting late.  Write soon again.  \nYours \u0026 c\nAbram M. Henkel","7 good horses $700.00\n17 cattle 450.00\n20 Hogs\t@ $4.00 80.00\n40 acres of corn @ $20 800.00\n40 thousand bales, 5cts\t2000.00\nHouse plundered of\nprovisions, jewelry,\nwatches, and clothing 600.00\n$4630.00","The above losses were all by the Union forces.","400 yds Cotton burnt\nWith at that time 40 cts $60.00\nBarn torn down 400.00\n1 full case of eye instruments\n1 case of instruments for Hydrocele","I assisted in the Federal Hospital three months in attending to wounded. Operated frequently, amputated several limbs, took up femoral artery in two cases, furnished medicines and other comforts to the sick and wounded.\nSolon P. C. Henkel, M. D.","[addressed to]\nDr. William E. Hall\n54 Va. Volunteer in\nCharge of Federal Hospital\nNew Market"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenkel Family papers, 1863-1864. MS 0374. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Henkel Family papers, 1863-1864. MS 0374. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of four Civil War era letters concerning the Henkel and Kagey families of New Market, Virginia. Also included are two letters signed by Solon P. C. Henkel, M.D. for reimbursement for goods taken from his farm by Union soldiers and for medical supplies used while he cared for Union soldiers at the Federal hospital in New Market.\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Bowling Green, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, the wounding of Captain George W. Wooding, and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Woodville, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and a request for money.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from New Market, Virginia. The letter discusses family news, domestic matters, news of soldiers capture. At this time, David F. Kagey was a student at the University of Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe letter contains a list of property taken by Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThere are two copies of this letter.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of four Civil War era letters concerning the Henkel and Kagey families of New Market, Virginia. Also included are two letters signed by Solon P. C. Henkel, M.D. for reimbursement for goods taken from his farm by Union soldiers and for medical supplies used while he cared for Union soldiers at the Federal hospital in New Market.","Written from Bowling Green, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, the wounding of Captain George W. Wooding, and family news.","Written from Woodville, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and a request for money.","Written from New Market, Virginia. The letter discusses family news, domestic matters, news of soldiers capture. At this time, David F. Kagey was a student at the University of Virginia.","Written from New Market, Virginia. Letter regards family and Civil War news.","The letter contains a list of property taken by Union troops.","There are two copies of this letter."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_13565d5b897919a7a5202137d9e86007\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"famname_ssim":["Henkel Family"],"names_coll_ssim":["Henkel Family"],"persname_ssim":["Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Henkel Family","Henkel, David H., 1839?-?","Kagey, David F., 1834?-?"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":5,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_454_c04"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453_c02","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter from Adam Dunlap to Robert Dunlap, 1864","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453_c02#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453_c02#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453_c02","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453_c02"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453_c02","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","parent_ssim":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter from Adam Dunlap to Robert Dunlap","title_ssm":["Letter from Adam Dunlap to Robert Dunlap"],"title_tesim":["Letter from Adam Dunlap to Robert Dunlap"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from Adam Dunlap to Robert Dunlap, 1864"],"text":["Letter from Adam Dunlap to Robert Dunlap, 1864","Dunlap Family letters, 1864","Dunlap, Adam B.","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English","Warnsburg Mo\nJuly 13 1864","Dear Brother\nIn haste I sent my self this evening to answer youres of the 9th of June which com to house this morning [B_] I was glad to here that I had one brother still alive Brother Jim was stabd by one of the same company belong to on the 5th of the present month an dided on the 9th living 4 days after he was stabd in the brest the knife ranging a little to the right side an entred the right lung the fellow is now in the gard house with ball and chaine to him I don't know what they will do with him I think he ourt to be shot his name is James H Capehurt brother Jim was one of the strongest of radical union men thed could be he an I blonged to the 7th cavalry M. Scott wer here bene fighting rebels evr since 1862 and I expect to fight them as long as I liv  Bull I am very sory that you all war solduere, I cant see what you ment for be a rebel an you ar out of the rebel hands I hope you will nevr go back to them any more [?] tiz to all of our intraests to hav the southern confedrcy crushed ten million miles beneath I hope I will liv to see this government freed of Rebels an also of slavry tiz sirntly to all our intraests to hav it so well Bale I hope you will get well an com out west an liv with me I got a letter frm my wife this mrning they were all at home is at otterville","Cooper Co, Mo\nWell Bale the rebels ar rite smart troble round here thare was a scout of our boys out som five days they had just got back they killed 5 [?]and wonded one we take no prisners in this country we don't recognize them as confedrite solduers they ar nothing but robers an murders an theivs Bale thare is som onest men in the Rebel army I don't think thare was evr any of them in this [?] all they care for is to steel rob an murder this is pretty plane talk but tiz nevr the les so well Brother I will close hoping that you will chang from youre way of thinking I will send you som stamps in this leter","I wold like for you to write to me an tell me whether you hav hard any thing from Mother Cathy an also from Brothers W and  Samuel or Thom not hard one word from home since the ware I guest tho they ar all like you Rebel","Well Ball if you write to me a gane direct my letters to my wife at Otterville\nHer name Mrs Mary Dunlap\nOtterville\nCooper Co, Mo","As I am not long at one plase the head qrts is at this plase you can direct to me if you like I will close hoping to hare from you soon\nA D Dunlap to\nRobert B Dunlap","Written from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\""],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1864"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1864 July 13"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":2,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"creator_ssim":["Dunlap, Adam B."],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"persname_ssim":["Dunlap, Adam B."],"names_ssim":["Dunlap, Adam B."],"access_subjects_ssim":["United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1864],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWarnsburg Mo\u003cbr\u003e\nJuly 13 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Brother\u003cbr\u003e\nIn haste I sent my self this evening to answer youres of the 9th of June which com to house this morning [B_] I was glad to here that I had one brother still alive Brother Jim was stabd by one of the same company belong to on the 5th of the present month an dided on the 9th living 4 days after he was stabd in the brest the knife ranging a little to the right side an entred the right lung the fellow is now in the gard house with ball and chaine to him I don't know what they will do with him I think he ourt to be shot his name is James H Capehurt brother Jim was one of the strongest of radical union men thed could be he an I blonged to the 7th cavalry M. Scott wer here bene fighting rebels evr since 1862 and I expect to fight them as long as I liv  Bull I am very sory that you all war solduere, I cant see what you ment for be a rebel an you ar out of the rebel hands I hope you will nevr go back to them any more [?] tiz to all of our intraests to hav the southern confedrcy crushed ten million miles beneath I hope I will liv to see this government freed of Rebels an also of slavry tiz sirntly to all our intraests to hav it so well Bale I hope you will get well an com out west an liv with me I got a letter frm my wife this mrning they were all at home is at otterville\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCooper Co, Mo\u003cbr\u003e\nWell Bale the rebels ar rite smart troble round here thare was a scout of our boys out som five days they had just got back they killed 5 [?]and wonded one we take no prisners in this country we don't recognize them as confedrite solduers they ar nothing but robers an murders an theivs Bale thare is som onest men in the Rebel army I don't think thare was evr any of them in this [?] all they care for is to steel rob an murder this is pretty plane talk but tiz nevr the les so well Brother I will close hoping that you will chang from youre way of thinking I will send you som stamps in this leter \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI wold like for you to write to me an tell me whether you hav hard any thing from Mother Cathy an also from Brothers W and  Samuel or Thom not hard one word from home since the ware I guest tho they ar all like you Rebel \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell Ball if you write to me a gane direct my letters to my wife at Otterville\u003cbr\u003e\nHer name Mrs Mary Dunlap\u003cbr\u003e\nOtterville\u003cbr\u003e\nCooper Co, Mo\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAs I am not long at one plase the head qrts is at this plase you can direct to me if you like I will close hoping to hare from you soon\u003cbr\u003e\nA D Dunlap to\u003cbr\u003e\nRobert B Dunlap\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Warnsburg Mo\nJuly 13 1864","Dear Brother\nIn haste I sent my self this evening to answer youres of the 9th of June which com to house this morning [B_] I was glad to here that I had one brother still alive Brother Jim was stabd by one of the same company belong to on the 5th of the present month an dided on the 9th living 4 days after he was stabd in the brest the knife ranging a little to the right side an entred the right lung the fellow is now in the gard house with ball and chaine to him I don't know what they will do with him I think he ourt to be shot his name is James H Capehurt brother Jim was one of the strongest of radical union men thed could be he an I blonged to the 7th cavalry M. Scott wer here bene fighting rebels evr since 1862 and I expect to fight them as long as I liv  Bull I am very sory that you all war solduere, I cant see what you ment for be a rebel an you ar out of the rebel hands I hope you will nevr go back to them any more [?] tiz to all of our intraests to hav the southern confedrcy crushed ten million miles beneath I hope I will liv to see this government freed of Rebels an also of slavry tiz sirntly to all our intraests to hav it so well Bale I hope you will get well an com out west an liv with me I got a letter frm my wife this mrning they were all at home is at otterville","Cooper Co, Mo\nWell Bale the rebels ar rite smart troble round here thare was a scout of our boys out som five days they had just got back they killed 5 [?]and wonded one we take no prisners in this country we don't recognize them as confedrite solduers they ar nothing but robers an murders an theivs Bale thare is som onest men in the Rebel army I don't think thare was evr any of them in this [?] all they care for is to steel rob an murder this is pretty plane talk but tiz nevr the les so well Brother I will close hoping that you will chang from youre way of thinking I will send you som stamps in this leter","I wold like for you to write to me an tell me whether you hav hard any thing from Mother Cathy an also from Brothers W and  Samuel or Thom not hard one word from home since the ware I guest tho they ar all like you Rebel","Well Ball if you write to me a gane direct my letters to my wife at Otterville\nHer name Mrs Mary Dunlap\nOtterville\nCooper Co, Mo","As I am not long at one plase the head qrts is at this plase you can direct to me if you like I will close hoping to hare from you soon\nA D Dunlap to\nRobert B Dunlap"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\""],"_nest_path_":"/components#1","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_453","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_453.xml","title_ssm":["Dunlap Family letters"],"title_tesim":["Dunlap Family letters"],"unitdate_ssm":["1864"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1864"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1864"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"text":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864","MS.0373","/repositories/3/resources/453","Spotsylvania Court House, Battle of, Va., 1864","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","Missouri—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","Spotsylvania Court House\nSpottsvilvany CH\nMay 20th 1864","Dear mother,\nI imbrace the preasent oppitunity to let you know that I am well but very tired and dirty; our corps left this place yesterday with the purpose of flanking the enemy and we marched about six mile and had a very bad fight  we fought from about 5 oclock until about 9 oclock  it was hotest we have been in for some time:  we got back here about 3 oclock last night.  this is 10 days that we have bin marching and fighting and I have not slept with my boots or cartridge box off in that time.  we lost four men killed [and] wounded yesterday. Bittle Thorntin was killed [and] our Maj. Was wounded that is all that you know. I have escaped without so far, but I don't know how soon I may be hit. the battle field presents one of the most horrible scens that I ever witnessed  the ground is spoted over with dead bodies men that was killed ten days ago lying there unburried and wounded men lay there for six days. I was on picket last tuesday and I could heare them holowring for water all times in the night but we could not get to them. When we would go to get them the Yankees would fire at us, [and] so they had to lay theare and perish. I got a letter from Sam this morning he was at home [and] had got a horse; Dr. Hamilton is here he expects to stay until the fight is over and I hope that wont be long for I am very tired well I must stop writing for this time so no more at preasant. \nYour affectionate son\nR B Dunlap","Warnsburg Mo\nJuly 13 1864","Dear Brother\nIn haste I sent my self this evening to answer youres of the 9th of June which com to house this morning [B_] I was glad to here that I had one brother still alive Brother Jim was stabd by one of the same company belong to on the 5th of the present month an dided on the 9th living 4 days after he was stabd in the brest the knife ranging a little to the right side an entred the right lung the fellow is now in the gard house with ball and chaine to him I don't know what they will do with him I think he ourt to be shot his name is James H Capehurt brother Jim was one of the strongest of radical union men thed could be he an I blonged to the 7th cavalry M. Scott wer here bene fighting rebels evr since 1862 and I expect to fight them as long as I liv  Bull I am very sory that you all war solduere, I cant see what you ment for be a rebel an you ar out of the rebel hands I hope you will nevr go back to them any more [?] tiz to all of our intraests to hav the southern confedrcy crushed ten million miles beneath I hope I will liv to see this government freed of Rebels an also of slavry tiz sirntly to all our intraests to hav it so well Bale I hope you will get well an com out west an liv with me I got a letter frm my wife this mrning they were all at home is at otterville","Cooper Co, Mo\nWell Bale the rebels ar rite smart troble round here thare was a scout of our boys out som five days they had just got back they killed 5 [?]and wonded one we take no prisners in this country we don't recognize them as confedrite solduers they ar nothing but robers an murders an theivs Bale thare is som onest men in the Rebel army I don't think thare was evr any of them in this [?] all they care for is to steel rob an murder this is pretty plane talk but tiz nevr the les so well Brother I will close hoping that you will chang from youre way of thinking I will send you som stamps in this leter","I wold like for you to write to me an tell me whether you hav hard any thing from Mother Cathy an also from Brothers W and  Samuel or Thom not hard one word from home since the ware I guest tho they ar all like you Rebel","Well Ball if you write to me a gane direct my letters to my wife at Otterville\nHer name Mrs Mary Dunlap\nOtterville\nCooper Co, Mo","As I am not long at one plase the head qrts is at this plase you can direct to me if you like I will close hoping to hare from you soon\nA D Dunlap to\nRobert B Dunlap","This collection consists of two letters regarding members of the Dunlap Family of Jennings Gap, Augusta County, Virginia. The first letter (dated May 20th, 1864) is from Confederate soldier Robert B. Dunlap to his mother Margaret Dunlap and describes the aftermath of battle. The second letter (dated July 13, 1864) is from Adam Dunlap, a Union loyalist, to his brother Robert Dunlap. This letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"","Written from Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Letter describes the aftermath of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.","Written from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dunlap Family","Dunlap, Robert B. (Robert Bailey), 1843-1934","Dunlap, Adam B.","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"collection_ssim":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0373","/repositories/3/resources/453"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0373","/repositories/3/resources/453"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_ssm":["Dunlap, Robert B. (Robert Bailey), 1843-1934","Dunlap, Adam B."],"creator_ssim":["Dunlap, Robert B. (Robert Bailey), 1843-1934","Dunlap, Adam B."],"creator_persname_ssim":["Dunlap, Robert B. (Robert Bailey), 1843-1934","Dunlap, Adam B."],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_famname_ssim":["Dunlap Family"],"creators_ssim":["Dunlap, Robert B. (Robert Bailey), 1843-1934","Dunlap, Adam B.","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dunlap Family"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Spotsylvania Court House, Battle of, Va., 1864","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","Missouri—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Spotsylvania Court House, Battle of, Va., 1864","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","Missouri—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["2 items"],"extent_tesim":["2 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1864],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSpotsylvania Court House\u003cbr\u003e\nSpottsvilvany CH\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 20th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear mother,\u003cbr\u003e\nI imbrace the preasent oppitunity to let you know that I am well but very tired and dirty; our corps left this place yesterday with the purpose of flanking the enemy and we marched about six mile and had a very bad fight  we fought from about 5 oclock until about 9 oclock  it was hotest we have been in for some time:  we got back here about 3 oclock last night.  this is 10 days that we have bin marching and fighting and I have not slept with my boots or cartridge box off in that time.  we lost four men killed [and] wounded yesterday. Bittle Thorntin was killed [and] our Maj. Was wounded that is all that you know. I have escaped without so far, but I don't know how soon I may be hit. the battle field presents one of the most horrible scens that I ever witnessed  the ground is spoted over with dead bodies men that was killed ten days ago lying there unburried and wounded men lay there for six days. I was on picket last tuesday and I could heare them holowring for water all times in the night but we could not get to them. When we would go to get them the Yankees would fire at us, [and] so they had to lay theare and perish. I got a letter from Sam this morning he was at home [and] had got a horse; Dr. Hamilton is here he expects to stay until the fight is over and I hope that wont be long for I am very tired well I must stop writing for this time so no more at preasant.\u003cbr\u003e \nYour affectionate son\u003cbr\u003e\nR B Dunlap\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWarnsburg Mo\u003cbr\u003e\nJuly 13 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Brother\u003cbr\u003e\nIn haste I sent my self this evening to answer youres of the 9th of June which com to house this morning [B_] I was glad to here that I had one brother still alive Brother Jim was stabd by one of the same company belong to on the 5th of the present month an dided on the 9th living 4 days after he was stabd in the brest the knife ranging a little to the right side an entred the right lung the fellow is now in the gard house with ball and chaine to him I don't know what they will do with him I think he ourt to be shot his name is James H Capehurt brother Jim was one of the strongest of radical union men thed could be he an I blonged to the 7th cavalry M. Scott wer here bene fighting rebels evr since 1862 and I expect to fight them as long as I liv  Bull I am very sory that you all war solduere, I cant see what you ment for be a rebel an you ar out of the rebel hands I hope you will nevr go back to them any more [?] tiz to all of our intraests to hav the southern confedrcy crushed ten million miles beneath I hope I will liv to see this government freed of Rebels an also of slavry tiz sirntly to all our intraests to hav it so well Bale I hope you will get well an com out west an liv with me I got a letter frm my wife this mrning they were all at home is at otterville\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCooper Co, Mo\u003cbr\u003e\nWell Bale the rebels ar rite smart troble round here thare was a scout of our boys out som five days they had just got back they killed 5 [?]and wonded one we take no prisners in this country we don't recognize them as confedrite solduers they ar nothing but robers an murders an theivs Bale thare is som onest men in the Rebel army I don't think thare was evr any of them in this [?] all they care for is to steel rob an murder this is pretty plane talk but tiz nevr the les so well Brother I will close hoping that you will chang from youre way of thinking I will send you som stamps in this leter \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI wold like for you to write to me an tell me whether you hav hard any thing from Mother Cathy an also from Brothers W and  Samuel or Thom not hard one word from home since the ware I guest tho they ar all like you Rebel \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell Ball if you write to me a gane direct my letters to my wife at Otterville\u003cbr\u003e\nHer name Mrs Mary Dunlap\u003cbr\u003e\nOtterville\u003cbr\u003e\nCooper Co, Mo\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAs I am not long at one plase the head qrts is at this plase you can direct to me if you like I will close hoping to hare from you soon\u003cbr\u003e\nA D Dunlap to\u003cbr\u003e\nRobert B Dunlap\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Spotsylvania Court House\nSpottsvilvany CH\nMay 20th 1864","Dear mother,\nI imbrace the preasent oppitunity to let you know that I am well but very tired and dirty; our corps left this place yesterday with the purpose of flanking the enemy and we marched about six mile and had a very bad fight  we fought from about 5 oclock until about 9 oclock  it was hotest we have been in for some time:  we got back here about 3 oclock last night.  this is 10 days that we have bin marching and fighting and I have not slept with my boots or cartridge box off in that time.  we lost four men killed [and] wounded yesterday. Bittle Thorntin was killed [and] our Maj. Was wounded that is all that you know. I have escaped without so far, but I don't know how soon I may be hit. the battle field presents one of the most horrible scens that I ever witnessed  the ground is spoted over with dead bodies men that was killed ten days ago lying there unburried and wounded men lay there for six days. I was on picket last tuesday and I could heare them holowring for water all times in the night but we could not get to them. When we would go to get them the Yankees would fire at us, [and] so they had to lay theare and perish. I got a letter from Sam this morning he was at home [and] had got a horse; Dr. Hamilton is here he expects to stay until the fight is over and I hope that wont be long for I am very tired well I must stop writing for this time so no more at preasant. \nYour affectionate son\nR B Dunlap","Warnsburg Mo\nJuly 13 1864","Dear Brother\nIn haste I sent my self this evening to answer youres of the 9th of June which com to house this morning [B_] I was glad to here that I had one brother still alive Brother Jim was stabd by one of the same company belong to on the 5th of the present month an dided on the 9th living 4 days after he was stabd in the brest the knife ranging a little to the right side an entred the right lung the fellow is now in the gard house with ball and chaine to him I don't know what they will do with him I think he ourt to be shot his name is James H Capehurt brother Jim was one of the strongest of radical union men thed could be he an I blonged to the 7th cavalry M. Scott wer here bene fighting rebels evr since 1862 and I expect to fight them as long as I liv  Bull I am very sory that you all war solduere, I cant see what you ment for be a rebel an you ar out of the rebel hands I hope you will nevr go back to them any more [?] tiz to all of our intraests to hav the southern confedrcy crushed ten million miles beneath I hope I will liv to see this government freed of Rebels an also of slavry tiz sirntly to all our intraests to hav it so well Bale I hope you will get well an com out west an liv with me I got a letter frm my wife this mrning they were all at home is at otterville","Cooper Co, Mo\nWell Bale the rebels ar rite smart troble round here thare was a scout of our boys out som five days they had just got back they killed 5 [?]and wonded one we take no prisners in this country we don't recognize them as confedrite solduers they ar nothing but robers an murders an theivs Bale thare is som onest men in the Rebel army I don't think thare was evr any of them in this [?] all they care for is to steel rob an murder this is pretty plane talk but tiz nevr the les so well Brother I will close hoping that you will chang from youre way of thinking I will send you som stamps in this leter","I wold like for you to write to me an tell me whether you hav hard any thing from Mother Cathy an also from Brothers W and  Samuel or Thom not hard one word from home since the ware I guest tho they ar all like you Rebel","Well Ball if you write to me a gane direct my letters to my wife at Otterville\nHer name Mrs Mary Dunlap\nOtterville\nCooper Co, Mo","As I am not long at one plase the head qrts is at this plase you can direct to me if you like I will close hoping to hare from you soon\nA D Dunlap to\nRobert B Dunlap"],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eDunlap Family letters, 1864. MS 0373. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Dunlap Family letters, 1864. MS 0373. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of two letters regarding members of the Dunlap Family of Jennings Gap, Augusta County, Virginia. The first letter (dated May 20th, 1864) is from Confederate soldier Robert B. Dunlap to his mother Margaret Dunlap and describes the aftermath of battle. The second letter (dated July 13, 1864) is from Adam Dunlap, a Union loyalist, to his brother Robert Dunlap. This letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Letter describes the aftermath of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of two letters regarding members of the Dunlap Family of Jennings Gap, Augusta County, Virginia. The first letter (dated May 20th, 1864) is from Confederate soldier Robert B. Dunlap to his mother Margaret Dunlap and describes the aftermath of battle. The second letter (dated July 13, 1864) is from Adam Dunlap, a Union loyalist, to his brother Robert Dunlap. This letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\"","Written from Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Letter describes the aftermath of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.","Written from Warnsburg, Missouri. Letter discusses the murder of their brother Jim (also a Union loyalist) by a member of his own unit and encourages Robert to \"change your way of thinking.\""],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_6a96385d189874018d80358d5fd64201\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"famname_ssim":["Dunlap Family"],"names_coll_ssim":["Dunlap Family"],"persname_ssim":["Dunlap, Robert B. 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Stephens to John W. Pratt, 1881"],"text":["Letter from Alexander H. Stephens to John W. Pratt, 1881","Civil War documents and ephemera, 1862/1888","Stephens, Alexander H. (Alexander Hamilton), 1812-1883","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English.","Letter to John W. Pratt of Paris, Kentucky, responding to a question about the Civil War."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Civil War documents and ephemera, 1862/1888"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Civil War documents and ephemera, 1862/1888"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1881"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1881 February 19"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":7,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Civil War documents and ephemera, 1862/1888"],"creator_ssim":["Stephens, Alexander H. (Alexander Hamilton), 1812-1883"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"persname_ssim":["Stephens, Alexander H. 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Roller papers, 1862/1910"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions."],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English."],"date_range_isim":[1863],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLetter regards receipt of recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Letter regards receipt of recommendations."],"_nest_path_":"/components#1/components#0","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_599","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_599","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_599","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_599","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_599.xml","title_ssm":["John E. Roller papers"],"title_tesim":["John E. Roller papers"],"unitdate_ssm":["1862-1910"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1862-1910"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1862/1910"],"normalized_title_ssm":["John E. Roller papers, 1862/1910"],"text":["John E. Roller papers, 1862/1910","MS.0171","/repositories/3/resources/599","New Market Cadets","Virginia Military Institute—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia Military Institute—Cadet debating societies","Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1863","Confederate States of America. Army—Corps of Engineers","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1860-1869","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Correspondence","Dispatches","Scrapbooks","Telegrams","Speeches, Addresses, etc.","Photographs","There are no restrictions.","A portion of the John E. Roller personal papers are avaliable \nonline.","Letter regards a meeting.","John Edwin Roller was born in Rockingham County, Virginia on October 5, 1844 to Peter Samuel Roller and Frances Allebach. In the summer of 1861, although underage for service, he briefly served with Company I of the First Virginia Cavalry, Confederate States of America. On December 31, 1861, Roller entered VMI as a second classman and graduated in July 1863. He subsequently taught mathematics at VMI for a few months, and then was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant, Company G, 2nd Confederate States Engineers in October 1863. He served as an engineer officer in the Army of Northern Virginia until the end of the Civil War, and was paroled at Appomattox, Virginia.","After the War, Roller he studied law at the University of Virginia and practiced law in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He also served in the Virginia State Legislature and was a Brigadier General in the state militia. Roller was widely known in the Harrisonburg community as \"General Roller.\" He died in Harrisonburg on August 10, 1918.","No. 28 V.M.I. Jan 24th 1862","Dear Parents,\nAs I could not finish on a half sheet I concluded I would commence on this as I had several things to write about yet. You enquired in your last about bedding. I have obtained a mattress and have plenty of cover. I put two of my blankets in my trunk in the arsenal because I did not need them. Only one trunk is allowed to a room and I had to send mine to the arsenal. I wish you had the big one at home, for I have not a thing in it. We are not allowed to go to town only on Saturday, when I will see about those slippers, though I think I can do without them very well. I wish I had kept a pair of citizens pants here as I could save my cadet pants very much by wearing them. But it is not worth while to try to send them to me now.","I will try and make out with what I have now. Tell John Carpenter I still think of his promise. I wonder if George would not like to come here, there are several fellows here from the 1st regiment, who got off to come here and if George will come, I will try and get him an appointment. I should like it very much to have him here with me.","You want to know what arrangements they have that cadets are not allowed to come home in two years, I will try and send you a catalogue, so that you may see how it is. I have to study very hard but I like the place better every day. I made a \"perfect\" today. Remember me to Cousin A.B. and all my friends. I hope he will succeed well with his school. R.A. Crawford says I must remember him to A.B. and ask him if he received his \"Phonography.\" I wish you'd send me the Register every week. I do not get to see a paper here hardly and the Register would seem so familiar to me. If you see something really good in the Dispatch, I wish you would send that sometimes too. I wish you would send some soap, whenever you send me that studying gown. A piece or two of that old \"homemade\" would save some little money for soap is high here. But I must close this letter, as the mail box will soon be shut. Excuse it if you please, for it is badly connected, but that could not be helped for I had to write it whenever I had the chance. Write soon to me and give me the news. Much love to all and a kiss for \"brother.\"","Your affectionate son, J.E. Roller","I can't think of any name for brother yet. Tell me in your next what you think of calling him. I [seem] to have forgotten to mention to you that that it is rumored that the Cadets will be invited to Richmond the 22nd of Feb. to see Jeff Davis inaugurated, but it is not generally believed. I wish they would for it will be a grand sight and a great honor to witness the inauguration of what will be one of the greatest powers in the world.\nJ.E.Roller","Staunton, Va.\nStaunton Aug. 25th 1862","My Dear Son\nYour letter to your ma was duly received. In reply to your inquiry about negroes for Genl. Smith, I know of none that can be hired or none that could be bought at this time. If I should hear of any I will write again. Had I known it a week earlier I think I could have gotten several men for him belonging to a party in Loudoun County.","I have not been to Harrisonburg since you wrote about the goods for Pantaloons, and as the season is so far advanced and as you have a prospect of getting other clothing for winter I have concluded not to buy it unless you think you shall need it.","The Mt. Crawford company has been exchanged and I understand that Mr. Blackford has succeeded in getting quite a number of them to join his company. If you have a desire to join his company as first Lieutenant perhaps it would be the best thing you could do. I think it will be best for you to consult Genl. Smith about it. He knows best what your chances would be for a situation after [you graduate]. If you have to enter the service [missing word] it would be better to go into it [now] and get hardened to the service before the cold weather sets in. However, if Genl. Smith thinks you had better stay until you graduate, I shall say to Mr. Blackford as soon as I see him, I will say to him if he will have you appointed that you shall have the privilege of accepting it. I will write again as soon as I see him and let you know what the prospects are of you getting an appointment. George Carpenter could not get out of the army he being a conscript and no provisions being made by Congress for young men wishing to go to the Military Institution. I am though with the Dam and have the Mill running again.\nYours in haste, P.S. Roller","V.M. Institute\nMarch 18th 1863","The following is a true statement of the facts with regard to my tour of O.D. on the 16th inst. and in connection with the removal of reports from the Commandant's office. I marched on O.D. at the usual time on Monday morning, and from that time until the recreation drum at 4 PM, I was either in Mr. Grigg's room, the Commandant's office, or in front of the Barracks (several hours spent either in section room, Mess Hall, or my own room), with the exceptions of the following times, viz.-- from 8-9 in Col. Williamson's section room, from 10-11 in Col. Preston's, from 12 to 1 in Col. Gilham's, and from 1-2 spent partly in Mess Hall and partly in room. I attended all C.P.s and looked up absentees and went in the Commandant's office frequently during the day","Sometime in the morning, I cannot state positively the precise time, though I think between 9 and 10 o'clock AM, upon entering the Commandant's office, I saw one of the fatigue sentinels standing at the desk, with a key in the keyhole. I did not see him have the desk open, nor did I see him have any reports. I remarked to him, \"What are you doing? Do you not know that you are responsible for those reports.\" He replied that he was not stealing reports, but that he just wanted to see if his key would fit the lock. I said nothing more, but turned around immediately and went out.","From 4 o'clock until E.P., I was in my room and went from there to Supper in the Mess Hall, after which I returned to my room (where I remained) until the Study Drum was beaten, when I went down to Mr. Grigg's room and remained there until 11 o'clock. And after spending 10 or 15 minutes in quieting noise, receiving reports of inspectors, seeing the sentinels challenge properly, I went to my room and retired for the night.","I arose about 5 minutes to 7 o' clock and left my room about 15 minutes after and proceeded to Mr. Beckham's room to see some Engineering plates which he had, and from there went to Mess Hall to breakfast, being just in time to meet the corps as it was leaving the Hall. After B. I marched of O.D. and on enquiring of Mr. Shaw for the Guard Book was told that Major Ship had it and also that the reports had been removed, which was the first intimation I had rec'd of the fact. I know not even the slightest circumstance upon which to ground even a suspicion, except the above circumstance, but in justice I feel bound to say, that I could not give any positive evidence that the desk had been opened by him or whether his key fit the lock, and can conscientiously express the belief that he was not the one who removed the reports after E.P., or before E.P. \u0026 [?]. Hoping the\nabove may [prove] \u0026.","J.E. Roller","I forgot to mention that about ten o'clock, seeing the Orderlies Delinquencies laying outside the desk, and knowing that I was responsible for them, I got Mr. Grigg's key and placed them in the desk. Mr. Shaw and two of sentinels were present at the time. I am unable to say how the books came there, and according to the best of my recollection. I saw them there after I saw Mr. Turner at the desk. I do not pretend to say that he placed them there, or that there were left there by the Com't. I merely make the statement and leave the inferences to be drawn.","Richmond, Va.\nNov. 8th/63","Dear Roller,\nAllow me to congratulate you upon your success in obtaining a commission. I want to follow your example. A commission is something I have been seeking, ever since we graduated, but all my efforts are unavailing. Will you inform me by what \"slight of hand\" you were so successful. Let me know all the minutiae, the letters you had \u0026 from whom \u0026 to whom they were addressed \u0026\nthe political or rather military friends you employed. Present my kindest regards to Prince, with many wishes for your success \u0026 the hope you may do honor to my class (which you can do)","I am Truly Yr. Friend \u0026 classmate\nW.W. Flannagan\nBox 610","\"V.M.I\" Jan. 6th '64","Dear Roller,\nYour letter was a pleasant surprise. I did not expect it for some time to come, it was received however too late for me to reply by Thursday's mail, the mail is now always a day too late.","Well sir, I enter upon the deep and stormy waters of the Rubicon on tomorrow. I have labored up to this time as diligently as I could, but I never was now fearful of shipwreck before. I leave the result to fate, wherever she casts my lot, I will have to remain satisfied. I will write you the result however immediately it is known, if I should be thrown I will see you a short time after.","Many thanks to you for your kind invitation to visit you as well as the ladies, it would afford me great pleasure, and if possible, I will accept it. Pizzini and myself are just enjoying the contents of two boxes, which \"that confounded packet\" has at last brought to hand, we wish so much that you were here to share it with us. Prince was out frolicking last night until 12 o'clock, so that I could not attend to your messages. This morning I gave him the letter and told him that I intended writing to you and would send any message he might desire, but he said nothing at all. I have delivered your message to Blum and Perkinson. Beckham left last Saturday for Staunton and carried your trunk with him as you directed, I suppose you have received it by this. Smith F. has not written the letter to his brother yet, as soon as he does, I will forward to you if he does not do so himself. I have heard nothing of Crawford since you left. Dick Chaffin was severely wounded in the recent fight near Covington, 'tis thought his leg will have to be amputated. I wish I could have received your letter in time to reply by Thursday's mail as I know you will expect an answer then. I have attended to your little affairs, no trouble I can assure you. If you have other business in this section, let me hear and I will also attend to that. Overton as well as all the occupants of No. 23 send their kindest regards. You will hear from me again by Monday or Tuesday next.","Your sincere friend\nLawrence Royster","V.M.I. Jan. 9th 1864","My dear Roller,\nThe Rubicon I think is crossed though I did not pass as good an examination as I desired, and have had the misfortune to be thrown in the third section, which is terrible, as you know that section is almost always deficient, though I am through yet I am disheartened at the idea of being that low. I stand only 37, which you know is very low, twenty-six were found deficient. I should like very much to join you and go to Charleston, but you know getting through is better than any thing else. If I should not stand a very good chance as June approaches, I shall resign and join you wherever you at all hazards. The idea of going into the last section has made me feel almost as badly as a deficiency, I can assure you. I hope that you will continue to write me after you leave for the army. I will take great pleasure in replying to you whenever it is in my power. I shall always be happy to hear from you. Sally Crawford has arrived. Pizzini passed a very good examination, made 3 on subject, was not questioned. The thought of being in that deficient section and thrown in June, takes away all the pleasure of getting through. I must close. Let me hear from you.","Your sincere friend\nLawrence Royster","V.M.Institute\nMonday Feb. 22nd 1864","My dear Roller,\nThis is the first holyday that has not found me on fatigue guard for some time past so I will take advantage of it by replying to your letter which was received on yesterday morning. The last account I had of you was that you were in Richmond, applying for an office in the Ordnance Department. I am glad to hear that you are busily engaged in your new department. Allow me to thank you most kindly for your wishes for my success here as well as the desire you expressed of having me with you in your new home. Your letter inspired me with an ardent desire to join you. Since you left I have been several times on the eve of resigning and going to Charleston. I was fortunate enough in January to pass an examination, while many others were thrown and had to resign or be sent home. But at the same time I was so unfortunate as to be thrown into the third section. Since then I have labored with unceasing fidelity, but it seems the harder I work, the worse marks I make. I thought Analytical Geometry was hard enough, but Description certainly surpasses it by far, on that subject I am totally in the dark. My low mark and imperfect recitation have discouraged me so much that I have lost all taste for study. I wrote home for advise on resigning, but they wrote back earnestly entreating me to remain until July. However I have no idea that I will take that advice, I may leave at any time. I may leave am\nexceedingly anxious to be with you, and I now promise, if I leave at any time, will join you. It is a struggle between life and death with me now, if I leave, I give up all hope of ever obtaining an education, and seeing you do so well, inspires me with new desire of finishing my education at the \"V.M.I.\" At the same time I am anxious to be with you. If I enter the service at all I shall not even think of applying for an office of any kind, I expect to be a private wherever I go. At the same time accept my most sincere thanks for your kindness in offering me the office of O.S. if you could get it and I would accept it. I would accept it with great pleasure. I\nsometimes give up all hope of passing, and then again think of remaining and taking my chances in June, so I do not know what to be at. I shall consult Spex in a day or two and will be guided very much by what he says; though very little confidence can be put in anything that he says on such a subject as that, I do not suppose he would tell me even what he thought, however I shall try him.","Prince left here about one month ago, I heard since then that he was a Sergeant in the Engineers Corps, you seem to be the only successful one in your class. Grigg I hear is walking around loose in Petersburg. I am sure no one at the \"V.M.I.\" was glad at your leaving, indeed I heard some express their regret at it. Your old room is vacant. Sally Crawford and Lieut. Steptoe (new Sub) occupy No. 20 together, the former remains very quiet, is swelling on his bars and escorting the ladies home from church, etc. I do not know his qualifications as professor. The occupants of 23 all send their kindest regards. Pat Shafer has just come from the Hospital where he had been confined for several weeks with a severe attack of pneumonia, we thought at one time that he intended leaving us. Blum has been reinstated, but Spex refused to let him go on with the 2nd Class, so he has resigned, he\nsays he will accept a Sergeancy if you will give it to him. Capt. Whitwell\nhas recently returned from furlough accompanied by his lady, they are boarding at the Lexington Hotel. Miss Logan and Mr. Davidson were recently married also, the former I expect you know, a refugee from Winchester. What do you think of the recent law of Congress in regard to the Currency, taxes, etc? I am extremely glad that it will reduce the price of goods. The Steamer which has been as long on the way from Europe has recently arrived, but was destroyed for the goods falling into yankee hands, there were on board all the goods which we needed, the finest english gray cloth, etc. but unfortunately all were lost so I have given up on the idea of wearing a fine suit again.","Spex is still shipping indiscriminately, sometimes twelve or fifteen daily, rats are also reporting in numbers.","Patsy says he will accept an Orderly Sergeant's place if you will give it him, but he adds \"if he can do no better.\" Ross desires his kindest regards to you. I must close, though it is the 22nd, my time is limited. If I do leave, which I confidently expect to do, will write you immediately. I am anxious to be with you. I hope you will write me as often as possible, your letters will always be agreeable.","I am, as ever,\nYour Sincere friend\nLawrence Royster","Va. Mil. Institute\nApril 10th 1864","Dear Roller,\nYour last letter was received several days since and wishing to keep up a more regular correspondence between us, I answer your letter at the first opportunity and hope you will not delay writing a reply to this as long as you did my previous one, although your excuse for doing so was a good as well as a sufficient one. No news worthy of notice has taken place since last writing to you, but the old V.M.I still keeps up her notoriety for rumors and there are a thousand and one afloat about going on marches etc., which I would not like to enumerate, and were I so disposed, I think time and paper would fail me before I accomplished that end. But there is one which if true will wreck all the hopes I have been sustaining for the last six months and before which the pleasure of a long vacation will go \"glimmering like all things that were\": it is that no furloughs will be granted this summer and that our usual vacation of two months will either be spent in Gen. Lee's or Gen. Imboden's camp. This rumor is said to have good foundation, for those who were most interested were watching her with an eagle's eye and after having poised herself above the V.M.I. for some time during which many feathers were plucked from her wing, she was seen to direct her course toward Col. Preston's where she rested from his labors. There was another last week that we were going on a march and this one came from the direction of Gen. Smith's and with such force against barracks that some of her feathers are still visible on the stoops. Numerous others are afloat but as I said before to enumerate them would take more time than I have at my disposal.","With regard to your inquiry about Prince, I have not heard from him since he left nor have I seen any one who has; but I reckon he is having a good time wherever he is as he always takes things easy. Crawford resigned a few weeks since and has again entered the army as a private; Col. John Ross has been appointed to fill his vacancy. Old Max studies as hard as ever and talks\nas much about being found [deficient], but I believe they would put him through even if he were deficient on account of his good conduct. He received a letter from you a few days since and says he will answer it soon. I am very glad you like my uncle as I expected you would. I think you estimate his services too highly when you say that he deserves more of the credit for the defense of Charleston tho' he has done a great deal towards it. I hardly ever hear from him except though you and therefore your letters\nare doubly acceptable. Give my best to him when you next see him. With best wishes for your future prosperity I remain,","Yours truly, A.W. Overton","\"V.M.I.\" April 21st 1864","My Dear Roller,\nYour kind and interesting letter should have had a more speedy reply, but as the examination approaches, I am more and more busy every day. The Class has lost a great deal of time and consequently will not have so much to review in. We are now in the field surveying, have not yet finished Shades and Shadows. The weather has been during the past month colder than I have felt\nfor eight years even in the depth of winter. The mountains in sight are still covered with snow, and today is the only mild and clear day that we have had for over one month, and notwithstanding this we have not had fire since Christmas, and during the deep snows we had suspension of all duties for several days at a time. The cold was so severe that it was impossible to study, a great many went to bed in order to keep warm. This together with Col. Massie's sickness has thrown the 3rd class back very much, so now the hard work comes.","Since you left quite a change has taken place in the Faculty. Lt. Col. Ross has been appointed assistant Prof. Math 4th Class in your place; Sal Crawford received a commission in his old regiment and resigned about a month ago. Dr. Ross is Asst. prof French as well as Asst. Surgeon.","Spex is still very fond of his \"reviews and parades.\" Not long since Gen. Rosser's Cavalry Brigade came through here and encamped about ten or twelve miles beyond Lexington, by Spex's invitation he reviewed the Corps and inspected the barracks. Several days afterwards, he presented the Corps with a flag captured in battle from 164th New York Regiment as a trophy; the\npresentation speech was very fine indeed, it took place under guard tree before a very large crowd. Scott Shipp received it and replied; his was also very good but he was very much excited though, however it was his first speech in public. After the ceremony was over the Cavalry made a charge in field in front of barracks to give us an idea of it. But the idea, Roller, of the Corps of Cadets receiving a trophy taken by our troops in the field from the yankees; it looked like saying, \"Well, you are too weak and afraid to do any thing of this yourselves, so we will make you a present of one,\" I feel that it is a disgrace to the Corps. The speaker alluded in such a touching manner to the precious blood which was spilt in taking it, and of the Col. falling in the charge. That night he invited the officers of the Institute and the 1st Class to attend a party at the house where he was staying, but as all could not attend, Spex allowed only the four Captains and Adjt. to go. Several days afterwards he invited Spex to review his\nbrigade, and the officers and 1st Class again to dine with him, which as many as could conveniently do so, very readily accepted of.","I should like very much to enjoy those nice vegetables and fish you were speaking of, it certainly would be a great treat, especially when everything is so high and scarce, we are nearer starving here than ever before, a piece of beef frequently comes on the table for nine men which candidly speaking I could easily cover with one hand. If the school cannot be maintained on a better scale, I think they had as well close it. It is rumored and I partly believe it that instead of giving the Corps furlough next summer,\nwe are to be sent in a body to Gen. Lee's army. We have not had a march since December last, which I think I gave you an account of. Err this reaches you I imagine you will have received some news from the two grand armies on the Potomac, we are of opinion that it will be the greatest of the war up to this time. May Heaven give us the victory! Many thanks to you for your kind offer, it will be very acceptable. I will inform you immediately of the result of the examination after I know my fate, should I be unsuccessful will go directly from here to Charleston, so in your next letter write me what to equip myself with before leaving and what articles I can procure in Charleston as I do not want to carry more than is necessary.","There are now about fifty odd in the third class and I do not think Massie will pass more than twenty. I know he intends making a most \"awful rake.\" I must not neglect to tell you of the marriage of Miss Sanders (I suppose you remember her) to Capt. Contri an Italian on Gen. Morgan's staff. They say he is a very accomplished and gallant man, fought fourteen pitched battles in Europe, was in Crimean war etc., that is all I know however. They were here today. The Commandant's Office is now a reception room for all visitors, they are not allowed to come into barracks during study hours under any pretence whatever.","How are you progressing with the ladies now or do you visit them at all? As for myself, I have long since abandoned all thoughts of them, scarcely even look at them, you know how fatal they are. I have many things to write, but it is almost 11 o'clock PM and this is the last chance I will have to write for sometime to come. Finished my day's survey in[--] rather earlier today or would not have had this [missing word]. Write me as often as you can.","Your sincere friend,\nLawrence Royster","Sam Hopkins who was here last year, after being confined in some Yankee prison for several months returned home and died two days after.","Camp Stevens- Richmond\nMay 3, 1864","Dear Roller,\nYour esteemed favor did not reach me as soon as it would, had I not been absent on duty when it reached Camp. I hope you will pardon the delay on that account.","I must confess, I have been sadly disappointed in my calculations. When I resigned at the Institute, I was confident of a position in the Engineers. Alas! For the uncertainty of human expectations! I had thought very seriously of joining the Infantry, as a private, \u0026 but for the remonstrances of my parents, think I would have. There is little, well, I see none, chance of promotion in this service unless specially favored, which I have no right to expect. But I am not murmuring. I will be contented, if I only get through this struggle safe. It would afford you little interest, \u0026 cause me more mortification, to detail to you the many ways in which I have been\ndeceived. If I could only forget the many apparently bright prospects which have been offered me, I should feel at least condoled, but memory still sings out \"he, who tries to better a good condition, often renders it worse.\"","Your very kind offers in my behalf, I can assure you, are highly appreciated, \u0026 nothing would give me more pleasure than to be with you, I hope it may be so.","We are anxiously awaiting the result of the impending issue in Northern Virginia. I may say, in truth, never was so much anxiety manifested in any one battle. That we shall be victorious is my confident belief. We had some little excitement in this immediate locality last week, occasioned by the appearance of the enemy in some force at our positions [?] on the Pamunky. It turned out, however, to be a slight demonstration. Nothing else of special interest. Beckham \u0026 Boyd send their regards. Crawford has left the\nInstitute, he failed to get a detail. Write soon \u0026 let me know all.","Your sincere friend,\nJ.B. Prince","Grassy Dale Va., May 17th 1864","My Dear Son,\nIt has now been two weeks since we heard from you, but we suppose you have written but owing to the Raiders destroying the Rail Roads around Richmond we have no mail communication with the South. Since I wrote to you from Charlottesville we have had an exciting time in the Valley. I heard at Charlottesville that the Yankee Genl. Sigel was advancing up the Valley. When I returned to Staunton I found Genl. John C. Breckinridge at that point with two Brigade of Infantry and 12 pieces of Artillery. They left Staunton on Friday last and encamped at Mt. Crawford that night and left early the next morning and encamped that night at Lacy Springs and commenced their march next (Sunday) morning at one o'clock and halted a little below Tenth Legion and remained in that position until Gen. Breckinridge had news from the front.","To get you to understand the situation of things I will go back several days and give you a History of Gen. Imboden's doings. Gen. Imboden found out that the yankees were advancing in three columns, one up the Page, one up the Hardy \u0026 Pendleton Valley, and the main force up our valley. Gen. Imboden by forced marches fell upon the column (all Cavalry) near Moorefield very\nunexpectedly, routed them completely, and pursued them within 6 or 7 miles of Romney, in this time capturing all their train which he had to destroy, having no horses to bring out the wagon.","He then returned to the Valley traveling day \u0026 night, and only stopping long enough to graze his horses, and returned to the Valley in time to attack the column coming up the Page valley. Before Sigel's forces got up to New Market he attacked the column and utterly routed it, scattering it in the mountains and captured on Friday about 100 of them with about 200 fine cavalry horses. He attacked them on Friday night and on Saturday picked up the prisoners and would have gotten more but Sigel advanced and our forces had to fall back on this side of New Market, our men making a very stubborn resistance but was forced to fall back about 8 o'clock on Saturday night to a point 3 miles this side [of] New Market, the yankees having possession of the town during the night. This now gives you to understand the position of things and I will now commence where I left off with Gen. Breckinridge's troops.","Gen. Breckinridge advanced with his troops a little after day light and not wishing to be tedious he maneuvered his forces from one point to another until about 12 O'clock, when he attacked the enemy with his artillery. Having gotten the [heights] back of the town and after an artillery duel of perhaps one hour, the Cadets from Lexington with the 62 Regiment (Col. Smith's Regiment) charged one of the yank's Batteries. They captured it, but lost heavily, the cadets lost 5 killed and 39 wounded, some of them seriously, your friend Cary Watson Adjutant of the Battalion with Col. Shipp leading the Charge, they both came out safe except Col. Shipp had a slight scratch; Royster also came out unhurt. I give you a list of the killed. Cabell, W.H. McDowell, Crockett, C., Stanard, Jones H. It is said that Col. Gilham and Capt. Sims [Semmes] stayed in the rear where there was no danger.","It was at this time that Gen. Breckinridge commenced pressing the enemy at every point and although they had two to our one we drove them from the field capturing five pieces of their Artillery, 111 prisoners and leaving nearly all of their killed and wounded upon the field and in order to make good their retreat burned the bridge over the river. An Officer reports to me today that Sigel is retreating to Winchester in great haste, reporting that we have 30,000 men while we had not more than 4,000 in the fight, our\nreserve having never been brought into action. Gen. Breckinridge's forces are [returning?] up the Valley, whether they go to reinforce Gen. Lee or go to some other point. I went down the Valley with General Breckinridge having gone down with him at his request and was with him most of the time during the fight. I came home last night having left New Market about 1 o'clock\nyesterday. We have had and will continue to have heavy fighting in Virginia, but of the final result no one doubts but we will be successful. We have driven them and at least [repulsed?] them at every point. We are all well. Write soon and often.","Your father","Josie sends her love, so do all the rest. I hope when I write again to be able to give you the glorious news that we have driven the yanks from Virginia soil.","Richmond July 28 1864","My Dear Roller,\nYour letter sent by Overton was duly received and contents noted. I have inquired of the Express Company in regard to your trunk, they tell me that it will be safe to send the blankets in it. In regard to your jacket and vest, you merely told me to order them without saying how I was to send them or whether I was to pay for them. I have seen Doherty in regard to them and he can make them out of excellent cloth for $250 so they will be ready in a few days. I will wait until I hear from you before I ship any of the things, if you say so I can put both blankets \u0026 clothes in the trunk, let me hear immediately and I will attend to all with great pleasure. I should like very much to go over to see you, but cannot possibly do so, though I do not intend to remain here idle longer than the first of August. I am ashamed of it, will return to Lexington and remain there in camp first.","I have not seen Overton since the school closed. About two dozen of the boys are staying here. Speaking of the appointments, a good many of them surprised me, though I am very well satisfied with what I got, I don't care much however, you know kissing goes by favor. There are eight privates now in the first class, but it is my private belief that the Institute will not be in operation again until the was is over, although they have made arrangements to carry it on, books cloth and provisions an all wanting.","I am glad your Father did not suffer by the yankees. Mother lost absolutely every thing she had, and is now a refugee here, sick too, they not only stole all provision, and stock she had, but went about the house breaking up what they could find and then had the assurance to ask my sister if she could not furnish them with a snack of ham. Roller, if I am ever spared to get into yankee land, I will respect nothing but a woman's person, I'll break, pillage and plunder. My Mother, from living in luxury at home, is now\nforced to the necessity of borrowing a wagon to get home in, and I don't know what she is going to live on after she gets there.","Speaking of old \"23,\" she did [ro__] this time, if the appointments are permanent (which I doubt) but I am afraid Pat will not stand first, I think Davis will get him. Pat has been thinking too much of Miss Mollie, she will ruin him I am afraid, or rather has done so. I will write you a letter in a few days.","Sincerely, Your friend\nLawrence Royster\nAddress\nCare, Purcell, Ladd \u0026 Co.","Corps Cadets Camp on Intermediate Line\nNear Richmond Dec. 7th 1864","My Dear Roller,\nI am really ashamed at the idea of neglecting your letter for so long a time, but out here even I scarcely have time to write a letter, so busily are we occupied drilling and having dress parades. Soon after you were at Camp Lee, we moved to this place and it seems impossible, although we have procured the Almshouse for us to get away, we are anxiously expecting a furlough of two weeks to prepare etc. When we will be relieved from duty here I cannot say, we are daily expecting a fight on this line, certainly\nbefore the end of this week. They are making such a stir about our getting the building that I do not expect we will be able to study in peace after we do get there. The provisions and \"we officers\" have all been moved down ready for work but the much persecuted Corps has not been released from the Confederate Authorities yet. Not long since a foreign battalion was raised under Col. Tucker to be stationed in Columbia \u0026 Aiken SC as a garrison. A good many of our boys have accepted positions as Captains and Lieutenants, among them, several of the old class, also Duncan, Brockenbrough, James F., Dinwiddie, Barton, Penn and Tunstall. I came near going myself but concluded not to do so, and now I congratulate myself upon not going. I believe we intend to occupy the Alms House until the spring and then move to Lexington again. I am sure I cannot study much in Richmond, and now I have my fears concerning Calculus etc. as it would be more disgraceful than ever should I fail in that, oh! I do want that diploma so much. I have studied hard for two long years and now do not want to fail. We are to room by company, consequently our old room will greatly, to the regret of all parties, be broken up, Pizzini, Davis and myself being in different companies. With that\nexception I have as pleasant a room as I could desire. Stuart, Echols, Etheredge, Royster, Ridley R., James J., Jarratt \u0026 Peirce, the officers and non-commissioned of \"B\" Co. The house is an elegant building, much more than old barracks. We will also have to study on Saturday which I do not like much. That fine breakfast on Saturday will be knocked in the head then.","Ross \u0026 Echols desire to be remembered to you.","The John E. Roller papers include:\n\nCivil War era letters from cadet friends concerning life at VMI\nCivil War dispatches and telegrams that date from Roller's service with the Confederate States of America engineers, including one document signed by General Robert E. Lee\nOne scrapbook (circa 1910) that contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and other related information\nTwo photographs, one of Confederate soldier Lieutenant Colonel Samuel T. Walker (10th Virginia Infantry Regiment) and one of the Virginia Legislature Centennial Committee (1871)\nHolograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Cadet Norwood B. Randolph in 1870\nOther items","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards cadet life and the upcoming inauguration of Jefferson Davis.","Written from Staunton, Virginia. Letter regards Peter S. Roller's inability to supply General Francis H. Smith with hired or slave labor. Letter also includes a discussion of when John E. Roller should join the Army.","Written from VMI, Lexington, VIrginia. In the letter, John E. Roller submits a report concerning the theft of Commandant records.","Written from Richmond, Virginia. Letter congratulates John E. Roller on his Army commission.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter discusses examinations and mutual friends at VMI.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards results of examinations and that Lawrence Royster is considering leaving VMI.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards academic problems, uncertainty about staying at VMI, and mentions several recent graduates and cadets.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter discusses rumors about deployment of cadets and cadets who have left VMI.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards academics, changes in faculty, and cadet life.","Written from Camp Stephens, Richmond, Virginia. Joseph B. Prince recently resigned from a teaching job at VMI to join the Army, but is disappointed in his Army position.","Written from Grassy Dale, Virginia. Letter reports news of fighting in the Shenandoah Valley between forces of General Breckinridge and General Sigel. The letter also mentions the Battle of New Market.","Written from Richmond, Virginia. Letter regards Hunter's Raid and family news.","Written from Richmond, Virginia. Letter regards travel to VMI's temporary headquarters at the Alms House in Richmond.","Correspondents include Richard L. Gray, Nannie Lewis, G. W. Berlin, and C. L. Hammond.","Includes dispatches, notes, and telegrams.","Letter regards receipt of recommendations.","Certifies Thomas Hubbard, born in Caswell County, North Carolina.","Dispatch reports on enemy strength.","Document requests for officer to be assigned at Weldon.","Written near Drewry's Bluff, Virginia. Regards enemy naval forces.","\"I have telegraphed Hampton to return to Richmond. Send for him. Young's brigade under Col. Wright cannot be far in advance of Richmond. Get your Cavalry together, aid it with the Infantry, and drive back enemy.\"","Scouting report.","Dispatch regards transportation for officer.","Dispatch regards a matter pending before the War Department.","Dispatch regards a personnel request.","Dispatch regards a request for ammunition.","Dispatch directs W. Brown to send forge to Dunlap's Crossing, Georgia.","Dispatch requests map of Dinwiddie, Virginia.","Dispatch requests \"all amputating sets on hand.\"","\"If you should receive an unintelligible signal dispatch from Gen. Beauregard tonight or in morning take no notice of it- it is sent for a purpose.\"","Dispatch explains that Mayo is too sick to attend court.","Dispatch conveys instructions and reprimand.","Dispatch regards troop movements.","Dispatch requests five dollar notes.","Scrapbook contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and related information.","Samuel T. Walker (1830-1863) served with the 10th Virginia Infantry Regiment and was killed in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863.","Includes holograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Norwood B. Randolph in 1870, and other items.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898","Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889","Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890","Pizzini, Andrew, Jr., 1846-1913","Chaffin, Richard B. (Richard Booker), 1844-1902","Grigg, Wesley P. (Wesley Peyton), 1846-1865","Steptoe, Charles Y. (Charles Yancey), 1838-1877","Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917","Taylor, Walter H. (Walter Herron), 1838-1916","English\n."],"collection_title_tesim":["John E. Roller papers, 1862/1910"],"collection_ssim":["John E. Roller papers, 1862/1910"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0171","/repositories/3/resources/599"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0171","/repositories/3/resources/599"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_ssm":["Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898"],"creator_ssim":["Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898","Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889","Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890","Pizzini, Andrew, Jr., 1846-1913","Chaffin, Richard B. (Richard Booker), 1844-1902","Grigg, Wesley P. (Wesley Peyton), 1846-1865","Steptoe, Charles Y. (Charles Yancey), 1838-1877","Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917","Taylor, Walter H. (Walter Herron), 1838-1916"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898","Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889","Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890","Pizzini, Andrew, Jr., 1846-1913","Chaffin, Richard B. (Richard Booker), 1844-1902","Grigg, Wesley P. (Wesley Peyton), 1846-1865","Steptoe, Charles Y. (Charles Yancey), 1838-1877","Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917","Taylor, Walter H. (Walter Herron), 1838-1916","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["New Market Cadets","Virginia Military Institute—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia Military Institute—Cadet debating societies","Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1863","Confederate States of America. Army—Corps of Engineers","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1860-1869","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Correspondence","Dispatches","Scrapbooks","Telegrams","Speeches, Addresses, etc.","Photographs"],"access_subjects_ssm":["New Market Cadets","Virginia Military Institute—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia Military Institute—Cadet debating societies","Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1863","Confederate States of America. Army—Corps of Engineers","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1860-1869","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Correspondence","Dispatches","Scrapbooks","Telegrams","Speeches, Addresses, etc.","Photographs"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["0.50 cubic feet approximately 40 items"],"extent_tesim":["0.50 cubic feet approximately 40 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence","Dispatches","Scrapbooks","Telegrams","Speeches, Addresses, etc.","Photographs"],"date_range_isim":[1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions."],"altformavail_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eA portion of the John E. Roller personal papers are avaliable \n\u003ca href=\"https://digitalcollections.vmi.edu/digital/collection/p15821coll11/id/1924\"\u003eonline\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"altformavail_heading_ssm":["Online Access"],"altformavail_tesim":["A portion of the John E. Roller personal papers are avaliable \nonline."],"arrangement_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLetter regards a meeting.\u003c/p\u003e"],"arrangement_heading_ssm":["Arrangement"],"arrangement_tesim":["Letter regards a meeting."],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eJohn Edwin Roller was born in Rockingham County, Virginia on October 5, 1844 to Peter Samuel Roller and Frances Allebach. In the summer of 1861, although underage for service, he briefly served with Company I of the First Virginia Cavalry, Confederate States of America. On December 31, 1861, Roller entered VMI as a second classman and graduated in July 1863. He subsequently taught mathematics at VMI for a few months, and then was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant, Company G, 2nd Confederate States Engineers in October 1863. He served as an engineer officer in the Army of Northern Virginia until the end of the Civil War, and was paroled at Appomattox, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAfter the War, Roller he studied law at the University of Virginia and practiced law in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He also served in the Virginia State Legislature and was a Brigadier General in the state militia. Roller was widely known in the Harrisonburg community as \"General Roller.\" He died in Harrisonburg on August 10, 1918.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["John Edwin Roller was born in Rockingham County, Virginia on October 5, 1844 to Peter Samuel Roller and Frances Allebach. In the summer of 1861, although underage for service, he briefly served with Company I of the First Virginia Cavalry, Confederate States of America. On December 31, 1861, Roller entered VMI as a second classman and graduated in July 1863. He subsequently taught mathematics at VMI for a few months, and then was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant, Company G, 2nd Confederate States Engineers in October 1863. He served as an engineer officer in the Army of Northern Virginia until the end of the Civil War, and was paroled at Appomattox, Virginia.","After the War, Roller he studied law at the University of Virginia and practiced law in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He also served in the Virginia State Legislature and was a Brigadier General in the state militia. Roller was widely known in the Harrisonburg community as \"General Roller.\" He died in Harrisonburg on August 10, 1918."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eNo. 28 V.M.I. Jan 24th 1862\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Parents,\u003cbr\u003e\nAs I could not finish on a half sheet I concluded I would commence on this as I had several things to write about yet. You enquired in your last about bedding. I have obtained a mattress and have plenty of cover. I put two of my blankets in my trunk in the arsenal because I did not need them. Only one trunk is allowed to a room and I had to send mine to the arsenal. I wish you had the big one at home, for I have not a thing in it. We are not allowed to go to town only on Saturday, when I will see about those slippers, though I think I can do without them very well. I wish I had kept a pair of citizens pants here as I could save my cadet pants very much by wearing them. But it is not worth while to try to send them to me now.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI will try and make out with what I have now. Tell John Carpenter I still think of his promise. I wonder if George would not like to come here, there are several fellows here from the 1st regiment, who got off to come here and if George will come, I will try and get him an appointment. I should like it very much to have him here with me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou want to know what arrangements they have that cadets are not allowed to come home in two years, I will try and send you a catalogue, so that you may see how it is. I have to study very hard but I like the place better every day. I made a \"perfect\" today. Remember me to Cousin A.B. and all my friends. I hope he will succeed well with his school. R.A. Crawford says I must remember him to A.B. and ask him if he received his \"Phonography.\" I wish you'd send me the Register every week. I do not get to see a paper here hardly and the Register would seem so familiar to me. If you see something really good in the Dispatch, I wish you would send that sometimes too. I wish you would send some soap, whenever you send me that studying gown. A piece or two of that old \"homemade\" would save some little money for soap is high here. But I must close this letter, as the mail box will soon be shut. Excuse it if you please, for it is badly connected, but that could not be helped for I had to write it whenever I had the chance. Write soon to me and give me the news. Much love to all and a kiss for \"brother.\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour affectionate son, J.E. Roller\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI can't think of any name for brother yet. Tell me in your next what you think of calling him. I [seem] to have forgotten to mention to you that that it is rumored that the Cadets will be invited to Richmond the 22nd of Feb. to see Jeff Davis inaugurated, but it is not generally believed. I wish they would for it will be a grand sight and a great honor to witness the inauguration of what will be one of the greatest powers in the world.\u003cbr\u003e\nJ.E.Roller\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eStaunton, Va.\u003cbr\u003e\nStaunton Aug. 25th 1862\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Son\u003cbr\u003e\nYour letter to your ma was duly received. In reply to your inquiry about negroes for Genl. Smith, I know of none that can be hired or none that could be bought at this time. If I should hear of any I will write again. Had I known it a week earlier I think I could have gotten several men for him belonging to a party in Loudoun County.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have not been to Harrisonburg since you wrote about the goods for Pantaloons, and as the season is so far advanced and as you have a prospect of getting other clothing for winter I have concluded not to buy it unless you think you shall need it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe Mt. Crawford company has been exchanged and I understand that Mr. Blackford has succeeded in getting quite a number of them to join his company. If you have a desire to join his company as first Lieutenant perhaps it would be the best thing you could do. I think it will be best for you to consult Genl. Smith about it. He knows best what your chances would be for a situation after [you graduate]. If you have to enter the service [missing word] it would be better to go into it [now] and get hardened to the service before the cold weather sets in. However, if Genl. Smith thinks you had better stay until you graduate, I shall say to Mr. Blackford as soon as I see him, I will say to him if he will have you appointed that you shall have the privilege of accepting it. I will write again as soon as I see him and let you know what the prospects are of you getting an appointment. George Carpenter could not get out of the army he being a conscript and no provisions being made by Congress for young men wishing to go to the Military Institution. I am though with the Dam and have the Mill running again.\u003cbr\u003e\nYours in haste, P.S. Roller\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eV.M. Institute\u003cbr\u003e\nMarch 18th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe following is a true statement of the facts with regard to my tour of O.D. on the 16th inst. and in connection with the removal of reports from the Commandant's office. I marched on O.D. at the usual time on Monday morning, and from that time until the recreation drum at 4 PM, I was either in Mr. Grigg's room, the Commandant's office, or in front of the Barracks (several hours spent either in section room, Mess Hall, or my own room), with the exceptions of the following times, viz.-- from 8-9 in Col. Williamson's section room, from 10-11 in Col. Preston's, from 12 to 1 in Col. Gilham's, and from 1-2 spent partly in Mess Hall and partly in room. I attended all C.P.s and looked up absentees and went in the Commandant's office frequently during the day\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSometime in the morning, I cannot state positively the precise time, though I think between 9 and 10 o'clock AM, upon entering the Commandant's office, I saw one of the fatigue sentinels standing at the desk, with a key in the keyhole. I did not see him have the desk open, nor did I see him have any reports. I remarked to him, \"What are you doing? Do you not know that you are responsible for those reports.\" He replied that he was not stealing reports, but that he just wanted to see if his key would fit the lock. I said nothing more, but turned around immediately and went out.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eFrom 4 o'clock until E.P., I was in my room and went from there to Supper in the Mess Hall, after which I returned to my room (where I remained) until the Study Drum was beaten, when I went down to Mr. Grigg's room and remained there until 11 o'clock. And after spending 10 or 15 minutes in quieting noise, receiving reports of inspectors, seeing the sentinels challenge properly, I went to my room and retired for the night.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI arose about 5 minutes to 7 o' clock and left my room about 15 minutes after and proceeded to Mr. Beckham's room to see some Engineering plates which he had, and from there went to Mess Hall to breakfast, being just in time to meet the corps as it was leaving the Hall. After B. I marched of O.D. and on enquiring of Mr. Shaw for the Guard Book was told that Major Ship had it and also that the reports had been removed, which was the first intimation I had rec'd of the fact. I know not even the slightest circumstance upon which to ground even a suspicion, except the above circumstance, but in justice I feel bound to say, that I could not give any positive evidence that the desk had been opened by him or whether his key fit the lock, and can conscientiously express the belief that he was not the one who removed the reports after E.P., or before E.P. \u0026amp; [?]. Hoping the\nabove may [prove] \u0026amp;.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJ.E. Roller\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI forgot to mention that about ten o'clock, seeing the Orderlies Delinquencies laying outside the desk, and knowing that I was responsible for them, I got Mr. Grigg's key and placed them in the desk. Mr. Shaw and two of sentinels were present at the time. I am unable to say how the books came there, and according to the best of my recollection. I saw them there after I saw Mr. Turner at the desk. I do not pretend to say that he placed them there, or that there were left there by the Com't. I merely make the statement and leave the inferences to be drawn.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRichmond, Va.\u003cbr\u003e\nNov. 8th/63\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nAllow me to congratulate you upon your success in obtaining a commission. I want to follow your example. A commission is something I have been seeking, ever since we graduated, but all my efforts are unavailing. Will you inform me by what \"slight of hand\" you were so successful. Let me know all the minutiae, the letters you had \u0026amp; from whom \u0026amp; to whom they were addressed \u0026amp;\nthe political or rather military friends you employed. Present my kindest regards to Prince, with many wishes for your success \u0026amp; the hope you may do honor to my class (which you can do)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am Truly Yr. Friend \u0026amp; classmate\u003cbr\u003e\nW.W. Flannagan\u003cbr\u003e\nBox 610\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\"V.M.I\" Jan. 6th '64\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nYour letter was a pleasant surprise. I did not expect it for some time to come, it was received however too late for me to reply by Thursday's mail, the mail is now always a day too late.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell sir, I enter upon the deep and stormy waters of the Rubicon on tomorrow. I have labored up to this time as diligently as I could, but I never was now fearful of shipwreck before. I leave the result to fate, wherever she casts my lot, I will have to remain satisfied. I will write you the result however immediately it is known, if I should be thrown I will see you a short time after.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMany thanks to you for your kind invitation to visit you as well as the ladies, it would afford me great pleasure, and if possible, I will accept it. Pizzini and myself are just enjoying the contents of two boxes, which \"that confounded packet\" has at last brought to hand, we wish so much that you were here to share it with us. Prince was out frolicking last night until 12 o'clock, so that I could not attend to your messages. This morning I gave him the letter and told him that I intended writing to you and would send any message he might desire, but he said nothing at all. I have delivered your message to Blum and Perkinson. Beckham left last Saturday for Staunton and carried your trunk with him as you directed, I suppose you have received it by this. Smith F. has not written the letter to his brother yet, as soon as he does, I will forward to you if he does not do so himself. I have heard nothing of Crawford since you left. Dick Chaffin was severely wounded in the recent fight near Covington, 'tis thought his leg will have to be amputated. I wish I could have received your letter in time to reply by Thursday's mail as I know you will expect an answer then. I have attended to your little affairs, no trouble I can assure you. If you have other business in this section, let me hear and I will also attend to that. Overton as well as all the occupants of No. 23 send their kindest regards. You will hear from me again by Monday or Tuesday next.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour sincere friend\u003cbr\u003e\nLawrence Royster\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eV.M.I. Jan. 9th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Rubicon I think is crossed though I did not pass as good an examination as I desired, and have had the misfortune to be thrown in the third section, which is terrible, as you know that section is almost always deficient, though I am through yet I am disheartened at the idea of being that low. I stand only 37, which you know is very low, twenty-six were found deficient. I should like very much to join you and go to Charleston, but you know getting through is better than any thing else. If I should not stand a very good chance as June approaches, I shall resign and join you wherever you at all hazards. The idea of going into the last section has made me feel almost as badly as a deficiency, I can assure you. I hope that you will continue to write me after you leave for the army. I will take great pleasure in replying to you whenever it is in my power. I shall always be happy to hear from you. Sally Crawford has arrived. Pizzini passed a very good examination, made 3 on subject, was not questioned. The thought of being in that deficient section and thrown in June, takes away all the pleasure of getting through. I must close. Let me hear from you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour sincere friend\u003cbr\u003e\nLawrence Royster\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eV.M.Institute\u003cbr\u003e\nMonday Feb. 22nd 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nThis is the first holyday that has not found me on fatigue guard for some time past so I will take advantage of it by replying to your letter which was received on yesterday morning. The last account I had of you was that you were in Richmond, applying for an office in the Ordnance Department. I am glad to hear that you are busily engaged in your new department. Allow me to thank you most kindly for your wishes for my success here as well as the desire you expressed of having me with you in your new home. Your letter inspired me with an ardent desire to join you. Since you left I have been several times on the eve of resigning and going to Charleston. I was fortunate enough in January to pass an examination, while many others were thrown and had to resign or be sent home. But at the same time I was so unfortunate as to be thrown into the third section. Since then I have labored with unceasing fidelity, but it seems the harder I work, the worse marks I make. I thought Analytical Geometry was hard enough, but Description certainly surpasses it by far, on that subject I am totally in the dark. My low mark and imperfect recitation have discouraged me so much that I have lost all taste for study. I wrote home for advise on resigning, but they wrote back earnestly entreating me to remain until July. However I have no idea that I will take that advice, I may leave at any time. I may leave am\nexceedingly anxious to be with you, and I now promise, if I leave at any time, will join you. It is a struggle between life and death with me now, if I leave, I give up all hope of ever obtaining an education, and seeing you do so well, inspires me with new desire of finishing my education at the \"V.M.I.\" At the same time I am anxious to be with you. If I enter the service at all I shall not even think of applying for an office of any kind, I expect to be a private wherever I go. At the same time accept my most sincere thanks for your kindness in offering me the office of O.S. if you could get it and I would accept it. I would accept it with great pleasure. I\nsometimes give up all hope of passing, and then again think of remaining and taking my chances in June, so I do not know what to be at. I shall consult Spex in a day or two and will be guided very much by what he says; though very little confidence can be put in anything that he says on such a subject as that, I do not suppose he would tell me even what he thought, however I shall try him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePrince left here about one month ago, I heard since then that he was a Sergeant in the Engineers Corps, you seem to be the only successful one in your class. Grigg I hear is walking around loose in Petersburg. I am sure no one at the \"V.M.I.\" was glad at your leaving, indeed I heard some express their regret at it. Your old room is vacant. Sally Crawford and Lieut. Steptoe (new Sub) occupy No. 20 together, the former remains very quiet, is swelling on his bars and escorting the ladies home from church, etc. I do not know his qualifications as professor. The occupants of 23 all send their kindest regards. Pat Shafer has just come from the Hospital where he had been confined for several weeks with a severe attack of pneumonia, we thought at one time that he intended leaving us. Blum has been reinstated, but Spex refused to let him go on with the 2nd Class, so he has resigned, he\nsays he will accept a Sergeancy if you will give it to him. Capt. Whitwell\nhas recently returned from furlough accompanied by his lady, they are boarding at the Lexington Hotel. Miss Logan and Mr. Davidson were recently married also, the former I expect you know, a refugee from Winchester. What do you think of the recent law of Congress in regard to the Currency, taxes, etc? I am extremely glad that it will reduce the price of goods. The Steamer which has been as long on the way from Europe has recently arrived, but was destroyed for the goods falling into yankee hands, there were on board all the goods which we needed, the finest english gray cloth, etc. but unfortunately all were lost so I have given up on the idea of wearing a fine suit again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpex is still shipping indiscriminately, sometimes twelve or fifteen daily, rats are also reporting in numbers.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003ePatsy says he will accept an Orderly Sergeant's place if you will give it him, but he adds \"if he can do no better.\" Ross desires his kindest regards to you. I must close, though it is the 22nd, my time is limited. If I do leave, which I confidently expect to do, will write you immediately. I am anxious to be with you. I hope you will write me as often as possible, your letters will always be agreeable.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am, as ever,\u003cbr\u003e\nYour Sincere friend\u003cbr\u003e\nLawrence Royster\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eVa. Mil. Institute\u003cbr\u003e\nApril 10th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nYour last letter was received several days since and wishing to keep up a more regular correspondence between us, I answer your letter at the first opportunity and hope you will not delay writing a reply to this as long as you did my previous one, although your excuse for doing so was a good as well as a sufficient one. No news worthy of notice has taken place since last writing to you, but the old V.M.I still keeps up her notoriety for rumors and there are a thousand and one afloat about going on marches etc., which I would not like to enumerate, and were I so disposed, I think time and paper would fail me before I accomplished that end. But there is one which if true will wreck all the hopes I have been sustaining for the last six months and before which the pleasure of a long vacation will go \"glimmering like all things that were\": it is that no furloughs will be granted this summer and that our usual vacation of two months will either be spent in Gen. Lee's or Gen. Imboden's camp. This rumor is said to have good foundation, for those who were most interested were watching her with an eagle's eye and after having poised herself above the V.M.I. for some time during which many feathers were plucked from her wing, she was seen to direct her course toward Col. Preston's where she rested from his labors. There was another last week that we were going on a march and this one came from the direction of Gen. Smith's and with such force against barracks that some of her feathers are still visible on the stoops. Numerous others are afloat but as I said before to enumerate them would take more time than I have at my disposal.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWith regard to your inquiry about Prince, I have not heard from him since he left nor have I seen any one who has; but I reckon he is having a good time wherever he is as he always takes things easy. Crawford resigned a few weeks since and has again entered the army as a private; Col. John Ross has been appointed to fill his vacancy. Old Max studies as hard as ever and talks\nas much about being found [deficient], but I believe they would put him through even if he were deficient on account of his good conduct. He received a letter from you a few days since and says he will answer it soon. I am very glad you like my uncle as I expected you would. I think you estimate his services too highly when you say that he deserves more of the credit for the defense of Charleston tho' he has done a great deal towards it. I hardly ever hear from him except though you and therefore your letters\nare doubly acceptable. Give my best to him when you next see him. With best wishes for your future prosperity I remain,\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYours truly, A.W. Overton\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\"V.M.I.\" April 21st 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nYour kind and interesting letter should have had a more speedy reply, but as the examination approaches, I am more and more busy every day. The Class has lost a great deal of time and consequently will not have so much to review in. We are now in the field surveying, have not yet finished Shades and Shadows. The weather has been during the past month colder than I have felt\nfor eight years even in the depth of winter. The mountains in sight are still covered with snow, and today is the only mild and clear day that we have had for over one month, and notwithstanding this we have not had fire since Christmas, and during the deep snows we had suspension of all duties for several days at a time. The cold was so severe that it was impossible to study, a great many went to bed in order to keep warm. This together with Col. Massie's sickness has thrown the 3rd class back very much, so now the hard work comes.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSince you left quite a change has taken place in the Faculty. Lt. Col. Ross has been appointed assistant Prof. Math 4th Class in your place; Sal Crawford received a commission in his old regiment and resigned about a month ago. Dr. Ross is Asst. prof French as well as Asst. Surgeon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpex is still very fond of his \"reviews and parades.\" Not long since Gen. Rosser's Cavalry Brigade came through here and encamped about ten or twelve miles beyond Lexington, by Spex's invitation he reviewed the Corps and inspected the barracks. Several days afterwards, he presented the Corps with a flag captured in battle from 164th New York Regiment as a trophy; the\npresentation speech was very fine indeed, it took place under guard tree before a very large crowd. Scott Shipp received it and replied; his was also very good but he was very much excited though, however it was his first speech in public. After the ceremony was over the Cavalry made a charge in field in front of barracks to give us an idea of it. But the idea, Roller, of the Corps of Cadets receiving a trophy taken by our troops in the field from the yankees; it looked like saying, \"Well, you are too weak and afraid to do any thing of this yourselves, so we will make you a present of one,\" I feel that it is a disgrace to the Corps. The speaker alluded in such a touching manner to the precious blood which was spilt in taking it, and of the Col. falling in the charge. That night he invited the officers of the Institute and the 1st Class to attend a party at the house where he was staying, but as all could not attend, Spex allowed only the four Captains and Adjt. to go. Several days afterwards he invited Spex to review his\nbrigade, and the officers and 1st Class again to dine with him, which as many as could conveniently do so, very readily accepted of.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI should like very much to enjoy those nice vegetables and fish you were speaking of, it certainly would be a great treat, especially when everything is so high and scarce, we are nearer starving here than ever before, a piece of beef frequently comes on the table for nine men which candidly speaking I could easily cover with one hand. If the school cannot be maintained on a better scale, I think they had as well close it. It is rumored and I partly believe it that instead of giving the Corps furlough next summer,\nwe are to be sent in a body to Gen. Lee's army. We have not had a march since December last, which I think I gave you an account of. Err this reaches you I imagine you will have received some news from the two grand armies on the Potomac, we are of opinion that it will be the greatest of the war up to this time. May Heaven give us the victory! Many thanks to you for your kind offer, it will be very acceptable. I will inform you immediately of the result of the examination after I know my fate, should I be unsuccessful will go directly from here to Charleston, so in your next letter write me what to equip myself with before leaving and what articles I can procure in Charleston as I do not want to carry more than is necessary.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThere are now about fifty odd in the third class and I do not think Massie will pass more than twenty. I know he intends making a most \"awful rake.\" I must not neglect to tell you of the marriage of Miss Sanders (I suppose you remember her) to Capt. Contri an Italian on Gen. Morgan's staff. They say he is a very accomplished and gallant man, fought fourteen pitched battles in Europe, was in Crimean war etc., that is all I know however. They were here today. The Commandant's Office is now a reception room for all visitors, they are not allowed to come into barracks during study hours under any pretence whatever.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHow are you progressing with the ladies now or do you visit them at all? As for myself, I have long since abandoned all thoughts of them, scarcely even look at them, you know how fatal they are. I have many things to write, but it is almost 11 o'clock PM and this is the last chance I will have to write for sometime to come. Finished my day's survey in[--] rather earlier today or would not have had this [missing word]. Write me as often as you can.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour sincere friend,\u003cbr\u003e\nLawrence Royster\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSam Hopkins who was here last year, after being confined in some Yankee prison for several months returned home and died two days after.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCamp Stevens- Richmond\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 3, 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nYour esteemed favor did not reach me as soon as it would, had I not been absent on duty when it reached Camp. I hope you will pardon the delay on that account.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must confess, I have been sadly disappointed in my calculations. When I resigned at the Institute, I was confident of a position in the Engineers. Alas! For the uncertainty of human expectations! I had thought very seriously of joining the Infantry, as a private, \u0026amp; but for the remonstrances of my parents, think I would have. There is little, well, I see none, chance of promotion in this service unless specially favored, which I have no right to expect. But I am not murmuring. I will be contented, if I only get through this struggle safe. It would afford you little interest, \u0026amp; cause me more mortification, to detail to you the many ways in which I have been\ndeceived. If I could only forget the many apparently bright prospects which have been offered me, I should feel at least condoled, but memory still sings out \"he, who tries to better a good condition, often renders it worse.\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour very kind offers in my behalf, I can assure you, are highly appreciated, \u0026amp; nothing would give me more pleasure than to be with you, I hope it may be so.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe are anxiously awaiting the result of the impending issue in Northern Virginia. I may say, in truth, never was so much anxiety manifested in any one battle. That we shall be victorious is my confident belief. We had some little excitement in this immediate locality last week, occasioned by the appearance of the enemy in some force at our positions [?] on the Pamunky. It turned out, however, to be a slight demonstration. Nothing else of special interest. Beckham \u0026amp; Boyd send their regards. Crawford has left the\nInstitute, he failed to get a detail. Write soon \u0026amp; let me know all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour sincere friend,\u003cbr\u003e\nJ.B. Prince\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGrassy Dale Va., May 17th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Son,\u003cbr\u003e\nIt has now been two weeks since we heard from you, but we suppose you have written but owing to the Raiders destroying the Rail Roads around Richmond we have no mail communication with the South. Since I wrote to you from Charlottesville we have had an exciting time in the Valley. I heard at Charlottesville that the Yankee Genl. Sigel was advancing up the Valley. When I returned to Staunton I found Genl. John C. Breckinridge at that point with two Brigade of Infantry and 12 pieces of Artillery. They left Staunton on Friday last and encamped at Mt. Crawford that night and left early the next morning and encamped that night at Lacy Springs and commenced their march next (Sunday) morning at one o'clock and halted a little below Tenth Legion and remained in that position until Gen. Breckinridge had news from the front.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTo get you to understand the situation of things I will go back several days and give you a History of Gen. Imboden's doings. Gen. Imboden found out that the yankees were advancing in three columns, one up the Page, one up the Hardy \u0026amp; Pendleton Valley, and the main force up our valley. Gen. Imboden by forced marches fell upon the column (all Cavalry) near Moorefield very\nunexpectedly, routed them completely, and pursued them within 6 or 7 miles of Romney, in this time capturing all their train which he had to destroy, having no horses to bring out the wagon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHe then returned to the Valley traveling day \u0026amp; night, and only stopping long enough to graze his horses, and returned to the Valley in time to attack the column coming up the Page valley. Before Sigel's forces got up to New Market he attacked the column and utterly routed it, scattering it in the mountains and captured on Friday about 100 of them with about 200 fine cavalry horses. He attacked them on Friday night and on Saturday picked up the prisoners and would have gotten more but Sigel advanced and our forces had to fall back on this side of New Market, our men making a very stubborn resistance but was forced to fall back about 8 o'clock on Saturday night to a point 3 miles this side [of] New Market, the yankees having possession of the town during the night. This now gives you to understand the position of things and I will now commence where I left off with Gen. Breckinridge's troops.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGen. Breckinridge advanced with his troops a little after day light and not wishing to be tedious he maneuvered his forces from one point to another until about 12 O'clock, when he attacked the enemy with his artillery. Having gotten the [heights] back of the town and after an artillery duel of perhaps one hour, the Cadets from Lexington with the 62 Regiment (Col. Smith's Regiment) charged one of the yank's Batteries. They captured it, but lost heavily, the cadets lost 5 killed and 39 wounded, some of them seriously, your friend Cary Watson Adjutant of the Battalion with Col. Shipp leading the Charge, they both came out safe except Col. Shipp had a slight scratch; Royster also came out unhurt. I give you a list of the killed. Cabell, W.H. McDowell, Crockett, C., Stanard, Jones H. It is said that Col. Gilham and Capt. Sims [Semmes] stayed in the rear where there was no danger.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIt was at this time that Gen. Breckinridge commenced pressing the enemy at every point and although they had two to our one we drove them from the field capturing five pieces of their Artillery, 111 prisoners and leaving nearly all of their killed and wounded upon the field and in order to make good their retreat burned the bridge over the river. An Officer reports to me today that Sigel is retreating to Winchester in great haste, reporting that we have 30,000 men while we had not more than 4,000 in the fight, our\nreserve having never been brought into action. Gen. Breckinridge's forces are [returning?] up the Valley, whether they go to reinforce Gen. Lee or go to some other point. I went down the Valley with General Breckinridge having gone down with him at his request and was with him most of the time during the fight. I came home last night having left New Market about 1 o'clock\nyesterday. We have had and will continue to have heavy fighting in Virginia, but of the final result no one doubts but we will be successful. We have driven them and at least [repulsed?] them at every point. We are all well. Write soon and often.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYour father\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJosie sends her love, so do all the rest. I hope when I write again to be able to give you the glorious news that we have driven the yanks from Virginia soil.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRichmond July 28 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nYour letter sent by Overton was duly received and contents noted. I have inquired of the Express Company in regard to your trunk, they tell me that it will be safe to send the blankets in it. In regard to your jacket and vest, you merely told me to order them without saying how I was to send them or whether I was to pay for them. I have seen Doherty in regard to them and he can make them out of excellent cloth for $250 so they will be ready in a few days. I will wait until I hear from you before I ship any of the things, if you say so I can put both blankets \u0026amp; clothes in the trunk, let me hear immediately and I will attend to all with great pleasure. I should like very much to go over to see you, but cannot possibly do so, though I do not intend to remain here idle longer than the first of August. I am ashamed of it, will return to Lexington and remain there in camp first.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have not seen Overton since the school closed. About two dozen of the boys are staying here. Speaking of the appointments, a good many of them surprised me, though I am very well satisfied with what I got, I don't care much however, you know kissing goes by favor. There are eight privates now in the first class, but it is my private belief that the Institute will not be in operation again until the was is over, although they have made arrangements to carry it on, books cloth and provisions an all wanting.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am glad your Father did not suffer by the yankees. Mother lost absolutely every thing she had, and is now a refugee here, sick too, they not only stole all provision, and stock she had, but went about the house breaking up what they could find and then had the assurance to ask my sister if she could not furnish them with a snack of ham. Roller, if I am ever spared to get into yankee land, I will respect nothing but a woman's person, I'll break, pillage and plunder. My Mother, from living in luxury at home, is now\nforced to the necessity of borrowing a wagon to get home in, and I don't know what she is going to live on after she gets there.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpeaking of old \"23,\" she did [ro__] this time, if the appointments are permanent (which I doubt) but I am afraid Pat will not stand first, I think Davis will get him. Pat has been thinking too much of Miss Mollie, she will ruin him I am afraid, or rather has done so. I will write you a letter in a few days.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSincerely, Your friend\u003cbr\u003e\nLawrence Royster\u003cbr\u003e\nAddress\u003cbr\u003e\nCare, Purcell, Ladd \u0026amp; Co.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCorps Cadets Camp on Intermediate Line\u003cbr\u003e\nNear Richmond Dec. 7th 1864\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Roller,\u003cbr\u003e\nI am really ashamed at the idea of neglecting your letter for so long a time, but out here even I scarcely have time to write a letter, so busily are we occupied drilling and having dress parades. Soon after you were at Camp Lee, we moved to this place and it seems impossible, although we have procured the Almshouse for us to get away, we are anxiously expecting a furlough of two weeks to prepare etc. When we will be relieved from duty here I cannot say, we are daily expecting a fight on this line, certainly\nbefore the end of this week. They are making such a stir about our getting the building that I do not expect we will be able to study in peace after we do get there. The provisions and \"we officers\" have all been moved down ready for work but the much persecuted Corps has not been released from the Confederate Authorities yet. Not long since a foreign battalion was raised under Col. Tucker to be stationed in Columbia \u0026amp; Aiken SC as a garrison. A good many of our boys have accepted positions as Captains and Lieutenants, among them, several of the old class, also Duncan, Brockenbrough, James F., Dinwiddie, Barton, Penn and Tunstall. I came near going myself but concluded not to do so, and now I congratulate myself upon not going. I believe we intend to occupy the Alms House until the spring and then move to Lexington again. I am sure I cannot study much in Richmond, and now I have my fears concerning Calculus etc. as it would be more disgraceful than ever should I fail in that, oh! I do want that diploma so much. I have studied hard for two long years and now do not want to fail. We are to room by company, consequently our old room will greatly, to the regret of all parties, be broken up, Pizzini, Davis and myself being in different companies. With that\nexception I have as pleasant a room as I could desire. Stuart, Echols, Etheredge, Royster, Ridley R., James J., Jarratt \u0026amp; Peirce, the officers and non-commissioned of \"B\" Co. The house is an elegant building, much more than old barracks. We will also have to study on Saturday which I do not like much. That fine breakfast on Saturday will be knocked in the head then.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRoss \u0026amp; Echols desire to be remembered to you.\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["No. 28 V.M.I. Jan 24th 1862","Dear Parents,\nAs I could not finish on a half sheet I concluded I would commence on this as I had several things to write about yet. You enquired in your last about bedding. I have obtained a mattress and have plenty of cover. I put two of my blankets in my trunk in the arsenal because I did not need them. Only one trunk is allowed to a room and I had to send mine to the arsenal. I wish you had the big one at home, for I have not a thing in it. We are not allowed to go to town only on Saturday, when I will see about those slippers, though I think I can do without them very well. I wish I had kept a pair of citizens pants here as I could save my cadet pants very much by wearing them. But it is not worth while to try to send them to me now.","I will try and make out with what I have now. Tell John Carpenter I still think of his promise. I wonder if George would not like to come here, there are several fellows here from the 1st regiment, who got off to come here and if George will come, I will try and get him an appointment. I should like it very much to have him here with me.","You want to know what arrangements they have that cadets are not allowed to come home in two years, I will try and send you a catalogue, so that you may see how it is. I have to study very hard but I like the place better every day. I made a \"perfect\" today. Remember me to Cousin A.B. and all my friends. I hope he will succeed well with his school. R.A. Crawford says I must remember him to A.B. and ask him if he received his \"Phonography.\" I wish you'd send me the Register every week. I do not get to see a paper here hardly and the Register would seem so familiar to me. If you see something really good in the Dispatch, I wish you would send that sometimes too. I wish you would send some soap, whenever you send me that studying gown. A piece or two of that old \"homemade\" would save some little money for soap is high here. But I must close this letter, as the mail box will soon be shut. Excuse it if you please, for it is badly connected, but that could not be helped for I had to write it whenever I had the chance. Write soon to me and give me the news. Much love to all and a kiss for \"brother.\"","Your affectionate son, J.E. Roller","I can't think of any name for brother yet. Tell me in your next what you think of calling him. I [seem] to have forgotten to mention to you that that it is rumored that the Cadets will be invited to Richmond the 22nd of Feb. to see Jeff Davis inaugurated, but it is not generally believed. I wish they would for it will be a grand sight and a great honor to witness the inauguration of what will be one of the greatest powers in the world.\nJ.E.Roller","Staunton, Va.\nStaunton Aug. 25th 1862","My Dear Son\nYour letter to your ma was duly received. In reply to your inquiry about negroes for Genl. Smith, I know of none that can be hired or none that could be bought at this time. If I should hear of any I will write again. Had I known it a week earlier I think I could have gotten several men for him belonging to a party in Loudoun County.","I have not been to Harrisonburg since you wrote about the goods for Pantaloons, and as the season is so far advanced and as you have a prospect of getting other clothing for winter I have concluded not to buy it unless you think you shall need it.","The Mt. Crawford company has been exchanged and I understand that Mr. Blackford has succeeded in getting quite a number of them to join his company. If you have a desire to join his company as first Lieutenant perhaps it would be the best thing you could do. I think it will be best for you to consult Genl. Smith about it. He knows best what your chances would be for a situation after [you graduate]. If you have to enter the service [missing word] it would be better to go into it [now] and get hardened to the service before the cold weather sets in. However, if Genl. Smith thinks you had better stay until you graduate, I shall say to Mr. Blackford as soon as I see him, I will say to him if he will have you appointed that you shall have the privilege of accepting it. I will write again as soon as I see him and let you know what the prospects are of you getting an appointment. George Carpenter could not get out of the army he being a conscript and no provisions being made by Congress for young men wishing to go to the Military Institution. I am though with the Dam and have the Mill running again.\nYours in haste, P.S. Roller","V.M. Institute\nMarch 18th 1863","The following is a true statement of the facts with regard to my tour of O.D. on the 16th inst. and in connection with the removal of reports from the Commandant's office. I marched on O.D. at the usual time on Monday morning, and from that time until the recreation drum at 4 PM, I was either in Mr. Grigg's room, the Commandant's office, or in front of the Barracks (several hours spent either in section room, Mess Hall, or my own room), with the exceptions of the following times, viz.-- from 8-9 in Col. Williamson's section room, from 10-11 in Col. Preston's, from 12 to 1 in Col. Gilham's, and from 1-2 spent partly in Mess Hall and partly in room. I attended all C.P.s and looked up absentees and went in the Commandant's office frequently during the day","Sometime in the morning, I cannot state positively the precise time, though I think between 9 and 10 o'clock AM, upon entering the Commandant's office, I saw one of the fatigue sentinels standing at the desk, with a key in the keyhole. I did not see him have the desk open, nor did I see him have any reports. I remarked to him, \"What are you doing? Do you not know that you are responsible for those reports.\" He replied that he was not stealing reports, but that he just wanted to see if his key would fit the lock. I said nothing more, but turned around immediately and went out.","From 4 o'clock until E.P., I was in my room and went from there to Supper in the Mess Hall, after which I returned to my room (where I remained) until the Study Drum was beaten, when I went down to Mr. Grigg's room and remained there until 11 o'clock. And after spending 10 or 15 minutes in quieting noise, receiving reports of inspectors, seeing the sentinels challenge properly, I went to my room and retired for the night.","I arose about 5 minutes to 7 o' clock and left my room about 15 minutes after and proceeded to Mr. Beckham's room to see some Engineering plates which he had, and from there went to Mess Hall to breakfast, being just in time to meet the corps as it was leaving the Hall. After B. I marched of O.D. and on enquiring of Mr. Shaw for the Guard Book was told that Major Ship had it and also that the reports had been removed, which was the first intimation I had rec'd of the fact. I know not even the slightest circumstance upon which to ground even a suspicion, except the above circumstance, but in justice I feel bound to say, that I could not give any positive evidence that the desk had been opened by him or whether his key fit the lock, and can conscientiously express the belief that he was not the one who removed the reports after E.P., or before E.P. \u0026 [?]. Hoping the\nabove may [prove] \u0026.","J.E. Roller","I forgot to mention that about ten o'clock, seeing the Orderlies Delinquencies laying outside the desk, and knowing that I was responsible for them, I got Mr. Grigg's key and placed them in the desk. Mr. Shaw and two of sentinels were present at the time. I am unable to say how the books came there, and according to the best of my recollection. I saw them there after I saw Mr. Turner at the desk. I do not pretend to say that he placed them there, or that there were left there by the Com't. I merely make the statement and leave the inferences to be drawn.","Richmond, Va.\nNov. 8th/63","Dear Roller,\nAllow me to congratulate you upon your success in obtaining a commission. I want to follow your example. A commission is something I have been seeking, ever since we graduated, but all my efforts are unavailing. Will you inform me by what \"slight of hand\" you were so successful. Let me know all the minutiae, the letters you had \u0026 from whom \u0026 to whom they were addressed \u0026\nthe political or rather military friends you employed. Present my kindest regards to Prince, with many wishes for your success \u0026 the hope you may do honor to my class (which you can do)","I am Truly Yr. Friend \u0026 classmate\nW.W. Flannagan\nBox 610","\"V.M.I\" Jan. 6th '64","Dear Roller,\nYour letter was a pleasant surprise. I did not expect it for some time to come, it was received however too late for me to reply by Thursday's mail, the mail is now always a day too late.","Well sir, I enter upon the deep and stormy waters of the Rubicon on tomorrow. I have labored up to this time as diligently as I could, but I never was now fearful of shipwreck before. I leave the result to fate, wherever she casts my lot, I will have to remain satisfied. I will write you the result however immediately it is known, if I should be thrown I will see you a short time after.","Many thanks to you for your kind invitation to visit you as well as the ladies, it would afford me great pleasure, and if possible, I will accept it. Pizzini and myself are just enjoying the contents of two boxes, which \"that confounded packet\" has at last brought to hand, we wish so much that you were here to share it with us. Prince was out frolicking last night until 12 o'clock, so that I could not attend to your messages. This morning I gave him the letter and told him that I intended writing to you and would send any message he might desire, but he said nothing at all. I have delivered your message to Blum and Perkinson. Beckham left last Saturday for Staunton and carried your trunk with him as you directed, I suppose you have received it by this. Smith F. has not written the letter to his brother yet, as soon as he does, I will forward to you if he does not do so himself. I have heard nothing of Crawford since you left. Dick Chaffin was severely wounded in the recent fight near Covington, 'tis thought his leg will have to be amputated. I wish I could have received your letter in time to reply by Thursday's mail as I know you will expect an answer then. I have attended to your little affairs, no trouble I can assure you. If you have other business in this section, let me hear and I will also attend to that. Overton as well as all the occupants of No. 23 send their kindest regards. You will hear from me again by Monday or Tuesday next.","Your sincere friend\nLawrence Royster","V.M.I. Jan. 9th 1864","My dear Roller,\nThe Rubicon I think is crossed though I did not pass as good an examination as I desired, and have had the misfortune to be thrown in the third section, which is terrible, as you know that section is almost always deficient, though I am through yet I am disheartened at the idea of being that low. I stand only 37, which you know is very low, twenty-six were found deficient. I should like very much to join you and go to Charleston, but you know getting through is better than any thing else. If I should not stand a very good chance as June approaches, I shall resign and join you wherever you at all hazards. The idea of going into the last section has made me feel almost as badly as a deficiency, I can assure you. I hope that you will continue to write me after you leave for the army. I will take great pleasure in replying to you whenever it is in my power. I shall always be happy to hear from you. Sally Crawford has arrived. Pizzini passed a very good examination, made 3 on subject, was not questioned. The thought of being in that deficient section and thrown in June, takes away all the pleasure of getting through. I must close. Let me hear from you.","Your sincere friend\nLawrence Royster","V.M.Institute\nMonday Feb. 22nd 1864","My dear Roller,\nThis is the first holyday that has not found me on fatigue guard for some time past so I will take advantage of it by replying to your letter which was received on yesterday morning. The last account I had of you was that you were in Richmond, applying for an office in the Ordnance Department. I am glad to hear that you are busily engaged in your new department. Allow me to thank you most kindly for your wishes for my success here as well as the desire you expressed of having me with you in your new home. Your letter inspired me with an ardent desire to join you. Since you left I have been several times on the eve of resigning and going to Charleston. I was fortunate enough in January to pass an examination, while many others were thrown and had to resign or be sent home. But at the same time I was so unfortunate as to be thrown into the third section. Since then I have labored with unceasing fidelity, but it seems the harder I work, the worse marks I make. I thought Analytical Geometry was hard enough, but Description certainly surpasses it by far, on that subject I am totally in the dark. My low mark and imperfect recitation have discouraged me so much that I have lost all taste for study. I wrote home for advise on resigning, but they wrote back earnestly entreating me to remain until July. However I have no idea that I will take that advice, I may leave at any time. I may leave am\nexceedingly anxious to be with you, and I now promise, if I leave at any time, will join you. It is a struggle between life and death with me now, if I leave, I give up all hope of ever obtaining an education, and seeing you do so well, inspires me with new desire of finishing my education at the \"V.M.I.\" At the same time I am anxious to be with you. If I enter the service at all I shall not even think of applying for an office of any kind, I expect to be a private wherever I go. At the same time accept my most sincere thanks for your kindness in offering me the office of O.S. if you could get it and I would accept it. I would accept it with great pleasure. I\nsometimes give up all hope of passing, and then again think of remaining and taking my chances in June, so I do not know what to be at. I shall consult Spex in a day or two and will be guided very much by what he says; though very little confidence can be put in anything that he says on such a subject as that, I do not suppose he would tell me even what he thought, however I shall try him.","Prince left here about one month ago, I heard since then that he was a Sergeant in the Engineers Corps, you seem to be the only successful one in your class. Grigg I hear is walking around loose in Petersburg. I am sure no one at the \"V.M.I.\" was glad at your leaving, indeed I heard some express their regret at it. Your old room is vacant. Sally Crawford and Lieut. Steptoe (new Sub) occupy No. 20 together, the former remains very quiet, is swelling on his bars and escorting the ladies home from church, etc. I do not know his qualifications as professor. The occupants of 23 all send their kindest regards. Pat Shafer has just come from the Hospital where he had been confined for several weeks with a severe attack of pneumonia, we thought at one time that he intended leaving us. Blum has been reinstated, but Spex refused to let him go on with the 2nd Class, so he has resigned, he\nsays he will accept a Sergeancy if you will give it to him. Capt. Whitwell\nhas recently returned from furlough accompanied by his lady, they are boarding at the Lexington Hotel. Miss Logan and Mr. Davidson were recently married also, the former I expect you know, a refugee from Winchester. What do you think of the recent law of Congress in regard to the Currency, taxes, etc? I am extremely glad that it will reduce the price of goods. The Steamer which has been as long on the way from Europe has recently arrived, but was destroyed for the goods falling into yankee hands, there were on board all the goods which we needed, the finest english gray cloth, etc. but unfortunately all were lost so I have given up on the idea of wearing a fine suit again.","Spex is still shipping indiscriminately, sometimes twelve or fifteen daily, rats are also reporting in numbers.","Patsy says he will accept an Orderly Sergeant's place if you will give it him, but he adds \"if he can do no better.\" Ross desires his kindest regards to you. I must close, though it is the 22nd, my time is limited. If I do leave, which I confidently expect to do, will write you immediately. I am anxious to be with you. I hope you will write me as often as possible, your letters will always be agreeable.","I am, as ever,\nYour Sincere friend\nLawrence Royster","Va. Mil. Institute\nApril 10th 1864","Dear Roller,\nYour last letter was received several days since and wishing to keep up a more regular correspondence between us, I answer your letter at the first opportunity and hope you will not delay writing a reply to this as long as you did my previous one, although your excuse for doing so was a good as well as a sufficient one. No news worthy of notice has taken place since last writing to you, but the old V.M.I still keeps up her notoriety for rumors and there are a thousand and one afloat about going on marches etc., which I would not like to enumerate, and were I so disposed, I think time and paper would fail me before I accomplished that end. But there is one which if true will wreck all the hopes I have been sustaining for the last six months and before which the pleasure of a long vacation will go \"glimmering like all things that were\": it is that no furloughs will be granted this summer and that our usual vacation of two months will either be spent in Gen. Lee's or Gen. Imboden's camp. This rumor is said to have good foundation, for those who were most interested were watching her with an eagle's eye and after having poised herself above the V.M.I. for some time during which many feathers were plucked from her wing, she was seen to direct her course toward Col. Preston's where she rested from his labors. There was another last week that we were going on a march and this one came from the direction of Gen. Smith's and with such force against barracks that some of her feathers are still visible on the stoops. Numerous others are afloat but as I said before to enumerate them would take more time than I have at my disposal.","With regard to your inquiry about Prince, I have not heard from him since he left nor have I seen any one who has; but I reckon he is having a good time wherever he is as he always takes things easy. Crawford resigned a few weeks since and has again entered the army as a private; Col. John Ross has been appointed to fill his vacancy. Old Max studies as hard as ever and talks\nas much about being found [deficient], but I believe they would put him through even if he were deficient on account of his good conduct. He received a letter from you a few days since and says he will answer it soon. I am very glad you like my uncle as I expected you would. I think you estimate his services too highly when you say that he deserves more of the credit for the defense of Charleston tho' he has done a great deal towards it. I hardly ever hear from him except though you and therefore your letters\nare doubly acceptable. Give my best to him when you next see him. With best wishes for your future prosperity I remain,","Yours truly, A.W. Overton","\"V.M.I.\" April 21st 1864","My Dear Roller,\nYour kind and interesting letter should have had a more speedy reply, but as the examination approaches, I am more and more busy every day. The Class has lost a great deal of time and consequently will not have so much to review in. We are now in the field surveying, have not yet finished Shades and Shadows. The weather has been during the past month colder than I have felt\nfor eight years even in the depth of winter. The mountains in sight are still covered with snow, and today is the only mild and clear day that we have had for over one month, and notwithstanding this we have not had fire since Christmas, and during the deep snows we had suspension of all duties for several days at a time. The cold was so severe that it was impossible to study, a great many went to bed in order to keep warm. This together with Col. Massie's sickness has thrown the 3rd class back very much, so now the hard work comes.","Since you left quite a change has taken place in the Faculty. Lt. Col. Ross has been appointed assistant Prof. Math 4th Class in your place; Sal Crawford received a commission in his old regiment and resigned about a month ago. Dr. Ross is Asst. prof French as well as Asst. Surgeon.","Spex is still very fond of his \"reviews and parades.\" Not long since Gen. Rosser's Cavalry Brigade came through here and encamped about ten or twelve miles beyond Lexington, by Spex's invitation he reviewed the Corps and inspected the barracks. Several days afterwards, he presented the Corps with a flag captured in battle from 164th New York Regiment as a trophy; the\npresentation speech was very fine indeed, it took place under guard tree before a very large crowd. Scott Shipp received it and replied; his was also very good but he was very much excited though, however it was his first speech in public. After the ceremony was over the Cavalry made a charge in field in front of barracks to give us an idea of it. But the idea, Roller, of the Corps of Cadets receiving a trophy taken by our troops in the field from the yankees; it looked like saying, \"Well, you are too weak and afraid to do any thing of this yourselves, so we will make you a present of one,\" I feel that it is a disgrace to the Corps. The speaker alluded in such a touching manner to the precious blood which was spilt in taking it, and of the Col. falling in the charge. That night he invited the officers of the Institute and the 1st Class to attend a party at the house where he was staying, but as all could not attend, Spex allowed only the four Captains and Adjt. to go. Several days afterwards he invited Spex to review his\nbrigade, and the officers and 1st Class again to dine with him, which as many as could conveniently do so, very readily accepted of.","I should like very much to enjoy those nice vegetables and fish you were speaking of, it certainly would be a great treat, especially when everything is so high and scarce, we are nearer starving here than ever before, a piece of beef frequently comes on the table for nine men which candidly speaking I could easily cover with one hand. If the school cannot be maintained on a better scale, I think they had as well close it. It is rumored and I partly believe it that instead of giving the Corps furlough next summer,\nwe are to be sent in a body to Gen. Lee's army. We have not had a march since December last, which I think I gave you an account of. Err this reaches you I imagine you will have received some news from the two grand armies on the Potomac, we are of opinion that it will be the greatest of the war up to this time. May Heaven give us the victory! Many thanks to you for your kind offer, it will be very acceptable. I will inform you immediately of the result of the examination after I know my fate, should I be unsuccessful will go directly from here to Charleston, so in your next letter write me what to equip myself with before leaving and what articles I can procure in Charleston as I do not want to carry more than is necessary.","There are now about fifty odd in the third class and I do not think Massie will pass more than twenty. I know he intends making a most \"awful rake.\" I must not neglect to tell you of the marriage of Miss Sanders (I suppose you remember her) to Capt. Contri an Italian on Gen. Morgan's staff. They say he is a very accomplished and gallant man, fought fourteen pitched battles in Europe, was in Crimean war etc., that is all I know however. They were here today. The Commandant's Office is now a reception room for all visitors, they are not allowed to come into barracks during study hours under any pretence whatever.","How are you progressing with the ladies now or do you visit them at all? As for myself, I have long since abandoned all thoughts of them, scarcely even look at them, you know how fatal they are. I have many things to write, but it is almost 11 o'clock PM and this is the last chance I will have to write for sometime to come. Finished my day's survey in[--] rather earlier today or would not have had this [missing word]. Write me as often as you can.","Your sincere friend,\nLawrence Royster","Sam Hopkins who was here last year, after being confined in some Yankee prison for several months returned home and died two days after.","Camp Stevens- Richmond\nMay 3, 1864","Dear Roller,\nYour esteemed favor did not reach me as soon as it would, had I not been absent on duty when it reached Camp. I hope you will pardon the delay on that account.","I must confess, I have been sadly disappointed in my calculations. When I resigned at the Institute, I was confident of a position in the Engineers. Alas! For the uncertainty of human expectations! I had thought very seriously of joining the Infantry, as a private, \u0026 but for the remonstrances of my parents, think I would have. There is little, well, I see none, chance of promotion in this service unless specially favored, which I have no right to expect. But I am not murmuring. I will be contented, if I only get through this struggle safe. It would afford you little interest, \u0026 cause me more mortification, to detail to you the many ways in which I have been\ndeceived. If I could only forget the many apparently bright prospects which have been offered me, I should feel at least condoled, but memory still sings out \"he, who tries to better a good condition, often renders it worse.\"","Your very kind offers in my behalf, I can assure you, are highly appreciated, \u0026 nothing would give me more pleasure than to be with you, I hope it may be so.","We are anxiously awaiting the result of the impending issue in Northern Virginia. I may say, in truth, never was so much anxiety manifested in any one battle. That we shall be victorious is my confident belief. We had some little excitement in this immediate locality last week, occasioned by the appearance of the enemy in some force at our positions [?] on the Pamunky. It turned out, however, to be a slight demonstration. Nothing else of special interest. Beckham \u0026 Boyd send their regards. Crawford has left the\nInstitute, he failed to get a detail. Write soon \u0026 let me know all.","Your sincere friend,\nJ.B. Prince","Grassy Dale Va., May 17th 1864","My Dear Son,\nIt has now been two weeks since we heard from you, but we suppose you have written but owing to the Raiders destroying the Rail Roads around Richmond we have no mail communication with the South. Since I wrote to you from Charlottesville we have had an exciting time in the Valley. I heard at Charlottesville that the Yankee Genl. Sigel was advancing up the Valley. When I returned to Staunton I found Genl. John C. Breckinridge at that point with two Brigade of Infantry and 12 pieces of Artillery. They left Staunton on Friday last and encamped at Mt. Crawford that night and left early the next morning and encamped that night at Lacy Springs and commenced their march next (Sunday) morning at one o'clock and halted a little below Tenth Legion and remained in that position until Gen. Breckinridge had news from the front.","To get you to understand the situation of things I will go back several days and give you a History of Gen. Imboden's doings. Gen. Imboden found out that the yankees were advancing in three columns, one up the Page, one up the Hardy \u0026 Pendleton Valley, and the main force up our valley. Gen. Imboden by forced marches fell upon the column (all Cavalry) near Moorefield very\nunexpectedly, routed them completely, and pursued them within 6 or 7 miles of Romney, in this time capturing all their train which he had to destroy, having no horses to bring out the wagon.","He then returned to the Valley traveling day \u0026 night, and only stopping long enough to graze his horses, and returned to the Valley in time to attack the column coming up the Page valley. Before Sigel's forces got up to New Market he attacked the column and utterly routed it, scattering it in the mountains and captured on Friday about 100 of them with about 200 fine cavalry horses. He attacked them on Friday night and on Saturday picked up the prisoners and would have gotten more but Sigel advanced and our forces had to fall back on this side of New Market, our men making a very stubborn resistance but was forced to fall back about 8 o'clock on Saturday night to a point 3 miles this side [of] New Market, the yankees having possession of the town during the night. This now gives you to understand the position of things and I will now commence where I left off with Gen. Breckinridge's troops.","Gen. Breckinridge advanced with his troops a little after day light and not wishing to be tedious he maneuvered his forces from one point to another until about 12 O'clock, when he attacked the enemy with his artillery. Having gotten the [heights] back of the town and after an artillery duel of perhaps one hour, the Cadets from Lexington with the 62 Regiment (Col. Smith's Regiment) charged one of the yank's Batteries. They captured it, but lost heavily, the cadets lost 5 killed and 39 wounded, some of them seriously, your friend Cary Watson Adjutant of the Battalion with Col. Shipp leading the Charge, they both came out safe except Col. Shipp had a slight scratch; Royster also came out unhurt. I give you a list of the killed. Cabell, W.H. McDowell, Crockett, C., Stanard, Jones H. It is said that Col. Gilham and Capt. Sims [Semmes] stayed in the rear where there was no danger.","It was at this time that Gen. Breckinridge commenced pressing the enemy at every point and although they had two to our one we drove them from the field capturing five pieces of their Artillery, 111 prisoners and leaving nearly all of their killed and wounded upon the field and in order to make good their retreat burned the bridge over the river. An Officer reports to me today that Sigel is retreating to Winchester in great haste, reporting that we have 30,000 men while we had not more than 4,000 in the fight, our\nreserve having never been brought into action. Gen. Breckinridge's forces are [returning?] up the Valley, whether they go to reinforce Gen. Lee or go to some other point. I went down the Valley with General Breckinridge having gone down with him at his request and was with him most of the time during the fight. I came home last night having left New Market about 1 o'clock\nyesterday. We have had and will continue to have heavy fighting in Virginia, but of the final result no one doubts but we will be successful. We have driven them and at least [repulsed?] them at every point. We are all well. Write soon and often.","Your father","Josie sends her love, so do all the rest. I hope when I write again to be able to give you the glorious news that we have driven the yanks from Virginia soil.","Richmond July 28 1864","My Dear Roller,\nYour letter sent by Overton was duly received and contents noted. I have inquired of the Express Company in regard to your trunk, they tell me that it will be safe to send the blankets in it. In regard to your jacket and vest, you merely told me to order them without saying how I was to send them or whether I was to pay for them. I have seen Doherty in regard to them and he can make them out of excellent cloth for $250 so they will be ready in a few days. I will wait until I hear from you before I ship any of the things, if you say so I can put both blankets \u0026 clothes in the trunk, let me hear immediately and I will attend to all with great pleasure. I should like very much to go over to see you, but cannot possibly do so, though I do not intend to remain here idle longer than the first of August. I am ashamed of it, will return to Lexington and remain there in camp first.","I have not seen Overton since the school closed. About two dozen of the boys are staying here. Speaking of the appointments, a good many of them surprised me, though I am very well satisfied with what I got, I don't care much however, you know kissing goes by favor. There are eight privates now in the first class, but it is my private belief that the Institute will not be in operation again until the was is over, although they have made arrangements to carry it on, books cloth and provisions an all wanting.","I am glad your Father did not suffer by the yankees. Mother lost absolutely every thing she had, and is now a refugee here, sick too, they not only stole all provision, and stock she had, but went about the house breaking up what they could find and then had the assurance to ask my sister if she could not furnish them with a snack of ham. Roller, if I am ever spared to get into yankee land, I will respect nothing but a woman's person, I'll break, pillage and plunder. My Mother, from living in luxury at home, is now\nforced to the necessity of borrowing a wagon to get home in, and I don't know what she is going to live on after she gets there.","Speaking of old \"23,\" she did [ro__] this time, if the appointments are permanent (which I doubt) but I am afraid Pat will not stand first, I think Davis will get him. Pat has been thinking too much of Miss Mollie, she will ruin him I am afraid, or rather has done so. I will write you a letter in a few days.","Sincerely, Your friend\nLawrence Royster\nAddress\nCare, Purcell, Ladd \u0026 Co.","Corps Cadets Camp on Intermediate Line\nNear Richmond Dec. 7th 1864","My Dear Roller,\nI am really ashamed at the idea of neglecting your letter for so long a time, but out here even I scarcely have time to write a letter, so busily are we occupied drilling and having dress parades. Soon after you were at Camp Lee, we moved to this place and it seems impossible, although we have procured the Almshouse for us to get away, we are anxiously expecting a furlough of two weeks to prepare etc. When we will be relieved from duty here I cannot say, we are daily expecting a fight on this line, certainly\nbefore the end of this week. They are making such a stir about our getting the building that I do not expect we will be able to study in peace after we do get there. The provisions and \"we officers\" have all been moved down ready for work but the much persecuted Corps has not been released from the Confederate Authorities yet. Not long since a foreign battalion was raised under Col. Tucker to be stationed in Columbia \u0026 Aiken SC as a garrison. A good many of our boys have accepted positions as Captains and Lieutenants, among them, several of the old class, also Duncan, Brockenbrough, James F., Dinwiddie, Barton, Penn and Tunstall. I came near going myself but concluded not to do so, and now I congratulate myself upon not going. I believe we intend to occupy the Alms House until the spring and then move to Lexington again. I am sure I cannot study much in Richmond, and now I have my fears concerning Calculus etc. as it would be more disgraceful than ever should I fail in that, oh! I do want that diploma so much. I have studied hard for two long years and now do not want to fail. We are to room by company, consequently our old room will greatly, to the regret of all parties, be broken up, Pizzini, Davis and myself being in different companies. With that\nexception I have as pleasant a room as I could desire. Stuart, Echols, Etheredge, Royster, Ridley R., James J., Jarratt \u0026 Peirce, the officers and non-commissioned of \"B\" Co. The house is an elegant building, much more than old barracks. We will also have to study on Saturday which I do not like much. That fine breakfast on Saturday will be knocked in the head then.","Ross \u0026 Echols desire to be remembered to you."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eJohn E. Roller personal papers, 1862-1910. MS 0171. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["John E. Roller personal papers, 1862-1910. MS 0171. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThe John E. Roller papers include:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCivil War era letters from cadet friends concerning life at VMI\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCivil War dispatches and telegrams that date from Roller's service with the Confederate States of America engineers, including one document signed by General Robert E. Lee\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne scrapbook (circa 1910) that contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and other related information\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo photographs, one of Confederate soldier Lieutenant Colonel Samuel T. Walker (10th Virginia Infantry Regiment) and one of the Virginia Legislature Centennial Committee (1871)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHolograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Cadet Norwood B. Randolph in 1870\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOther items\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards cadet life and the upcoming inauguration of Jefferson Davis.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Staunton, Virginia. Letter regards Peter S. Roller's inability to supply General Francis H. Smith with hired or slave labor. Letter also includes a discussion of when John E. Roller should join the Army.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, VIrginia. In the letter, John E. Roller submits a report concerning the theft of Commandant records.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Richmond, Virginia. Letter congratulates John E. Roller on his Army commission.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter discusses examinations and mutual friends at VMI.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards results of examinations and that Lawrence Royster is considering leaving VMI.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards academic problems, uncertainty about staying at VMI, and mentions several recent graduates and cadets.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter discusses rumors about deployment of cadets and cadets who have left VMI.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards academics, changes in faculty, and cadet life.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Camp Stephens, Richmond, Virginia. Joseph B. Prince recently resigned from a teaching job at VMI to join the Army, but is disappointed in his Army position.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Grassy Dale, Virginia. Letter reports news of fighting in the Shenandoah Valley between forces of General Breckinridge and General Sigel. The letter also mentions the Battle of New Market.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Richmond, Virginia. Letter regards Hunter's Raid and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Richmond, Virginia. Letter regards travel to VMI's temporary headquarters at the Alms House in Richmond.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCorrespondents include Richard L. Gray, Nannie Lewis, G. W. Berlin, and C. L. Hammond.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIncludes dispatches, notes, and telegrams.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards receipt of recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCertifies Thomas Hubbard, born in Caswell County, North Carolina.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch reports on enemy strength.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDocument requests for officer to be assigned at Weldon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Drewry's Bluff, Virginia. Regards enemy naval forces.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\"I have telegraphed Hampton to return to Richmond. Send for him. Young's brigade under Col. Wright cannot be far in advance of Richmond. Get your Cavalry together, aid it with the Infantry, and drive back enemy.\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eScouting report.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch regards transportation for officer.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch regards a matter pending before the War Department.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch regards a personnel request.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch regards a request for ammunition.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch directs W. Brown to send forge to Dunlap's Crossing, Georgia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch requests map of Dinwiddie, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch requests \"all amputating sets on hand.\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\"If you should receive an unintelligible signal dispatch from Gen. Beauregard tonight or in morning take no notice of it- it is sent for a purpose.\"\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch explains that Mayo is too sick to attend court.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch conveys instructions and reprimand.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch regards troop movements.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDispatch requests five dollar notes.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eScrapbook contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and related information.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSamuel T. Walker (1830-1863) served with the 10th Virginia Infantry Regiment and was killed in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIncludes holograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Norwood B. Randolph in 1870, and other items.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["The John E. Roller papers include:\n\nCivil War era letters from cadet friends concerning life at VMI\nCivil War dispatches and telegrams that date from Roller's service with the Confederate States of America engineers, including one document signed by General Robert E. Lee\nOne scrapbook (circa 1910) that contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and other related information\nTwo photographs, one of Confederate soldier Lieutenant Colonel Samuel T. Walker (10th Virginia Infantry Regiment) and one of the Virginia Legislature Centennial Committee (1871)\nHolograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Cadet Norwood B. Randolph in 1870\nOther items","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards cadet life and the upcoming inauguration of Jefferson Davis.","Written from Staunton, Virginia. Letter regards Peter S. Roller's inability to supply General Francis H. Smith with hired or slave labor. Letter also includes a discussion of when John E. Roller should join the Army.","Written from VMI, Lexington, VIrginia. In the letter, John E. Roller submits a report concerning the theft of Commandant records.","Written from Richmond, Virginia. Letter congratulates John E. Roller on his Army commission.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter discusses examinations and mutual friends at VMI.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards results of examinations and that Lawrence Royster is considering leaving VMI.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards academic problems, uncertainty about staying at VMI, and mentions several recent graduates and cadets.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter discusses rumors about deployment of cadets and cadets who have left VMI.","Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards academics, changes in faculty, and cadet life.","Written from Camp Stephens, Richmond, Virginia. Joseph B. Prince recently resigned from a teaching job at VMI to join the Army, but is disappointed in his Army position.","Written from Grassy Dale, Virginia. Letter reports news of fighting in the Shenandoah Valley between forces of General Breckinridge and General Sigel. The letter also mentions the Battle of New Market.","Written from Richmond, Virginia. Letter regards Hunter's Raid and family news.","Written from Richmond, Virginia. Letter regards travel to VMI's temporary headquarters at the Alms House in Richmond.","Correspondents include Richard L. Gray, Nannie Lewis, G. W. Berlin, and C. L. Hammond.","Includes dispatches, notes, and telegrams.","Letter regards receipt of recommendations.","Certifies Thomas Hubbard, born in Caswell County, North Carolina.","Dispatch reports on enemy strength.","Document requests for officer to be assigned at Weldon.","Written near Drewry's Bluff, Virginia. Regards enemy naval forces.","\"I have telegraphed Hampton to return to Richmond. Send for him. Young's brigade under Col. Wright cannot be far in advance of Richmond. Get your Cavalry together, aid it with the Infantry, and drive back enemy.\"","Scouting report.","Dispatch regards transportation for officer.","Dispatch regards a matter pending before the War Department.","Dispatch regards a personnel request.","Dispatch regards a request for ammunition.","Dispatch directs W. Brown to send forge to Dunlap's Crossing, Georgia.","Dispatch requests map of Dinwiddie, Virginia.","Dispatch requests \"all amputating sets on hand.\"","\"If you should receive an unintelligible signal dispatch from Gen. Beauregard tonight or in morning take no notice of it- it is sent for a purpose.\"","Dispatch explains that Mayo is too sick to attend court.","Dispatch conveys instructions and reprimand.","Dispatch regards troop movements.","Dispatch requests five dollar notes.","Scrapbook contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and related information.","Samuel T. Walker (1830-1863) served with the 10th Virginia Infantry Regiment and was killed in action at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863.","Includes holograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Norwood B. Randolph in 1870, and other items."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_f2f300e6a65eb15ef679809bd4051c3f\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898","Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889","Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890","Pizzini, Andrew, Jr., 1846-1913","Chaffin, Richard B. (Richard Booker), 1844-1902","Grigg, Wesley P. (Wesley Peyton), 1846-1865","Steptoe, Charles Y. (Charles Yancey), 1838-1877","Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917","Taylor, Walter H. (Walter Herron), 1838-1916"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Roller, John E. (John Edwin), 1844-1917","Royster, Lawrence, 1841-1914","Overton, Archibald W. (Archibald Waller), 1845-1920","Prince, Joseph B. (Joseph Brown), 1844-1903","Randolph, Norwood B. (Norwood Beverley), 1849-1874","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Flannagan, William W. (William Walker), 1843-1923","Walker, Samuel T., 1830-1863","Baldwin, Briscoe G. (Briscoe Gerard), 1828-1898","Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889","Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890","Pizzini, Andrew, Jr., 1846-1913","Chaffin, Richard B. (Richard Booker), 1844-1902","Grigg, Wesley P. (Wesley Peyton), 1846-1865","Steptoe, Charles Y. (Charles Yancey), 1838-1877","Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917","Taylor, Walter H. (Walter Herron), 1838-1916"],"language_ssim":["English\n."],"total_component_count_is":44,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_599_c02_c01"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","type":"collection","attributes":{"title":"Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863","creator":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773#creator","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"Koontz, George W.","label":"Creator"}},"abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWriten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_773.xml","title_ssm":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin"],"title_tesim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin"],"unitdate_ssm":["1863 May 10"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1863 May 10"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863"],"text":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863","MS.0102.Item 185","/repositories/3/resources/773","Chancellorsville (Va.), Battle of, 1863","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","This item is available online","George William Koontz was born on February 12, 1839, in Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. At age 15, Koontz left home to work in a mercantile business in Highland County, Virginia, where he remained until the beginning of the Civil War.","Koontz enlisted in June 1861 in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery and was reassigned to the Danville Artillery in September 1862. Koontz served with that unit until he was paroled at Appomattox in April 1865, having reached the rank of Captain by war's end.","After the Civil War, he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was a farmer, miller, and county treasurer. In 1871 he married Mary C. \"Mollie\" Newman, also of Shenandoah County. Koontz died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1925. He is buried in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, Virginia.","Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing\n6 miles South Fredericksburg Va\nSunday Night May 10/63","Dear Mattie:\nYour kind \u0026 interesting letter was received Tuesday week last, and I would have answered sooner but on Wednesday 29 April we received orders to march, and by 12 o'clock we were on the march for Hamiltons Crossing (20 miles distant from our old Camp at Bowling Green). We traveled on sticking in the mud and pulling out again. We proceeded until 2 or 3 o'clock in the night, when it commenced raining we had to stop. Day light found us sticking in the mud with the road blockaded with wagons \u0026 artillery all way to Hamiltons, which was two miles.","Well we got started again and about 10 we were brought up on the Hills, near the old battlefield of the 13 Dec., and were ordered into camp. The enemy had crossed the river, and we were expecting to go to fighting. Shots were exchanged very freely and we expected to be into it next morning (Friday). But Friday morning came, instead of fighting everything was comparatively quiet. We were order[ed] to take up line of march. We did not know where but we did not travel far before we could hear the roar of cannon in the distant and it was reported that the enemy had crossed at Kellys Ford, which was true. We moved on up towards [Orange] on the plank road, and where we camped, our advance had driven the Yankees advance back so I may say that I slept on the edge of a battlefield.","Everything was quiet during the night, but when Saturday morning came it brought with it a thundering of artillery and we were ordered to the front. About 10 the cannonading ceased, and I found that our men had driven the enemy again. I soon discovered that Genl. Jackson was turning the enemies right flank, and about 5 or six we had completely gotten in their rear, drove them from their entrenchments, ran them I suppose 3 or 4 miles. Night coming on brought the fight for the day to a close, but there was firing of infantry and heavy firing of artillery nearly the whole night.","That was another night spent upon the battlefield among dead and wounded. We had as yet lost but very few men and I could not have much sympathy for the Yankees. Soon after dark on Saturday evening was when Genl. Jackson, Hill and Col. Crutchfield our chief of artillery was wounded. Genl. Jackson had to have his left arm amputated. They were wounded by our own men. He was riding between our first and second lines of battle and was mistaken for Yankee Cavalry.","Sunday morning came and the hardest days fight. The Yankees had secured a good position. As soon as day come heavy and desperate firing commenced. We were ordered up pretty soon, and soon we were ordered to take position within 3/4 miles of the enemies batteries under a very heavy rain of shot and shell. We fired about an hour and a half, exhausting nearly all of our ammunition, but we did not cease firing until we drove the enemy from and took possession of their position. We had one man, Corporal James L. Long killed and eight wounded, the greater portion slight wounds. All the boys that you are acquainted with come out alright.","We remained in and about the last day's (Sunday) fighting ground until Wednesday, when we return here. But during this time the enemy had forced our men what was left (1 Division) at Fredericksburg to retire and Genl. Lee had to return and drive them back across the river, which he did on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so old Fighting Joe made good his escape perhaps never to return. The loss on both sides were very heavy, but I firmly believe the Yankees loss was two to our one if not more. Some say five to one. I never saw the like of knapsacks, the ground was literally covered from where we started them until we stopped. The Fredericksburg fight of Dec. 13 was not a circumstance compared to this, that was nothing more than play. We had miserable bad weather connected with it which made it so more disagreeable. This is called the battle of \"Chancellorsville.\" I have given you as correct account as I could sum up. I guess you will be able to gather more from the papers. I forgot to state that the area of country fought over from beginning to end I think will exceed 20 miles.","I will stop writing of the fight. I guess we will not get back to our old camp at Bowling Green though I would like to go back there. The boys are well. Philip, Milt and Polk send their love to all the family. Milt sends his overcoat, and I send a piece of gray cloth by Mr. Coffman to be sent to you or you can go to town and get it. You will please take care of them and send it down home the first opportunity. I want to have a coat made of the cloth. You will let me know in your next whether you get them or not.","My love to all. It is twelve and I must close. \"All quiet along the Rappahannock tonight.\" It was reported this evening in camp that Genl. Jackson died from his wound, but I don't believe. I hope it is false rumor.","Write soon to your Cousin,\nGeo. W. Koontz.","Writen from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","This item is physically located in the Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS-0102).","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863"],"collection_ssim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Item","Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0102.Item 185","/repositories/3/resources/773"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0102.Item 185","/repositories/3/resources/773"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_ssm":["Koontz, George W."],"creator_ssim":["Koontz, George W."],"creator_persname_ssim":["Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Chancellorsville (Va.), Battle of, 1863","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Chancellorsville (Va.), Battle of, 1863","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["1 items"],"extent_tesim":["1 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1863],"altformavail_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://digitalcollections.vmi.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15821coll11/id/2027\"\u003eThis item is available online\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e  "],"altformavail_heading_ssm":["Online Access"],"altformavail_tesim":["This item is available online"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eGeorge William Koontz was born on February 12, 1839, in Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. At age 15, Koontz left home to work in a mercantile business in Highland County, Virginia, where he remained until the beginning of the Civil War. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eKoontz enlisted in June 1861 in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery and was reassigned to the Danville Artillery in September 1862. Koontz served with that unit until he was paroled at Appomattox in April 1865, having reached the rank of Captain by war's end. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAfter the Civil War, he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was a farmer, miller, and county treasurer. In 1871 he married Mary C. \"Mollie\" Newman, also of Shenandoah County. Koontz died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1925. He is buried in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, Virginia. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["George William Koontz was born on February 12, 1839, in Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. At age 15, Koontz left home to work in a mercantile business in Highland County, Virginia, where he remained until the beginning of the Civil War.","Koontz enlisted in June 1861 in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery and was reassigned to the Danville Artillery in September 1862. Koontz served with that unit until he was paroled at Appomattox in April 1865, having reached the rank of Captain by war's end.","After the Civil War, he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was a farmer, miller, and county treasurer. In 1871 he married Mary C. \"Mollie\" Newman, also of Shenandoah County. Koontz died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1925. He is buried in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, Virginia."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing\u003cbr\u003e\n6 miles South Fredericksburg Va\u003cbr\u003e\nSunday Night May 10/63\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Mattie:\u003cbr\u003e\nYour kind \u0026amp; interesting letter was received Tuesday week last, and I would have answered sooner but on Wednesday 29 April we received orders to march, and by 12 o'clock we were on the march for Hamiltons Crossing (20 miles distant from our old Camp at Bowling Green). We traveled on sticking in the mud and pulling out again. We proceeded until 2 or 3 o'clock in the night, when it commenced raining we had to stop. Day light found us sticking in the mud with the road blockaded with wagons \u0026amp; artillery all way to Hamiltons, which was two miles.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell we got started again and about 10 we were brought up on the Hills, near the old battlefield of the 13 Dec., and were ordered into camp. The enemy had crossed the river, and we were expecting to go to fighting. Shots were exchanged very freely and we expected to be into it next morning (Friday). But Friday morning came, instead of fighting everything was comparatively quiet. We were order[ed] to take up line of march. We did not know where but we did not travel far before we could hear the roar of cannon in the distant and it was reported that the enemy had crossed at Kellys Ford, which was true. We moved on up towards [Orange] on the plank road, and where we camped, our advance had driven the Yankees advance back so I may say that I slept on the edge of a battlefield.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eEverything was quiet during the night, but when Saturday morning came it brought with it a thundering of artillery and we were ordered to the front. About 10 the cannonading ceased, and I found that our men had driven the enemy again. I soon discovered that Genl. Jackson was turning the enemies right flank, and about 5 or six we had completely gotten in their rear, drove them from their entrenchments, ran them I suppose 3 or 4 miles. Night coming on brought the fight for the day to a close, but there was firing of infantry and heavy firing of artillery nearly the whole night.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat was another night spent upon the battlefield among dead and wounded. We had as yet lost but very few men and I could not have much sympathy for the Yankees. Soon after dark on Saturday evening was when Genl. Jackson, Hill and Col. Crutchfield our chief of artillery was wounded. Genl. Jackson had to have his left arm amputated. They were wounded by our own men. He was riding between our first and second lines of battle and was mistaken for Yankee Cavalry.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSunday morning came and the hardest days fight. The Yankees had secured a good position. As soon as day come heavy and desperate firing commenced. We were ordered up pretty soon, and soon we were ordered to take position within 3/4 miles of the enemies batteries under a very heavy rain of shot and shell. We fired about an hour and a half, exhausting nearly all of our ammunition, but we did not cease firing until we drove the enemy from and took possession of their position. We had one man, Corporal James L. Long killed and eight wounded, the greater portion slight wounds. All the boys that you are acquainted with come out alright.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe remained in and about the last day's (Sunday) fighting ground until Wednesday, when we return here. But during this time the enemy had forced our men what was left (1 Division) at Fredericksburg to retire and Genl. Lee had to return and drive them back across the river, which he did on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so old Fighting Joe made good his escape perhaps never to return. The loss on both sides were very heavy, but I firmly believe the Yankees loss was two to our one if not more. Some say five to one. I never saw the like of knapsacks, the ground was literally covered from where we started them until we stopped. The Fredericksburg fight of Dec. 13 was not a circumstance compared to this, that was nothing more than play. We had miserable bad weather connected with it which made it so more disagreeable. This is called the battle of \"Chancellorsville.\" I have given you as correct account as I could sum up. I guess you will be able to gather more from the papers. I forgot to state that the area of country fought over from beginning to end I think will exceed 20 miles.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI will stop writing of the fight. I guess we will not get back to our old camp at Bowling Green though I would like to go back there. The boys are well. Philip, Milt and Polk send their love to all the family. Milt sends his overcoat, and I send a piece of gray cloth by Mr. Coffman to be sent to you or you can go to town and get it. You will please take care of them and send it down home the first opportunity. I want to have a coat made of the cloth. You will let me know in your next whether you get them or not.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy love to all. It is twelve and I must close. \"All quiet along the Rappahannock tonight.\" It was reported this evening in camp that Genl. Jackson died from his wound, but I don't believe. I hope it is false rumor.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWrite soon to your Cousin,\u003cbr\u003e\nGeo. W. Koontz.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing\n6 miles South Fredericksburg Va\nSunday Night May 10/63","Dear Mattie:\nYour kind \u0026 interesting letter was received Tuesday week last, and I would have answered sooner but on Wednesday 29 April we received orders to march, and by 12 o'clock we were on the march for Hamiltons Crossing (20 miles distant from our old Camp at Bowling Green). We traveled on sticking in the mud and pulling out again. We proceeded until 2 or 3 o'clock in the night, when it commenced raining we had to stop. Day light found us sticking in the mud with the road blockaded with wagons \u0026 artillery all way to Hamiltons, which was two miles.","Well we got started again and about 10 we were brought up on the Hills, near the old battlefield of the 13 Dec., and were ordered into camp. The enemy had crossed the river, and we were expecting to go to fighting. Shots were exchanged very freely and we expected to be into it next morning (Friday). But Friday morning came, instead of fighting everything was comparatively quiet. We were order[ed] to take up line of march. We did not know where but we did not travel far before we could hear the roar of cannon in the distant and it was reported that the enemy had crossed at Kellys Ford, which was true. We moved on up towards [Orange] on the plank road, and where we camped, our advance had driven the Yankees advance back so I may say that I slept on the edge of a battlefield.","Everything was quiet during the night, but when Saturday morning came it brought with it a thundering of artillery and we were ordered to the front. About 10 the cannonading ceased, and I found that our men had driven the enemy again. I soon discovered that Genl. Jackson was turning the enemies right flank, and about 5 or six we had completely gotten in their rear, drove them from their entrenchments, ran them I suppose 3 or 4 miles. Night coming on brought the fight for the day to a close, but there was firing of infantry and heavy firing of artillery nearly the whole night.","That was another night spent upon the battlefield among dead and wounded. We had as yet lost but very few men and I could not have much sympathy for the Yankees. Soon after dark on Saturday evening was when Genl. Jackson, Hill and Col. Crutchfield our chief of artillery was wounded. Genl. Jackson had to have his left arm amputated. They were wounded by our own men. He was riding between our first and second lines of battle and was mistaken for Yankee Cavalry.","Sunday morning came and the hardest days fight. The Yankees had secured a good position. As soon as day come heavy and desperate firing commenced. We were ordered up pretty soon, and soon we were ordered to take position within 3/4 miles of the enemies batteries under a very heavy rain of shot and shell. We fired about an hour and a half, exhausting nearly all of our ammunition, but we did not cease firing until we drove the enemy from and took possession of their position. We had one man, Corporal James L. Long killed and eight wounded, the greater portion slight wounds. All the boys that you are acquainted with come out alright.","We remained in and about the last day's (Sunday) fighting ground until Wednesday, when we return here. But during this time the enemy had forced our men what was left (1 Division) at Fredericksburg to retire and Genl. Lee had to return and drive them back across the river, which he did on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so old Fighting Joe made good his escape perhaps never to return. The loss on both sides were very heavy, but I firmly believe the Yankees loss was two to our one if not more. Some say five to one. I never saw the like of knapsacks, the ground was literally covered from where we started them until we stopped. The Fredericksburg fight of Dec. 13 was not a circumstance compared to this, that was nothing more than play. We had miserable bad weather connected with it which made it so more disagreeable. This is called the battle of \"Chancellorsville.\" I have given you as correct account as I could sum up. I guess you will be able to gather more from the papers. I forgot to state that the area of country fought over from beginning to end I think will exceed 20 miles.","I will stop writing of the fight. I guess we will not get back to our old camp at Bowling Green though I would like to go back there. The boys are well. Philip, Milt and Polk send their love to all the family. Milt sends his overcoat, and I send a piece of gray cloth by Mr. Coffman to be sent to you or you can go to town and get it. You will please take care of them and send it down home the first opportunity. I want to have a coat made of the cloth. You will let me know in your next whether you get them or not.","My love to all. It is twelve and I must close. \"All quiet along the Rappahannock tonight.\" It was reported this evening in camp that Genl. Jackson died from his wound, but I don't believe. I hope it is false rumor.","Write soon to your Cousin,\nGeo. W. Koontz."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLetter from George Koontz to his cousin. Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS 0102). Virginia Military Institute Archives.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin. Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS 0102). Virginia Military Institute Archives."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWriten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Writen from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_7290281017d330303798cd063637fce2\"\u003eThis item is physically located in the Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS-0102).\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["This item is physically located in the Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS-0102)."],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_coll_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_773.xml","title_ssm":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin"],"title_tesim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin"],"unitdate_ssm":["1863 May 10"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1863 May 10"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863"],"text":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863","MS.0102.Item 185","/repositories/3/resources/773","Chancellorsville (Va.), Battle of, 1863","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","This item is available online","George William Koontz was born on February 12, 1839, in Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. At age 15, Koontz left home to work in a mercantile business in Highland County, Virginia, where he remained until the beginning of the Civil War.","Koontz enlisted in June 1861 in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery and was reassigned to the Danville Artillery in September 1862. Koontz served with that unit until he was paroled at Appomattox in April 1865, having reached the rank of Captain by war's end.","After the Civil War, he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was a farmer, miller, and county treasurer. In 1871 he married Mary C. \"Mollie\" Newman, also of Shenandoah County. Koontz died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1925. He is buried in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, Virginia.","Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing\n6 miles South Fredericksburg Va\nSunday Night May 10/63","Dear Mattie:\nYour kind \u0026 interesting letter was received Tuesday week last, and I would have answered sooner but on Wednesday 29 April we received orders to march, and by 12 o'clock we were on the march for Hamiltons Crossing (20 miles distant from our old Camp at Bowling Green). We traveled on sticking in the mud and pulling out again. We proceeded until 2 or 3 o'clock in the night, when it commenced raining we had to stop. Day light found us sticking in the mud with the road blockaded with wagons \u0026 artillery all way to Hamiltons, which was two miles.","Well we got started again and about 10 we were brought up on the Hills, near the old battlefield of the 13 Dec., and were ordered into camp. The enemy had crossed the river, and we were expecting to go to fighting. Shots were exchanged very freely and we expected to be into it next morning (Friday). But Friday morning came, instead of fighting everything was comparatively quiet. We were order[ed] to take up line of march. We did not know where but we did not travel far before we could hear the roar of cannon in the distant and it was reported that the enemy had crossed at Kellys Ford, which was true. We moved on up towards [Orange] on the plank road, and where we camped, our advance had driven the Yankees advance back so I may say that I slept on the edge of a battlefield.","Everything was quiet during the night, but when Saturday morning came it brought with it a thundering of artillery and we were ordered to the front. About 10 the cannonading ceased, and I found that our men had driven the enemy again. I soon discovered that Genl. Jackson was turning the enemies right flank, and about 5 or six we had completely gotten in their rear, drove them from their entrenchments, ran them I suppose 3 or 4 miles. Night coming on brought the fight for the day to a close, but there was firing of infantry and heavy firing of artillery nearly the whole night.","That was another night spent upon the battlefield among dead and wounded. We had as yet lost but very few men and I could not have much sympathy for the Yankees. Soon after dark on Saturday evening was when Genl. Jackson, Hill and Col. Crutchfield our chief of artillery was wounded. Genl. Jackson had to have his left arm amputated. They were wounded by our own men. He was riding between our first and second lines of battle and was mistaken for Yankee Cavalry.","Sunday morning came and the hardest days fight. The Yankees had secured a good position. As soon as day come heavy and desperate firing commenced. We were ordered up pretty soon, and soon we were ordered to take position within 3/4 miles of the enemies batteries under a very heavy rain of shot and shell. We fired about an hour and a half, exhausting nearly all of our ammunition, but we did not cease firing until we drove the enemy from and took possession of their position. We had one man, Corporal James L. Long killed and eight wounded, the greater portion slight wounds. All the boys that you are acquainted with come out alright.","We remained in and about the last day's (Sunday) fighting ground until Wednesday, when we return here. But during this time the enemy had forced our men what was left (1 Division) at Fredericksburg to retire and Genl. Lee had to return and drive them back across the river, which he did on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so old Fighting Joe made good his escape perhaps never to return. The loss on both sides were very heavy, but I firmly believe the Yankees loss was two to our one if not more. Some say five to one. I never saw the like of knapsacks, the ground was literally covered from where we started them until we stopped. The Fredericksburg fight of Dec. 13 was not a circumstance compared to this, that was nothing more than play. We had miserable bad weather connected with it which made it so more disagreeable. This is called the battle of \"Chancellorsville.\" I have given you as correct account as I could sum up. I guess you will be able to gather more from the papers. I forgot to state that the area of country fought over from beginning to end I think will exceed 20 miles.","I will stop writing of the fight. I guess we will not get back to our old camp at Bowling Green though I would like to go back there. The boys are well. Philip, Milt and Polk send their love to all the family. Milt sends his overcoat, and I send a piece of gray cloth by Mr. Coffman to be sent to you or you can go to town and get it. You will please take care of them and send it down home the first opportunity. I want to have a coat made of the cloth. You will let me know in your next whether you get them or not.","My love to all. It is twelve and I must close. \"All quiet along the Rappahannock tonight.\" It was reported this evening in camp that Genl. Jackson died from his wound, but I don't believe. I hope it is false rumor.","Write soon to your Cousin,\nGeo. W. Koontz.","Writen from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","This item is physically located in the Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS-0102).","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863"],"collection_ssim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin, 1863"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Item","Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0102.Item 185","/repositories/3/resources/773"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0102.Item 185","/repositories/3/resources/773"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creator_ssm":["Koontz, George W."],"creator_ssim":["Koontz, George W."],"creator_persname_ssim":["Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Chancellorsville (Va.), Battle of, 1863","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Chancellorsville (Va.), Battle of, 1863","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Artillery—Danville Artillery","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["1 items"],"extent_tesim":["1 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1863],"altformavail_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://digitalcollections.vmi.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15821coll11/id/2027\"\u003eThis item is available online\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e  "],"altformavail_heading_ssm":["Online Access"],"altformavail_tesim":["This item is available online"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eGeorge William Koontz was born on February 12, 1839, in Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. At age 15, Koontz left home to work in a mercantile business in Highland County, Virginia, where he remained until the beginning of the Civil War. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eKoontz enlisted in June 1861 in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery and was reassigned to the Danville Artillery in September 1862. Koontz served with that unit until he was paroled at Appomattox in April 1865, having reached the rank of Captain by war's end. \u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAfter the Civil War, he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was a farmer, miller, and county treasurer. In 1871 he married Mary C. \"Mollie\" Newman, also of Shenandoah County. Koontz died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1925. He is buried in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, Virginia. \u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["George William Koontz was born on February 12, 1839, in Edinburg, Shenandoah County, Virginia. At age 15, Koontz left home to work in a mercantile business in Highland County, Virginia, where he remained until the beginning of the Civil War.","Koontz enlisted in June 1861 in the Eighth Star New Market Artillery and was reassigned to the Danville Artillery in September 1862. Koontz served with that unit until he was paroled at Appomattox in April 1865, having reached the rank of Captain by war's end.","After the Civil War, he returned to Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was a farmer, miller, and county treasurer. In 1871 he married Mary C. \"Mollie\" Newman, also of Shenandoah County. Koontz died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1925. He is buried in Massanutten Cemetery, Woodstock, Virginia."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing\u003cbr\u003e\n6 miles South Fredericksburg Va\u003cbr\u003e\nSunday Night May 10/63\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Mattie:\u003cbr\u003e\nYour kind \u0026amp; interesting letter was received Tuesday week last, and I would have answered sooner but on Wednesday 29 April we received orders to march, and by 12 o'clock we were on the march for Hamiltons Crossing (20 miles distant from our old Camp at Bowling Green). We traveled on sticking in the mud and pulling out again. We proceeded until 2 or 3 o'clock in the night, when it commenced raining we had to stop. Day light found us sticking in the mud with the road blockaded with wagons \u0026amp; artillery all way to Hamiltons, which was two miles.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell we got started again and about 10 we were brought up on the Hills, near the old battlefield of the 13 Dec., and were ordered into camp. The enemy had crossed the river, and we were expecting to go to fighting. Shots were exchanged very freely and we expected to be into it next morning (Friday). But Friday morning came, instead of fighting everything was comparatively quiet. We were order[ed] to take up line of march. We did not know where but we did not travel far before we could hear the roar of cannon in the distant and it was reported that the enemy had crossed at Kellys Ford, which was true. We moved on up towards [Orange] on the plank road, and where we camped, our advance had driven the Yankees advance back so I may say that I slept on the edge of a battlefield.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eEverything was quiet during the night, but when Saturday morning came it brought with it a thundering of artillery and we were ordered to the front. About 10 the cannonading ceased, and I found that our men had driven the enemy again. I soon discovered that Genl. Jackson was turning the enemies right flank, and about 5 or six we had completely gotten in their rear, drove them from their entrenchments, ran them I suppose 3 or 4 miles. Night coming on brought the fight for the day to a close, but there was firing of infantry and heavy firing of artillery nearly the whole night.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat was another night spent upon the battlefield among dead and wounded. We had as yet lost but very few men and I could not have much sympathy for the Yankees. Soon after dark on Saturday evening was when Genl. Jackson, Hill and Col. Crutchfield our chief of artillery was wounded. Genl. Jackson had to have his left arm amputated. They were wounded by our own men. He was riding between our first and second lines of battle and was mistaken for Yankee Cavalry.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSunday morning came and the hardest days fight. The Yankees had secured a good position. As soon as day come heavy and desperate firing commenced. We were ordered up pretty soon, and soon we were ordered to take position within 3/4 miles of the enemies batteries under a very heavy rain of shot and shell. We fired about an hour and a half, exhausting nearly all of our ammunition, but we did not cease firing until we drove the enemy from and took possession of their position. We had one man, Corporal James L. Long killed and eight wounded, the greater portion slight wounds. All the boys that you are acquainted with come out alright.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe remained in and about the last day's (Sunday) fighting ground until Wednesday, when we return here. But during this time the enemy had forced our men what was left (1 Division) at Fredericksburg to retire and Genl. Lee had to return and drive them back across the river, which he did on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so old Fighting Joe made good his escape perhaps never to return. The loss on both sides were very heavy, but I firmly believe the Yankees loss was two to our one if not more. Some say five to one. I never saw the like of knapsacks, the ground was literally covered from where we started them until we stopped. The Fredericksburg fight of Dec. 13 was not a circumstance compared to this, that was nothing more than play. We had miserable bad weather connected with it which made it so more disagreeable. This is called the battle of \"Chancellorsville.\" I have given you as correct account as I could sum up. I guess you will be able to gather more from the papers. I forgot to state that the area of country fought over from beginning to end I think will exceed 20 miles.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI will stop writing of the fight. I guess we will not get back to our old camp at Bowling Green though I would like to go back there. The boys are well. Philip, Milt and Polk send their love to all the family. Milt sends his overcoat, and I send a piece of gray cloth by Mr. Coffman to be sent to you or you can go to town and get it. You will please take care of them and send it down home the first opportunity. I want to have a coat made of the cloth. You will let me know in your next whether you get them or not.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy love to all. It is twelve and I must close. \"All quiet along the Rappahannock tonight.\" It was reported this evening in camp that Genl. Jackson died from his wound, but I don't believe. I hope it is false rumor.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWrite soon to your Cousin,\u003cbr\u003e\nGeo. W. Koontz.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing\n6 miles South Fredericksburg Va\nSunday Night May 10/63","Dear Mattie:\nYour kind \u0026 interesting letter was received Tuesday week last, and I would have answered sooner but on Wednesday 29 April we received orders to march, and by 12 o'clock we were on the march for Hamiltons Crossing (20 miles distant from our old Camp at Bowling Green). We traveled on sticking in the mud and pulling out again. We proceeded until 2 or 3 o'clock in the night, when it commenced raining we had to stop. Day light found us sticking in the mud with the road blockaded with wagons \u0026 artillery all way to Hamiltons, which was two miles.","Well we got started again and about 10 we were brought up on the Hills, near the old battlefield of the 13 Dec., and were ordered into camp. The enemy had crossed the river, and we were expecting to go to fighting. Shots were exchanged very freely and we expected to be into it next morning (Friday). But Friday morning came, instead of fighting everything was comparatively quiet. We were order[ed] to take up line of march. We did not know where but we did not travel far before we could hear the roar of cannon in the distant and it was reported that the enemy had crossed at Kellys Ford, which was true. We moved on up towards [Orange] on the plank road, and where we camped, our advance had driven the Yankees advance back so I may say that I slept on the edge of a battlefield.","Everything was quiet during the night, but when Saturday morning came it brought with it a thundering of artillery and we were ordered to the front. About 10 the cannonading ceased, and I found that our men had driven the enemy again. I soon discovered that Genl. Jackson was turning the enemies right flank, and about 5 or six we had completely gotten in their rear, drove them from their entrenchments, ran them I suppose 3 or 4 miles. Night coming on brought the fight for the day to a close, but there was firing of infantry and heavy firing of artillery nearly the whole night.","That was another night spent upon the battlefield among dead and wounded. We had as yet lost but very few men and I could not have much sympathy for the Yankees. Soon after dark on Saturday evening was when Genl. Jackson, Hill and Col. Crutchfield our chief of artillery was wounded. Genl. Jackson had to have his left arm amputated. They were wounded by our own men. He was riding between our first and second lines of battle and was mistaken for Yankee Cavalry.","Sunday morning came and the hardest days fight. The Yankees had secured a good position. As soon as day come heavy and desperate firing commenced. We were ordered up pretty soon, and soon we were ordered to take position within 3/4 miles of the enemies batteries under a very heavy rain of shot and shell. We fired about an hour and a half, exhausting nearly all of our ammunition, but we did not cease firing until we drove the enemy from and took possession of their position. We had one man, Corporal James L. Long killed and eight wounded, the greater portion slight wounds. All the boys that you are acquainted with come out alright.","We remained in and about the last day's (Sunday) fighting ground until Wednesday, when we return here. But during this time the enemy had forced our men what was left (1 Division) at Fredericksburg to retire and Genl. Lee had to return and drive them back across the river, which he did on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, so old Fighting Joe made good his escape perhaps never to return. The loss on both sides were very heavy, but I firmly believe the Yankees loss was two to our one if not more. Some say five to one. I never saw the like of knapsacks, the ground was literally covered from where we started them until we stopped. The Fredericksburg fight of Dec. 13 was not a circumstance compared to this, that was nothing more than play. We had miserable bad weather connected with it which made it so more disagreeable. This is called the battle of \"Chancellorsville.\" I have given you as correct account as I could sum up. I guess you will be able to gather more from the papers. I forgot to state that the area of country fought over from beginning to end I think will exceed 20 miles.","I will stop writing of the fight. I guess we will not get back to our old camp at Bowling Green though I would like to go back there. The boys are well. Philip, Milt and Polk send their love to all the family. Milt sends his overcoat, and I send a piece of gray cloth by Mr. Coffman to be sent to you or you can go to town and get it. You will please take care of them and send it down home the first opportunity. I want to have a coat made of the cloth. You will let me know in your next whether you get them or not.","My love to all. It is twelve and I must close. \"All quiet along the Rappahannock tonight.\" It was reported this evening in camp that Genl. Jackson died from his wound, but I don't believe. I hope it is false rumor.","Write soon to your Cousin,\nGeo. W. Koontz."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eLetter from George Koontz to his cousin. Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS 0102). Virginia Military Institute Archives.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Letter from George Koontz to his cousin. Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS 0102). Virginia Military Institute Archives."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWriten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Writen from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing 6 miles South Fredericksburg,\" Virginia. Letter regards the wounding and death of Stonewall Jackson."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_7290281017d330303798cd063637fce2\"\u003eThis item is physically located in the Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS-0102).\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["This item is physically located in the Stonewall Jackson Papers (MS-0102)."],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_coll_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Koontz, George W.","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":0,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_773"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to father, 1863","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to father","title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to father"],"title_tesim":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to father"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to father, 1863"],"text":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to father, 1863","Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1863 May 10-11"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":15,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"persname_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"names_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1863],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eSpotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 10th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Father-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIf we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJoshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay 11th 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAlso included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863."],"_nest_path_":"/components#14","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_412.xml","title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"unitdate_ssm":["1861-1865"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1861-1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1861/1865"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"text":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.","Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...","This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"geogname_ssm":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"geogname_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"places_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"creator_ssm":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"extent_tesim":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1861,1862,1863,1864,1865],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent November 1861 to April 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReenlisted on May 1, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeptember the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDirect your letter the same way you did before\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\u003cbr\u003e\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter of Hiram Coyner\u003cbr\u003e\nOctober the 20 1861\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear brother and sister-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026amp; oblige Hiram Coyner\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\u003cbr\u003e\nNov. [?] 1861\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner \u0026amp; Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJan 12.\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIt is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\u003cbr\u003e\nHenry H. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTo his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\u003cbr\u003e\nM. E. A. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Henry:\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eP.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilliam Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eH. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eApril the 15th 1862\u003cbr\u003e\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLast Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJosiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCamp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\u003cbr\u003e\nJuly 5th, 1862\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 10th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Father-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIf we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJoshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay 11th 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay the 25 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\u003cbr\u003e\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGive my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa\u003cbr\u003e\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa-\u003cbr\u003e\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHere is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first..."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards family and general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAlso included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards family news.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_85d8413bd7d4fcdfd4be6d176b2b8823\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"names_coll_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":21,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c15"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1861","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)","title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)"],"title_tesim":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1861"],"text":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1861","Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1861"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1861 October 4"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":2,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"persname_ssim":["Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"names_ssim":["Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1861],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eDear wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDirect your letter the same way you did before\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before"],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news."],"_nest_path_":"/components#1","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_412.xml","title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"unitdate_ssm":["1861-1865"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1861-1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1861/1865"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"text":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.","Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...","This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"geogname_ssm":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"geogname_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"places_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"creator_ssm":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"extent_tesim":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1861,1862,1863,1864,1865],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent November 1861 to April 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReenlisted on May 1, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeptember the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDirect your letter the same way you did before\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\u003cbr\u003e\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter of Hiram Coyner\u003cbr\u003e\nOctober the 20 1861\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear brother and sister-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026amp; oblige Hiram Coyner\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\u003cbr\u003e\nNov. [?] 1861\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner \u0026amp; Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJan 12.\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIt is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\u003cbr\u003e\nHenry H. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTo his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\u003cbr\u003e\nM. E. A. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Henry:\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eP.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilliam Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eH. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eApril the 15th 1862\u003cbr\u003e\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLast Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJosiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCamp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\u003cbr\u003e\nJuly 5th, 1862\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 10th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Father-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIf we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJoshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay 11th 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay the 25 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\u003cbr\u003e\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGive my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa\u003cbr\u003e\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa-\u003cbr\u003e\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHere is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first..."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards family and general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAlso included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards family news.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_85d8413bd7d4fcdfd4be6d176b2b8823\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"names_coll_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":21,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c02"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1862","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)","title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)"],"title_tesim":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1862"],"text":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1862","Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1862"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1862 June 8"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":13,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"names_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1862],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLast Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJosiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia."],"_nest_path_":"/components#12","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_412.xml","title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"unitdate_ssm":["1861-1865"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1861-1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1861/1865"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"text":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.","Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...","This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"geogname_ssm":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"geogname_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"places_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"creator_ssm":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"extent_tesim":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1861,1862,1863,1864,1865],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent November 1861 to April 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReenlisted on May 1, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeptember the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDirect your letter the same way you did before\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\u003cbr\u003e\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter of Hiram Coyner\u003cbr\u003e\nOctober the 20 1861\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear brother and sister-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026amp; oblige Hiram Coyner\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\u003cbr\u003e\nNov. [?] 1861\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner \u0026amp; Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJan 12.\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIt is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\u003cbr\u003e\nHenry H. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTo his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\u003cbr\u003e\nM. E. A. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Henry:\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eP.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilliam Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eH. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eApril the 15th 1862\u003cbr\u003e\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLast Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJosiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCamp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\u003cbr\u003e\nJuly 5th, 1862\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 10th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Father-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIf we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJoshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay 11th 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay the 25 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\u003cbr\u003e\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGive my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa\u003cbr\u003e\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa-\u003cbr\u003e\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHere is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first..."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards family and general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAlso included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards family news.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"physloc_html_tesm":["\u003cphysloc id=\"aspace_85d8413bd7d4fcdfd4be6d176b2b8823\"\u003eManuscripts stacks\u003c/physloc\u003e\n    "],"physloc_tesim":["Manuscripts stacks"],"corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"names_coll_ssim":["Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863"],"names_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"language_ssim":["English"],"total_component_count_is":21,"online_item_count_is":0,"component_level_isim":[0],"sort_isi":0,"timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z"}]}},"label":"Breadcrumbs"}}},"links":{"self":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c13"}},{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c18","type":"Item","attributes":{"title":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1863","abstract_or_scope":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c18#abstract_or_scope","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":"\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e","label":"Abstract Or Scope"}},"breadcrumbs":{"id":"https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c18#breadcrumbs","type":"document_value","attributes":{"value":{"ref_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c18","ref_ssm":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c18"],"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412_c18","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","parent_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_ids_ssim":["vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412"],"title_filing_ssi":"Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)","title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)"],"title_tesim":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1863"],"text":["Letter from Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley), 1863","Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence","English","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops."],"parent_unittitles_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"parent_unittitles_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1863"],"unitdate_other_ssim":["1863 June 14"],"level_ssm":["Item"],"level_ssim":["Item"],"component_level_isim":[1],"sort_isi":18,"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"child_component_count_isi":0,"parent_access_restrict_tesm":["There are no restrictions"],"parent_access_terms_tesm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"names_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921"],"access_subjects_ssim":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","Correspondence"],"language_ssim":["English"],"date_range_isim":[1863],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops."],"_nest_path_":"/components#17","timestamp":"2026-06-23T06:59:54.976Z","collection":{"numFound":1,"start":0,"numFoundExact":true,"docs":[{"id":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_ssi":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_root_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","_nest_parent_":"vilxv_repositories_3_resources_412","ead_source_url_ssi":"data/oai/VMI/repositories_3_resources_412.xml","title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection"],"unitdate_ssm":["1861-1865"],"unitdate_inclusive_ssm":["1861-1865"],"normalized_date_ssm":["1861/1865"],"normalized_title_ssm":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"text":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865","MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412","Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865","Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence","There are no restrictions","Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.","Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...","This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news.","Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.","Manuscripts stacks","Virginia Military Institute Archives","Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","English"],"collection_title_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"collection_ssim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection, 1861/1865"],"level_ssm":["collection"],"level_ssim":["Collection"],"unitid_ssm":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"unitid_tesim":["MS.0332","/repositories/3/resources/412"],"repository_ssm":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"repository_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"geogname_ssm":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"geogname_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"places_ssim":["Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"],"creator_ssm":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925"],"creator_persname_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870"],"creator_corpname_ssim":["Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"creators_ssim":["Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921","Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925","Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863","Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870","Virginia Military Institute Archives"],"access_terms_ssm":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information."],"access_subjects_ssim":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"access_subjects_ssm":["Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 52nd","Soldiers—Virginia—Correspondence","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate","Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865","United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women","Correspondence"],"has_online_content_ssim":["false"],"extent_ssm":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"extent_tesim":["0.25 Linear Feet 32 items"],"genreform_ssim":["Correspondence"],"date_range_isim":[1861,1862,1863,1864,1865],"accessrestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThere are no restrictions\u003c/p\u003e  "],"accessrestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Access"],"accessrestrict_tesim":["There are no restrictions"],"bioghist_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent November 1861 to April 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReenlisted on May 1, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"bioghist_heading_ssm":["Biographical / Historical"],"bioghist_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick, was born on May 17, 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia, and was a farmer in that county until the beginning of the Civi War. On July 15, 1861 he enlisted in the 52nd Virginia Infantry at Waynesboro, Virginia.\nThe following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:\n\nPresent November 1861 to April 1862\nReenlisted on May 1, 1862\nWounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862\nAbsent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863\nFined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863\nPresent from July 3 through 27, 1863\nAWOL from July 27 through October, 1863\nDeserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863\n\nAfter the war, Dedrick returned to Virginia and was a farmer in Augusta County, Virginia until his death there on November 10, 1921. He is buried in Sherando Methodist Church Cemetery."],"odd_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSeptember the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eBridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThat is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDirect your letter the same way you did before\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\u003cbr\u003e\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter of Hiram Coyner\u003cbr\u003e\nOctober the 20 1861\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear brother and sister-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026amp; oblige Hiram Coyner\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\u003cbr\u003e\nNov. [?] 1861\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHiram Coyner \u0026amp; Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJan 12.\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIt is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\u003cbr\u003e\nHenry H. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTo his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWell, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\u003cbr\u003e\nM. E. A. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Henry:\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eP.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWilliam Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eUncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eH. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eApril the 15th 1862\u003cbr\u003e\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLast Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJosiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCamp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\u003cbr\u003e\nJuly 5th, 1862\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSpotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\u003cbr\u003e\nMay 10th 1863\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Father-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eYou said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eIf we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eJoshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay 11th 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nDear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMay the 25 1863\u003cbr\u003e\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eTell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThe same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eThey have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\u003cbr\u003e\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy Dear Wife-\u003cbr\u003e\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eMy dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWe took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eI have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eGive my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa\u003cbr\u003e\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDear Lissa-\u003cbr\u003e\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHere is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...\u003c/p\u003e"],"odd_heading_ssm":["Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription","Transcription"],"odd_tesim":["Dear Wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.","I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.","Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.","September the 30th. Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more","Dear wife-\nIt is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [Anna].","Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [ ] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.","We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.","They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.","That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for me","Henry H. Dedrick To his Dear Wife","Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well and hearty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him","Direct your letter the same way you did before","Dear Wife-\nI have [received] your most affectionate letter. I will send you a few more lines to let you know that I got it. I had wrote a letter and sealed it up and I tore it open again. Dear wife I was glad to hear from you. You don't know how much good it done me when I got it. I received it with ….\n[Continue with personal news; most words illegible]","Letter of Hiram Coyner\nOctober the 20 1861","Dear brother and sister-\nI have an opportunity to send you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present, and I hope these few lines may find you all enjoying the same state of health. As I have an opportunity to send you a few lines in with H. H. Dedrick letter I thought I would do so, as I have sent two or three to my wife and I have got no answer yet I thought I would try it in his and see what is the matter. Give my love to aunt Rebecca and Amanda and all of my inquiring friends. We have good preaching here and prayer meeting regular. As it is getting dark I have to close my few lines and so nothing more at present but remember your affectionate brother until death","Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me","Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck \u0026 oblige Hiram Coyner","Dear Wife-\nI have an opportunity this morning to send you a few lines by Walter Lewis to let you know that I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all are well and doing well. Bill O. is well he is agetting breakfast. The rest of the creek boys is all well with the exception of Rice and [Bridge]. They aint very well at this time. We have had some hard times here. We have had some snow here, it is a snowing here now. We have rain or snow every two or three days and it is most impossible to get provisions here for all the soldiers.","We have moved in our cabin and we have very good times now. We can do almost as well here as we can at home. All of the soldiers have left Greenbrier River. They come up here yesterday. Some of them will stay here with us and some of them will go to Staunton. I am on guard. I have stood one tour and I tell you it is cold.","I wrote this above before daylight this morning. I heard while I was on my post that our regiment and four other regiments was to stay on Alleghany this winter. I saw Jeremy Falls last night. He was well. Give my love to all my friends. Lissa we drawed our money yesterday and I will send you fifteen dollars in this letter. I will send you five more in this which will make twenty dollars in this letter and I will send you seven dollars by Lewis, that will make twenty seven dollars. I want you to take care of it for me. If you need any you must take as much of it as you want. I drawed $63.85. I paid $6.50 for my coat and $6.00 for a pair of boots that I got from Smith, and I paid Lewis $20.00 and [illegible] 35 cents. I wrote you a letter some time ago and I have not got any answer from it yet. I want you to write soon and let me know how you are agetting along. If you have anything to send me if you have a chance you may send it and if you don't have any chance it don't make any difference. I have more to write but I have not got time to write. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well my Dear. H. H. Dedrick to his Dear wife. Lissa, I don't want you to lend out one cent of it to nobody on occasion at all.","[Response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley)]\nMary E. A. Dedrick to Henry\nNov. [?] 1861\nDear Henry- I packed up a good many things, preserves and one thing and another and took them over to Grasses and he told me he would take them and I went over there the next day after he started and he hadn't took them, and this letter was in the satchel, the reason you didn't get it sooner. We are well. It is agetting late and I must go to the office yet. May my kind saviour protect you. Yours truly, M.E.A.D.","Dear Wife- It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.","Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.\nDear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.","Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.","I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.","Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. Fare you well. H. H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.","Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity this morning as I have time to inform you that I am well at present and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying good health and all of my friends the same.","We have a great deal of sickness here at this time. James Lewis is very low with the erysipelas. He had the sore throat in the first place, he is very low. His face and head is swollen up, that his eyes was nearly shut and his face is a s black on one side as it can be, but he is a little better this morning, but I hardly think he will get over it. William Offlighter is not very well at this time. All the rest of the creek boys is well.","Hiram Coyner \u0026 Wright is out of the guard house. They only was in the guard house 12 days. They did not punish them any but kept them in the guard house at night and made them work in the day under a guard. Little Tommy Offlighter sends his love to you all. He has been well. We have bad weather here, we had some snow this week and it is raining here this morning and it is very foggy too, but it is not as cold here as I thought it would be out here in the mountain.","Jan 12.\nDear Lizza I will send you a few more lines. I wrote some of this a few days ago and I have been at work on a regular detail. We have to walk five miles morning and evening. We are making clapboards. I don't have to stand picket or do any other duty as long as I am on a regular detail.","It is very warm this morning. We are all well this morning. Mr. Lewis is better. Mr. Grass has been very sick, he has been sick two or three weeks but he is on the mend. Dear Lizza I received the [word omitted by author]you sent by Dr. Drummons yesterday and all the rest of the things which was ten apples and twenty cakes and the sausage and the hickory nuts that you put in my pants pocket. Tell mother and Amanda and Carry that I am much obliged to them for their kindness and I got the bottle of whiskey. James McDaniel give it to me but did not tell me who sent it to me, but I think you sent it to me. I was very glad to get them and also I am much obliged to you for them. I have not seen Dr. yet. I had no chance. Mr. McDaniel [said] to me last night if I wanted to send you a letter that I had better write last night, but I didn't have no candle. I send my pants back. I will tell more the next letter as I have no time. Give my love to all. Nothing more but reamin you affectionate husband until death\nHenry H. Dedrick","To his Dear Wife, Good by, write soon","I received you most dear letter on the 19th and I was very glad to hear from you, to hear that you was well. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and the baby well and all the rest of my inquiring friends if there be any. I find that there is but few in those [these] days, every man that is now at home is for his self and they take every advantage of them who is now in the army serving their country. I do hope that it will be our time next.","Dear Lizza I want you to give me some satisfaction about my rye. I want to know if you have got it all thrashed out if you have not made use of it all. I want you to take care of it and your corn. If you have any you must keep it for grain is a going to be scarce after while. I want to know if you get any thing from Mrs. Ellis or not and I want to know how much you have got from him.","Dear Lizza you wished to know what we wanted with so many clapboards. We have a stable to build, large enough to hold one hundred and fifty horses and we have some cabins to build yet, but I don't know how many.","I am well and hearty. William Offlighter, George W. Offlighter, E. W. Sillings, Hiram Coyner, J. W. Padgett, Benjamin Wright, Lewis Phillips is all well and hearty. James, Lewis and William Grass is on the mend, they all send you their best respects. The health of our Regt. is very good at this time. Dr. J. S. Myers has been elected second lieutenant in our company. He is well.","Dear Lizza I would like very much to see you and your sweet little boy about this time. Some says that we will get furloughs after while. If any of our company gets furlough I will. Captain Long says that he is going to try the first of next week and see what he can do for us. There is twelve married men that has not been at home. He says if there is any chance for us we shall go.","Well, as I have no news of importance I will close for the present. I have not yet give up trying to meet my lord. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us. From your husband.\nM. E. A. Dedrick","Dear Henry:\nI received your dear letter Wednesday and was very glad to hear you was well. I would have received it sooner I suppose but the mail was delayed. We are all well. Your Father was here last Sabbath and they were all well. They say that Mag [---mon] and Dave [illegible] is married. Franklin Manly is dead, he had the sore throat and little Tis Manly is about of. Times is hard here and if this war continues I don't know what poor people is to do. You wanted me to give you some satisfaction about your rye. I had to give rye for threshing and I paid James Lewis and pap and I lent Dr. Drummand a bushel and a half and Pap got his share out of it and sold Hester a half of bushel for coffee, and I have a little left and I have got a little to thresh. You wanted me to take care of it and I do assure you that I will take care of everything that I have got.","You wanted to know if I had any corn. I have got some and I have to feed my hogs every night and morning a little for they are [there is] not a bit of [illegible]. Dear Henry you wanted to know if I got anything from Mr. Ellis. He gives me 25 and 30 lbs. of flour a month, 1 lb of coffee, 2 lbs of sugar and no meat. He give me a little last fall but none since, and it don't do me, and I had to use what little buckwheat I had and have to use my corn and I can't get to go after it always, and if I want a horse I have to pay 25 cts for it and if I want a little wagon I have to pay 50 cts. for it and everything is so high. You don't know what hard times I have here about wood. Your Father did haul me a little and Aunt Becky got some hauled and when that is done I don't know what I will do. Pap sold his horse, when he had his I could get it any time.","Aunt Becky says Willie can eat as much corn bread and buttermilk as the next one. He can whistle pretty good. Uncle Jonathan says watch and pray lest you be led into temptation for he says your wife is here and you are there. Dear Henry I am glad that you are not give up trying to get to heaven. In this world we have tribulation. But in Christ we have consolation. I hope we will meet around the throne one day or other. Dear Henry strive for heaven. From your sincere wife, M. A. E. Dedrick","P.S. I was glad when I heard Long was going to try to get you married men a furlough but I don't believe Genl. Johnson will give you any. Nine days from today your baby will be a year old. Amanda Ma and pa sends their compliments to you and Hiram and Wm. [S. H. O.]","My Dear Wife-\nI received your most dear letter this evening and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you and your little boy was well and all the rest of the folks. I am well but I have not been very well for the three last days. I have been out about 5 miles from camp all last [word omitted] making clapboards for to cover a stable. I don't know when we will get done making them. I expect we will go out in the morning again. William Offlighter and I stays close together. He is well at this time. We are very well satisfied at our work.","I have not been on guard nor on picket for more than a month and I am not very sorry of it. We have a bad way to sleep at night but we would rather do that than to stand picket in the cold and in snow.","Dear Lissa I have no important news to write. I want you to get anything that you want if it takes every cent that you have, and if you want any more money you must let me know, and as soon as I get my next pay as we ought to have got it some time ago as they had promised. I think we will get it soon.\nDear Lissa I was very sorry to hear of the death of Franklin Manley and to hear that the little [word missing] was very low. It troubles Mr. Manley very much, he is trying to get a furlough to come home and he says if he don't get one he will come any how, furlough or no furlough he will.","William Offlighter is in his bunk asleep. He was reading and he fell asleep with his book in his arms. He sends his love to you all. He told me to tell you to tell your pap to pick him out a good cow or a heifer that will have a calf in the Spring. He wants you to get him one by Spring. Hiram Coyner sends his love to you all. Give my love to all and tell James and Rosy that I would like to hear from them once six months.","Dear Lissa I hope and trust to my lord if we don't meet on earth no more that we may meet in heaven where parting will be no more. I am trying all I [know]. Dear Lissa I must close for this time as I am tired and paper is scarce. I want you to let me know where Nannie Balsley is and what she is doing. I seen D. Kennedy this morning, he is well. I have not seen [-ash] and Dr. D for some time, but they are well. Nothng more but remain your most affectionate husband until death separates us from this world.","Henry H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","My Dear Wife-\nI take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to make up what I have wrote on the other piece, as I was in a hurry for I thought I would send it and wait until the next time and then I did not send it, as I would have time to write more.","I am well at this time and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all in good health. I received a letter from Father yesterday and I was very glad to hear from them and to hear that they was well. He said in his letter that he was out to see you the day before, and he said that you and Willie was well and all the rest of your pap's folks was well. He said when he started from there that little Willie cried and hollered after him. He said that he left with a sad heart to think that the little boy would cry after him and to think that I was out here and did not know whether we would ever meet on earth any more or not, and he said that he had to shed tears when he was writing to think about it. Dear Lissa you don't know how it hurt my feelings to read it.","Dear dear Lissa we have some very good times here although we have to run out in the ditches sometimes when the pickets makes a false alarm. I tell you that we get up and toddle to the ditches and there we have to stand out there and all most freeze, but we take it all in fun. We hear so much news here that we don't know what to believe and so I don't listen at anything that I hear.","I must stop writing as I am getting tired. Father sent me the pattern of our sweet little boys hand. I was glad to see it. It has growed very much since I seen it. Dear Lissa I tell you that we have to pay high for every thing that we buy. I bought two checks shirts and I had to pay for the two four dollars and a half. I think that it is right hard that we can't get a shirt with out paying $2.25cts for it. I have some money here, if you want some let me know. I don't like to send in a letter, but if you need it I will try send it in a letter. It is very pleasant here today. Give my love to all of my inquiring friends if there be any. May god bless you and save you through Christ. From you husband. I hope that I will see you on earth again. God bye Dear wife, for this time.","My Dear Wife-\nI received your kind letter yesterday. I was glad to hear from you and I was sorry to hear that you had the mumps, but if you take good care of your self you will soon get well. I was glad to hear that Willie was so [pert] and so lively. I am well at present and I do hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all well.","Uncle Will is not very well. He has been very sick. We have left Alleghany. We left last Wednesday and come to Monterey and the next day we come to McDowell and then we stayed there one day, and on Saturday we marched within a half of a mile of Rodgerses, which is on Shenandoah Mountain. We are now within 24 1/2 miles of Staunton and 14/12 miles from Buffalo Gap, but I can't tell you how long we will stay here, but if we stay here long I would like your pap to come out here to see me.","I would like to see you all very much, but if I can't get to see you before my time is out I think I can stay three months and a half yet if I have my health. All of the creek boys is well. William Diddle is sitting in his tent blowing his fife.","Dear Lissa I was up on the top of a ridge yesterday and I could see the Blue Ridge. I could see the laurel and Spring Hollow and I said to my self now if I was up in that hollow how soon I could get home. Well Dear Lissa I will now finish my letter. It is now 3 o'clock and it is very cold and snowy. We all just have to do the best we can. We are nearly froze. All the balance of my mess is lying down in the tent wrapped up in there blankets. I wish you could see us, then you would say that we had hard times out here.","Lissa you wanted to know how much I had to pay a year on that lot and how much I had to pay in all. I have to pay $38.75cts a year and there is four payments back yet that will make $155. Yet if you do pay any on it you must take in my note.","Uncle Will, Will Diddle, and Hiram Coyner and James Padgett and Ephriam Sillings all sends their best regards to you and Amanda and Aunt Rebecca and your mother and your Pap, and you will please give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, and you must accept a great portion for your self. You said in your letter that I had better kept one of them ladies that I sent you. I had no use for them as they could not cook nor wash nor do anthing else. I would rather have you here by a long ways before I would have them. I must close as I am so cold I can't write. I was glad to get some of your hair. It is very pretty. May god bless you all. Nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.","H. H. Dedrick to his dear wife.","April the 15th 1862\nDear husband I'll attempt to write to you once more to inform you of our health. I am well, only a pain in my back and side. Willie has been very sick with the Cholera Morbus. It weakened him down considerably, but he is now as mischievous as ever. I have had the same complaint that Willie had, but I have gotten over it. It is a cloudy disagreeable day today. It has been raining here today but it has quit. I tell you Dear Henry my thoughts were fixed on you all them cold snowy days last week. I don't know how you poor fellows can stand it. I know you all have a hard time out there in them cold cotton hats. I expect they will be many of you sick that haven't been.","Tears came twinkling from my eyes when I came to where you said that you came out on a hill and seen the Laurel Spring hollow and saying to yourself how soon could I get home if I was there. But I hope if it is gods will that you will be nearer home than that hollow before long. Dear Henry no one knows how bad I want to see you. No one knows how bad it is to be from each other, only those that have tried it. But one thing I do sincerely hope that you may never volunteer again for no one one knows how bad I want you to be in peace at home again.","I got a letter from Jack's wife and she wasn't very well. She expects to be confined soon. Jackson and Harry are in the army. William is at home on a sick furlough, he is getting better. I suppose Shenandoah has got a right nice little town on it chiefly of white houses. Tell me in your next letter how many regiments there are out there besides Baldwin's. I received the fifteen dollwars you sent by Meyers. He came up to Lewises. Amanda has the mumps but she is better (little Cate had them too). She sends her best and kindest respects to you and cousin William Diddle and to the rest of her friends out there and tell them their kindness were welcome received.","I was sorry to hear that you was so cold when you was writing and that you all was so cold. I hope if it is for the best that it will soon be pretty clear warm weather. Who did you send your [coat] and letters by. I haven't got them yet. I don't know whether [Mary] has got hers yet or not. I seen her yesterday but I forgot to ask her. Tell Uncle Will that she and the children were all well. Mother and pap are well. pap tried to get us two calves over at old Gray's sale but they were too unreasonably high and he didn't get them.","Tears came in mother's eyes as I read her your letter. Pray a great deal dear Henry and never forget god who is [illegible] who has give you health, that you have been spared so long. \"Pray without ceasing.\" From your wife M.E.D.","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how and where I am. I am well at this time and I hope these few lines may find you and the boy enjoying the same blessing of health.","We are two miles below Port Republic at this time, but I don't know how long we will stay here and I do not know where we will go. Some thinks we will go to Staunton, but it is hard to tell where we will go. The Yankees is between us and Harrisonburg. They have been following us pretty close, but we have not been very bad scared yet. Our brigade had a little fight last Sunday on the right had side of Strassburg. We had one wounded in our regt. and three of Capt. Lusk's artillerymen they was wounded by one of his own [firings]. I don't know how many the yankees lost.","Last Friday our brigade was in the rear to cover the retreat about two miles this side of Harrisonburg. The yankee cavalry run up on Ashby's cavalry and fired on them. Ours returned the fire and then charged on them and took 52 of their cavalrymen prisoner. On Col., one Maj., two Capt., and two killed. We had one wounded and he was a Major. Ashby run them back within two miles of town and then he sent for us to assist him. We turn back and went two miles back along the road and then flanked out to the right through a strip of woods and went about one mile.","The 44th, 58th VA and the 1st Maryland Regts. was before our Regt. and they seen the yankees coming round to flank us, and the 58th laid down in the brush and as they come up they fired on them and the yankees was so much confused they wheeled and run back apiece and then they turned and fired on our men and we had a hot time of it for a little while, but we drove them back with three small Regt. Our Regt. was not engaged in it. There was about ten thousand of the yankees. Our loss was 75 killed and wounded. General Ashby was killed in the first of the engagement. I don't know how many the yankees lost, but from all accounts their loss was great. I expect the yankees got a good many of our men from Winchester up to Harrisonburg men that was broken down. We have taken 3.2.12. prisoners since we have been in hte valley.","I have more news but I have not the time to write. I have been down within a quarter of a mile of Charles Town. The health of the soldiers is very good. Hiram Coiner is well and so is Mr. Lewis. Hiram come to us last Tuesday below New Market. None of the rest of the boys that ran off have come back but Hiram. They haven't done anything with him yet. I don't know what they will do with him.","Dear Lissa I would be very glad to see you and the little boy at this time and also the rest of my friends. Give my love to all inquiring friends if there be any, but accept a great portion for your self. May god bless you all and save you all. From your affectionate husband. H. H. D. M. E. D.","Josiah Balsley is well and sends his love to you all. I received the letter you wrote on the 23 and I sent an answer but I have not heard from it. Write as soon as you can. Good bye for this time.","Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia\nJuly 5th, 1862","My Dear Wife-\nI take this opportunity [illegible portion] I have not for some time. I have not wrote since I saw father. I am well at present. [Remaining portion of this page is illegible].","...all the creek boys is well and hearty. E. W. Sillings has come here last Thursday. He is well. If you see his wife or can send her any word tell her that he is here.","I must close as the man that I want to send it by is about to start. I have more news but I have no time. You must write soon and direct your letters as you have heretofore. May god bless you all. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death separates us from this world. Fare you well dear wife. I hope I will soon get home again. I want you to kiss Willie for me. Give my love to all. H. H. Dedrick to M. E. A. Dedrick.","Spotsylvania Co. Virginia. Camp near Hamilton's Crossing.\nMay 10th 1863","Dear Father-\nI take this opportunity to drop you a few to answer your few lines that I received from you this evening. I was glad to hear from you all and to hear that youw as well. I am well at present and hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying the same blessing of god a resting upon you.","You said that you heard that Gen. Jackson had a fight. It was not only him it was all of the troops. We had one of the hardest fights that we ever had since the war begun. General Jackson has lost one of his arms and [has] now got the pneumonia. He is not expected to live. He was shot by our own pickets. He got out side of our pickets after night and he come up in a gallop and they fired on him and wounded him and all of his guard but one. Our loss is said to be twenty thousand killed wounded and missing. I don't know what the [loss] of the enemy was but it must be terrible. I have just heard that General Jackson was dead. If he is it is a great loss to the Southern confederacy.","You said that there was a petition wrote and sent to me or my officers. I have not heard nothinig from it. I don't think I will need but you can get it and send it to me, for if the officers gets it it won't do me any good. William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner is in Richmond from what I can find out. They left the last day of April and I have not heard from them since.","If we stay here I wish you would come down and bring me something to eat for we don't get half enough and I can't stand it. If you do come you can bring something along and make more off of it [than] you can make any other way. You can get from 50 to 75 cents for a pie, and tobacco is very high. You can sell most anything atall, potatoes 50 cents per quart. Thread is very high and I have two overcoats and a good blanket I would like to send home. If I had them at home I wouldn't take less than 60 dollars for them. If you come and if we are at the ame place you can come to Hamilton's Crossing, that is [with]in two miles of our camp.","Joshua Robison [Robinson?] and Adam Pannell sends their best respects to you all. I must close for this time. You will please excuse me for this. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to Elijah Balsley.","May 11th 1863\nDear Wife-\nI take this priviledge this morning to drop you a few more lines. I received your kind letter yesterday after I had written home one to you. It found me well except the toothache it all but set me crazy. I commenced while I was writing to you and I had to quit writing for awhile but it has quit aching now. Give father and mother and Betty my love and tell him I would have written him a letter but I have not got the paper. Tell him to write to me. I must close. May god be with you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death separates us Henry H. Dedrick To Mary E. Dedrick.","May the 25 1863\nCamp Near Hamilton's Crossing","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this morning to let you know that I am not very well. I was taken with pains in my head and back and then in my arms and legs that I could not help myself. I was taken Sunday night. I have got so that I can sit up and write. I received your most kind letter Saturday. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and doing as well as you was. I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willie well.","I seen William Offlighter and Hiram Coyner last Saturday. They was well. They have got back from Richmond. They are in the brigade guard house. They have been courtmartialed but they have not heard their sentence yet. They told me that Castle Thunder was the worst place that they ever seen, but they said that they got plenty to eat. Hiram said that he expects he will have to go back to Castle Thunder again.","We get plenty to eat now. They have raised our rations. We [get] one pound and an eight of flour and a half a pound of bacon and some sugar and some peas. We can do very well on that. We are camped at the [illegible] old place yet but I don't know how long we will stay here. I don't hear of no moves at this time. I received that petition that was sent to me. I showed it to the Capt. and to the Col. They both said it was very good.","Tell your pap that if he comes down to bring me some tobacco. Tell him that he can get in camp without any trouble. I would be very glad to see him. Mr. Able is well. He comes to me nearly every day to see if I get a letter or not. If you see any of them tell them he is well. Give my love to J. M. D. and J. D. B. and all the rest of my inquiring friends. Write soon. May the blessings of God rest upon you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI thank god that I have been permitted to see a few more lines from under your hand. I received your most kind letter this morning. It was dated on the 2nd of this month. I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well and to hear that all the rest of the folks was well. I am well and doing as well as could be expected. I do hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and little Willie in good health.","We have been permitted to stay here today. We got here yesterday about twelve oclock and drawed three days rations and was to be ready to start this morning by day light, and then we got orders to stay here today and cook another days rations. I don't know where we will go.","We left the old camp last Thursday night at twelve oclock. We have not been marching very hard but it went very hard with some of us. My feet got very sore and my legs has been very sore for some time, but they have got better. I have heard cannon all day long. It commenced about sun rise and was very heavy. It is down the river between this and Fredericksburg somewhere, but I don't know where.","The same night that we left our old camp the yankees crossed the river at the same place that they crossed before, but General Hill was there with his Corps. The Yankees shelled his troops friday, Saturday and Sunday, but General Hill laid still to draw them out, but they smelt the Rat and would not come out. General Hill has been reinforced with five thousand new troops. They have never been in a fight, but if they stay there I think they will get into it and that before long. We expect to go into it at any time. I would not be surprised if we don't be in Maryland before ten days. Some thinks that we will go over in the valley. We are on the road that leads to New Market. It leads from Culpeper to Sperryville and then to New Market, but I can't tell you where we will go.","I have more news but I have not time to write. I sent you a letter at the same time that I sent Fathers. I mailed them both at the same time. I saw Jacob Ded. several days ago, he was well and send his compliments to you all.","They have courtmartialed me at last, but they had right smart trouble before they got it done. But I have not heard my sentence yet. They wanted to make me drill and to...\n[At this point Dedrick switched from pen to pencil and the text is illegible except for a few sentences at the end]","Dear Lissa I want you to forget to tell me who told you that I had said that you didn't care anything about me. Dear Lissa I have some good news to tell you when I write again. May god bless you. H. H. Dedrick.","My Dear Wife-\nI take the opportunity this evening to drop you a few lines to let you know how I am and where I am. I am five miles below Winchester.","My dear wife I tell you that we have had a hard time since we left our old camp. We arrived at Winchester last Saturday and we found some yankees there and we took a general review on Saturday and Sunday our skirmishes and the yankees was fighting all day long. The Yankees shelled us all day on Sunday.\nAbout half past eleven oclock our division, that is Gen. Early's division, took back about two miles on the left hand side of the turnpike and then we turned to our right and marched down below Winchester opposite of the Yankees fortifications, and then we laid there until six oclock and then we opened fourteen pieces of artillery on them in their fortifications. And I tell you the yankees had to get out of that place. Pretty soon the La. brigade charged on them and run them out of their fortifications and then our brigade charged for about a mile to hold the ditches.","We took fourteen pieces of artillery from them at that place and that night the yankees got up and scadaddled out of that place and took for Martinsburg. But old General Edward Johnson he went down and got before them and as they come along he pitched in to them and took nearly all of them prisoner. I think that we have taken nearly all that was at Winchester. It is reported that we have got old Gen. Milroy. If we have got him it is a fine thing for he has treated some of our people very bad. I think we have got about four thousand of them. Our loss is not very heavy. We only lost one man out of our Regiment. We have take all of their artillery that they had here but I have not heard how many pieces they had.","I saw Jacob today. He is well. We will stay here until tomorrow. I don't know where we will go. I did not finish telling you about the yankees. We took everything that they had. I saw a long train of wagons just below Winchester where they left. I have more news but I have not time to write. Dear Lissa I am well at present and I hope when these few lines come to hand they may find you enjoying the same blessing of god aresting upon you.","Wheat looks very well down here. Corn is short. Lissa I understand that John Coyner claims them coonskins at fathers. I want you to tell father that I want him to take them to the tanyard and get them tanned and you send the one that is in the spring house. I want you to take the fur off of them and get somebody to get a hat made out of it. Give my love to Julie and tell her I have no chance to write to her. Tell her Hiram is well and I received her letter when I got yours and one from Martha Balsley. Give her my love and tell her I have no chance to write. Give my love to all inquiring friends. I have more news but no paper. I will close for this time. Write soon. May god bless you all. I remain your affectionate husband until death. H. H. Dedrick.","...them thunder. There the Yankees broke for Winchester before we got there. It was nine miles from where we was to Middletown. We went 3 miles below town that night and we stayed there about 3 hours and then we started for WInchester. Some of our forces was on ahead and they came in on the Yankees about daylight and in a few minutes after we got there. Our men made a charge on them and they broke and run and we run them 5 miles and we got a great many prisoners. The cavalry men has been bringing them back in big squads all day today. They brought a yankee past and his wife was with him and she was a [back] one at that. Dr. Lewis asked him if that was his wife. he said yessir and the[y] had took a good many negroes and we got a good many of them back. We have taken a great many horses and wagons and other things. We got 3 trains of cars at Front Royal and 500 sacks of coffee and a great deal of salt and other things. They burnt up nearly one square of Winchester. We expect to follow them on.","I have more news but I have no time and no paper with me, but I have plenty in my knapsack. It is in Harrisonburg. I seen John and Harry [or Harvey] Friday morning. They are both well. I seen Uncle Jacob Dedrick in Bridgewater. He said he seen Jake that morning driving a wagon and I heard of him being at Front Royal but I have not seen him yet.","Give my love to all and accept a great portion for yourself. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. May god bless you all. Write soon. H. H. Dedrick to wife. I sent you a letter some time ago and I have got no answer from it.","Dear Lissa I just have eaten a hearty dinner. Me and Ben White had the pleasure of eating dinner by ourselves as all the rest of our mess has run off but four. J and James Lewis and Joseph Liggett has gone out to get their dinner. I received your kind letter while I was at dinner and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well.","Dear Lissa [illegible] be very glad to see you at his time. I have a good deal of news to tell you which is too tedious to write. You will please excuse my bad writing as I have no chance to write. Fare you well my dear.","Dear Lissa\nAs I had forgot to let you know that Joseph Grass was killed at the fight at Gettysburg. I first heard that he was only wounded but since I have that he was killed. I want you to show this to William Grass. All the creek boys is well. I don't know where James Padgett is. He came to us when we was at Winchester and they kept him with the Regiment until we got to Shepherdstown and then I don't know where he went. We have marching orders. They have taken all the guards in from peoples houses...","Dear Lissa-\nYou said in your letter that the little boy weighed 28 lbs. I don't think he has gained much. I want you to kiss him for me as I don't have no chance to kiss him myself and when you kiss him think of me. I weighed some three weeks ago and I only weighed one hundred and seventy eight and William Offlighter weighed 177. There was but one pound between us. Well I must bring my. William Offlighter sends his love to you all also Hiram Coyner. Give my love to all. I heard that they had sent for Gerard and David Gray. I thank god that they have not had the chance to send for me. I thank the lord for his kindness towards me that he has give me good health. If I don't meet you on earth I hope to meet you in heaven above where parting will be no more. I must close for this time. Please excuse me for this time. Write soon. So nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.\nHenry H. Dedrick To his devoted wife.","Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first..."],"prefercite_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eHenry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"prefercite_tesim":["Henry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia."],"scopecontent_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eThis collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e  ","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter regards family and general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAlso included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eWritten near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards War news.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLetter fragment regards family news.\u003c/p\u003e"],"scopecontent_heading_ssm":["Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents","Scope and Contents"],"scopecontent_tesim":["This collection consists of correspondence of Confederate soldier Henry H. Dedrick, a Private in the 52nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. A bulk of the correspondence consists of letters to and from his wife, Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) (\"Lissa\" or \"Lizza\"). Subjects include camp life, regimental activities, family and personal news, and hardships endured by civilians. The letter dated May 10-11, 1863 mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Written from Highland County, Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp, troop movements, and general Civil War news.","Letter regards personal news, but much of it is illegible. The letter also includes a letter on the reverse from Hiram Coyner to his brother and sister.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and financial news. The letter also includes a response from Mary E. A. Dedrick (Balsley) dated November, 1861.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Letter regards general news and life in camp.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Letter regards family and general news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and personal news.","Written from \"Camp Alleghany.\" Letter regards life in camp and family news.","Written from Augusta County, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements, general news, and family news.","Written from Sherando, Virginia. Letter regards personal and family news.","Written from Port Republic, Virginia. Letter discusses recent fighting near Strasburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.","Written from \"Camp near James River 27 miles below Richmond, Virginia.\" Letter regards general news.","Written from Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Letter regards life in camp and mentions the wounding and death of General Stonewall Jackson.","Also included is a short letter to Mary E. A. Dedrick, dated May 11, 1863.","Written from \"Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing,\" Virginia. Letter regards general news. The letter also mentions Castle Thunder, which was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, VA that served as a military prison during the Civil War.","Written near Culpeper, Virginia. Letter regards general War news and mentions that Henry H. Dedrick has been court marshalled.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Letter regards troop movements and recent skirmishes with Union troops.","Written near Winchester, Virginia. Pages one and two of this letter are missing. The fragment regards fighting at Winchester.","Letter fragment regards War news.","Letter fragment regards family news."],"userestrict_html_tesm":["\u003cp\u003eManuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.\u003c/p\u003e  "],"userestrict_heading_ssm":["Conditions Governing Use"],"userestrict_tesim":["Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may \nnot be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. 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