Letter from R. Henry Campbell to mother

Scope and content:

Written from Manassas, Virginia. Letter provides an account of the First Battle of Manassas/Battle of Bull Run.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

Camp at Manassas 10 o'clock p.m.
July 21st

Dear Mother,
According to promise I will attempt to give you a faint description of what I witnessed since I left home. I got to Staunton about 12 o'clock on Friday night. I was very sick at Staunton and had to stay until this morning. I came down to this place today.

They have been fighting from sunrise until Sunset today. About 12000 of the Yankees were killed. Our loss is estimated at 3 or 4,000, our company fared rather badly. Asbury McClure was killed. He died in the arms of Sandy Gordon and James Gillock. Joel Neff, Jno Moody, Preston Davidson & Charley Rollins were wounded, and Miller was wounded mortally. Moody and Davidson were wounded in the shoulder. Charley was knocked down by a piece of shell and cut on the head, he is not hurt much just a small cut on his head, he is sitting by me laughing and talking now, it does not prevent him from going about at all, it will not unfit him for duty. Tom Rollins came out unhurt, Joe Neff is wounded in the hand. Tell Mrs. McCown that Mac came out unhurt. Our regiment drove the Yankees back at the point of the bayonet. Joe Neff knocked a Yankee's brains out with the butt of his gun.

I do not know whether any more of the company are hurt. I have not seen the main body of the company. Lieut. Lewis & Edmondson are safe, also Horace Wallace. About 50,000 of the Yankees were engaged, about 30000 of our force. We took 6 pieces of Rifled Cannon. General Patterson has been taken prisoner.

I expect I will be home in 3 or 4 days. Capt. White's company were in the fight and none were killed as far as I can hear. Capt. White's Liberty Hall Vols. had one killed, Paxton, and 3 wounded. Bell of his company was mortally wounded. I have not seen Tom or Jerry Kelly. All of the Regulars of the Yankees were engaged today.

It is an awful sight to see the wounded and the dead. I supposed both sides will bury their dead tomorrow. I want to bring all of our wounded and dead home if I can. Our company was awfully cut up. The 2d South Carolina and 2d Mississippians were cut all to pieces.

Let Marion Parent read this letter and tell him it will have to answer for the one I promised to write. I will write tomorrow if I can.

Your affectionate Son,
R. H. Campbell

Sam Charlton is safe & John is in Winchester.

Subjects:

Bull Run, 1st Battle of, Va., 1861
Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 27th
United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865
Correspondence

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