Henry H. Dedrick collection

Location of collection:

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Preston Library

Virginia Military Institute

345 Letcher Ave.

Lexington, VA 24450-0304

Contact for questions and access:

POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak

Email: archives@vmi.edu

Phone: (540) 464-7516

Phone: (540) 464-7566

Fax: (540) 464-7089

Web: www.vmi.edu/archives

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

Henry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:

0.25 Linear Feet 32 items

Creator:

Dedrick, Henry H., 1836-1921 and Dedrick (Balsley), Mary E. A. (Mary Elizabeth Ann), 1840-1925

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Henry H. Dedrick collection. MS 0332. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

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.

Biographical / historical:

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. The following is a summary of Dedrick's service record:

• Present November 1861 to April 1862
• Reenlisted on May 1, 1862
• Wounded in action at Cross Keys (Virginia) on June 8, 1862 and Gaines Mill (Virginia) on June 27, 1862
• Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from July 18, 1862 to April 19, 1863
• Fined all pay from July 18, 1862 to August 1, 1863
• Present from July 3 through 27, 1863
• AWOL from July 27 through October, 1863
• Deserted to the enemy at Clarksburg, West Virginia on October 24, 1863

After 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.

Physical location:

Manuscripts stacks

Related

Other descriptive data:

Dear Wife-

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-

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-

Letter of Hiram Coyner

Dear brother and sister-

Hiram Coyner to brother and sister. I want you to write to me

Lissa you will please hand this to John or Beck & oblige Hiram Coyner

Dear Wife-

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)] Mary E. A. Dedrick to Henry

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. Dear 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-

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 & 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.

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

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.

Dear Henry:

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-

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. Dear 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-

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-

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

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-

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

My Dear Wife-

...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.

Dear Father-

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

May the 25 1863

My Dear Wife-

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-

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...

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-

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. About 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

Dear Lissa-

Here is a ring for you that I made for you. It is the first...

Indexed terms

Subjects:

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

Names:

Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863

Places:

Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865