Letter to Martha E. McCoy

Scope and content:

Written from Orange County, Virginia. Letter regards Andrew J. McCoy's health and the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

March 11th, 1864
Camp, 25th Va. Infantry. Orange Co., Va.

My dear sister
It 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 & c.

I am in only tolerable health at this time & have been unwell for some time past. I am not doing any duty now & 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 & pain in my left side & through my back & limbs & to make the matter worse with me I have taken a prodigiously bad cold & the worst kind of sore mouth & 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 & I am still under the charge of a Doctor but I hope that I will recover from my illness soon & in good health. I suppose it all originated from cold & 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 & Caroline had been very unwell some time ago but I truly hope that you are both in good health again &.

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 & driven back with considerable loss. Their raiders consisted of Kilpatricks cavalry & mounted infantry about fifteen thousand strong. Col. Dahlgren was killed in the fight & 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 & release the prisoners that we hold of theirs at Richmond at the Libby prison & then they was going to murder Jeff Davis & his cabinet & all the leading men of Richmond & then plunder & take off what they could & then burn the city down regardless of the women & children or anything else & 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 & c. for I am in very much of a hurry. I remain your friend & brother as ever until death.
A. J. McCoy.

Subjects:

Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid (Virginia : 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

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