| | 1 | Author: | White, James J. | Add | | | Title: | Letter to James Brooks  | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Description: | I am compelled from want of pen and ink to write a line in
pencil—seizing a moment now I may not have it half hour hence. It is
my painful duty to inform you that your son William
died today after an illness of several days which appeared to me
something like conjestion
of the brain. Our brigade has been very much
exposed by forced marches through heat and dust, and by being compelled
to camp out at night without tents, not even the superior officers being
allowed to carry tents from the difficulty of transportation.[1]
I suppose
it would be most agreeable to the feelings of yourself and your boy's
mother that his remains should be taken at once to his home, but we have
been
drawn up
in line of battle this evening[2]
and on application to our colonel[3] he
assured me that it would be impossible to get permission from
Gen.
Johnston[4]
for any one to leave at this time, and I ascertained that
permission had been refused to remove the remains of Lieutenant Patton[5]
of the Rockbridge Grays who died this morning.
And although I had with
considerable difficulty made arrangements for
William's transportation
before speaking to Col.
Preston, I felt forced to abandon it, and have
provided for his decent interment in the Episcopal Cemetery here and
have directed a head board with his name to be provided
so that at
some subsequent time his remains may be removed to the bosom of his
friends. When I discovered that William was sick
I had
him taken to the
Hospital in Winchester which is in Charge of
M. H. Houston, formerly of
Rockbridge, late of Wheeling, where every attention possible under the
circumstances was provided. I have done the best I could my dear Sir
and in communicating with the stricken parents of the most admirable
young man, it is but the simplest justice to say that whether as student
or soldier, I had nothing to complain of him, but believe in my
conscience that he did his duty modestly and conscientiously on every
occasion. Your son Andrew has just mentioned
that the physician thought
the disease of his brother was spinal to the
brain.[6]
Excuse
the unavoidable haste of this letter, for I am hurried in every way
imaginable.
We are expecting the enemy here at any moment and I believe
that we are able to meet them. With assurances of kind regards and
sincere sympathy. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 10 | Author: | Brooks Collection: Brooks, Charles | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Eleanor Stuart Brooks | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Description: | I hope you have received the letter sent
off on yesterday. When I left home I thought perhaps
I would have returned before this; but instead of that
we are getting further away and I hope gaining an im
portant victory for the Confederacy. Our division of
the army was pretty quiet on Saturday and Sunday, but
a pretty hard battle occured Sunday evening, to
our right, on the York River Railroad about eight
miles below Richmond.
Gen. Hills
division was the
principal one engaged. Early this morning all
Jackson's troops crossed the
Chickihomany
and all
the army are following up the enemy; for I should
have stated that he was again whipped on
yesterday. We crossed the battle field on this mor
ning! There were many dead and for miles the coun
try wa
is strewn with knapsacks blankets over-
coats and various other articles.
Squads of prisoners
have been coming in all day and probably five or six
hundred have been captured. I saw five about three
hundred captured horses and mules this morning. The enemy
have crossed a stream fourteen miles below Richmond
and blown up the bridge, and heavy cannonading
has been going on this evening across the stream.
Time is important for them in order to get
commisary stores out of the way. If it were not for
his Gunboats McClelland might find some
dif
ficulty in finding a
place of rest on Virginia's soil.[1]
We havn't seen our wagons for five days and have
lived principally on hard bread and havn't
been
particular about clean sheets or the abundance of
our covering. It is now about sundown and I
will stop; but probably add somthing more before I
mail it. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 13 | Author: | Brooks Collection: Brooks, Andrew | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Emmet Brooks | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Description: | Your letter was
received yesterday evening.
I had mailed one to you in the
morning. I have had very little
opportunity to make the inquiries you
wish. I have been on road detail
to day (making corduroy road to
Guinney's[2])
and have to go again to
morrow, so you see it will be
impossible to go to Guinney Station
before Monday, if indeed I can go then.
I suppose you were led to believe, that
large profits could be made on skillets
from having heard us speak of having to pay
12 or 15 dollars for one. If you could get
that price, it would pay very well, but
I do not think you could get it; unless
you could get them to the different
brigades of the army and sell them there,
in which case, I think they would bring
12 dols'. The sutlers
[3]
of regiments do not
buy them at all, so far as I can hear, unless
they get orders for them. As for the
Sutlers at the Station, I can not speak
positively, but think they act in the same
way. The day you went up, McKee
[4] failed
to get one, but got the promise of one soon, if
he would leave 10 dols, his name etc, which
he would not do. However I am of the
opinion that you might sell them there
for 8 dollars apiece, in lots of 20, or 30,
and it might be as many as 60.
I think there would be no risk in you
staying a few days, at the Station. But you
know there is no accomodation there, and no
place to keep them. I got the box that night.
It was a treat, I tell you, but you will know that
after the sight of it. The coffee is delicious.
McKee got his furlough next day and started
in about an hour. John D. got his too,
and went Monday. I want you to send me a
tin plate by him. If you buy skillets, you
ought to do it at once while the army is
lying quiet. A good many soldiers have been courtmartialed
in the brigade. Several were publicly whipped today, and
four others .
Haven't heard the sentences of the
Killians[5]. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
| 14 | Author: | Brooks Collection: Brooks, Andrew | Add | | | Title: | Letter to Eleanor Stuart Brooks | | | | Published: | 1998 | | | | Description: | Your letter by Jimmy
Burns[2] was received this evening.
Charles' letter came yesterday, after
looking for a letter for a week. I had
begun to think you had forgotten me, it
was so long coming. He mentioned
that Johny had gone to
somewhere (but
didn't say where) except that I would no
doubt see him before I got his letter.
He didn't tell me what he had gone for,
or anything about it, nor did you except
that he sent to Genl
Lee a recommendation
for my detail. What sort of a thing is
it and who recommended me. I suppose
he was in Richmond and took the contract to
the war office. I havn't gotten the letter
you
say he wrote me and have never gotten
but one letter from him since I left. I have
been very anxious to hear from him, and
know what is doing at the Furnace. It will
now soon be time it was put in blast.
When I commenced writing I had just
returned from preaching, which we have
every night. Dr.
Hoge[3]
and Mr. Lacy
[4] are gone.
There is a chaplain with each regiment of
the brigade, two Presbyterians and three
Methodists. Lieut
Culton[5] has resigned -
unable to stand infantry service. I dont
know who will get his place, if his resignation
is accepted. We heard considerable firing
across the river yesterday, but havent heard the
cause. Wednesday morning, I will get
the box today -am very much
obliged to you all for it -I am not
much afraid of it being much like
what y I get here, there is but one place
I ever saw that I got such rations.
I am sorry Miss Sue Harden is about to
leave the neighborhood -young people
are sadly scarce there. Emmett is on another
trip to Uncle John's, wonder if he
will get ther
this time. I heard Mary Susan
[6] was to atttend
a small party at Dr.
Dold's -a kind of farewell
to Jim[7]
I suppose. I am very well. Love to all
the friends. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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