 | Letter to Chloe Unity Blair |  |
1863-06-14
I write you afew
lines this sabathmorning which
will inform you thatmy
self
and brother are both well and
getingon finely, and much hope
this may reach
you in due time
and find you all injoyingthe
same
greatblesing, I have no news
of
importance to write to you,
we have takenaverry hard
march sence I wrote to you before
we were marching ten days in
succession, we got to this place
last
thursday
eavning. I have no
idie how long we can stay here
we are under marching orders
now. we have to move as the
enemy moves, it
was thought
us yesterday thoughthaydid
not. thaycame over last tues
dayand gave ourcavilry averry
hard fight thay faught nearly
all day. took our men on seprise
and got the advantage an the
start, though our men drove
bac across the river at last,
thaytook some prisners and
horses, our men took between
three and four hundered pris
ners, I dont serpose thay made
much by that move, thayhave
bin sendingthair cavilry throug
through the country to steal
and destroyevery thing
can, thay take all the negroes
and hossesaway with and burn
the meat corn wheat and flour
thay can find. I have bin
to several houseswharethe
had. you all think you have
great deal to see trouble about
though you have nothing
campared to those that live
near the line of the enemy,
the yankees is getingtoo
mean to live, I thinke thay
are depending altogetherapan
them selves forthair inde
pendence, and we all know that
is a poor dependence foreney
people todepenapon,
I still live in hope of peace
soon though I may not live
to see it,
we hadaverryinteresting
meeting in camp before we left
Hanover Junctionagreat
maney
morners and some Converts
some of the converts joined the
Church,
thaywas three of
Church Capt Herndonand
C.H. ThomasandR.H. Hastin [2]
the meeting were broken up
anthe account of having to move,
thareisentbut one Chaplin
in our brigade and hasent
preached more than one time
in the last six months you
may guess by that how
much good he is doing
I havewriten enough unless
it was better than
what it is
so I will close for this time
you must write to me often
and gave me all the news
gave my love to all the
family and share the
same
for your self
asever your frendand cousin
until death
to his Cousin Unity Blair
On June 2, the 38th Virginia proceeded from Hanover's Junction to Hanover Court House. The next day the company marched 18 miles to near New Town, reacting to reports that Union troops were in King and Queen County. The anticipated attack did not materialize (Gregory 34-5).
Captain John Herndon (1838-?) enlisted in the Company D along with the Booker brothers on May 24, 1861 at Whitmell. John Herndon's brother Ralph organized the company and was its first captain, but he resigned after he was not re-elected. After serving as a lieutenant, John Herndon was appointed captain in July of 1862. He remained with the regiment until April 1, 1865, when he was taken prisoner near Dinwiddie Court House (Gregory, 102). "C. H. Thomas" probably is Campbell H. Thomas, who was likewise present when the company was organized in 1861 at Whitmell. He was wounded in action at Seven Pines on May 31, 1862, but he returned to duty on August 13, 1862. He remained with the company until he was wounded in action at Chester Station on May 10, 1864. Five days later, he died at Richmond General Hospital #9 (Gregory, 126). "R. H. Hastin" probably refers to Robert H. Hastings, who joined Company D on March 11, 1862. He was wounded in action near Chester Station, Virginia on May 10, 1864, and had his left arm amputated as a result of his wounds. He retired from the Confederate Army on September 12, 1864 (Gregory, 101).
| Letter to Chloe Unity Blair | |