University of Virginia Library

Knowing illeg. your anxiety
to hear from us at this time, after receiving
Andrews letter, I write to inform you that we
are both well, except that Andrew is somewhat
wearied & broken down from a march of about 11
miles on yesterday, under a broiling sun & some
dust & but a little water, we forming the rear of about
ten or twelve thousand soldiers & consequently were
crowded out from the wells, that being the prin-
cipal source, until the middle of the evening
when we fell back from the main body. [1]
We that is Jackson's brigade, Johnston having gone to Winchester camped in the woods last night & this
morning marched to this place about 3 ½ miles
below Winchester. At our last encampment we
were placed in an open field, under a burning
sun & orders to be at your posts & had to stay
there for four days. The enemy were all the while
stationed at Martinsburgh 6 ½ miles off.

General Johnston sent illeg. to Gen. Patterson
who is in command of the enemies forces

to send away the women & children from Martins burgh
but he refused & sent back word that if he (Johnston) would
lay down his arms & return home the he (Patterson)
would forgive all past offences. Gen. Johnston offered him battle for four days, if he would
come out of Martinsburgh but he would not do
it and John ston thinking his numbers too great
being at least twenty five & perhaps thirty thousand
& a reinforcement of 5 thousand at the Potomac
at some point between Harpers Ferry and Shepherds-
town and his position too strong, thought it
advisable to fall back & so we have had no
battle yet, but on Saturday evening[2] a dispatch
was brought to the General that our pickets
had been driven in & that the enemy were advan-
cing: we were soon drawn up in battle array
& advanced to a position, after having been
on the field about illeg. two hours, we were taken back
to quarters, it having turned out to be simply
a fight between the pickets; the enemy not coming.
Jackson on that morning received a letter
from Gen. Lee congratulating him upon his
promotion to brigadier General, the letter
came in advance of the official announcement.
While on the field the two Generals made
a review of the troops Johnston of all of the forces
& Jackson of the Virginia brigade.

I like Johnston's appearance very well; I think
he is a very prudent commander: indeed the same is
true of both: you know "prudence is the better part
of valor."[3] What is going to be done I don't know;
the soldiers never know the intentions of their com-
manders until it comes to execution; so we here in
camp have as little idea of an intended action
as you. I suppose the Yankee papers will glory over
our falling back as an inglorious and precipitan retreat; but
call it by what name you please I think that
Johnston knows what he is about & am very willing
to obey his orders, although it did pester me a good
deal for a while & does yet somewhat, to go at
things as it were blindfolded. illeg. Even suppo-
sing that we could have whipped them, it would
have been at too great a loss of life & consequently
it is more prudent to retire. How soon we
will have an engagement I can't tell you; but
there must be one at some time or another.

The result of the fight that took place on Tuesday
the 2nd I suppose Andrew gave you very correctly;
on our side illeg. three killed & four or five wounded.
The most reliable report we get illeg. in regard
to the loss of the Federal forces comes from
Mr. Boteler, a brother of Hon. Alex Boteler,
who says he had it from the quartermaster of
their army to this effect: that there were illeg.
from three to five hundred in killed & wounded
however true this is I think that there is no
doubt that their loss was considerable.[4]
The number engaged on our side was illeg. the whole (except one company)
illeg/ of Harper's regiment and one piece of canon: on the enemies there
was supposed to be about 3000 a great many
of them being regulars.[5]

Since writing the above I illeg. hear through one
of our company who has been at Winchester, that
they are throwing up a breastwork about one mile
on this side of town; which looks very much like
making a stand here, I didn't suppose however
that we would retire beyond Winchester.

Billy Wilson received a letter from home, a day or
two ago, which brought the news that Edgar Wilson,
whilst capping his pistol, shot himself in the foot, shooting off
one toe & another almost off.[6] I heard from Gam Dalhouse
a day or two ago, he was then improving with a prospect
of getting well. John D. Brooks[7] & all my acquaintances
are very well. We have just perused yours and aunt Martha's [8]
letters. On their way down McComb and Baskins [9] heard at
Bunkers hill, a village between Winchester & our camp, that
we had sent back all the baggage, except so much as we
could carry & accordingly left their knapsacks there & our letters
with them & did not get them again until this evening.
Aunt Martha wrote that Mr. Lee was taken prisoner by
the Georgians, our own troops. I didn't understand
it at all; he has not turned traitor has he? [10]

We heard yesterday that Lincoln message recommends
calling for 400,000 more men & 400,000,000 of dollars.
I don't illeg. know where he will get the
money from. Andrew joins in sending love to all
at home and Uncle Ben's [11]. Remember us both very
especially to Mr. & Mrs. Murkland; we would like to
be there to see them, but more especially the folks
at home. I was sorry to hear of Father's sickness
but I hope ere this shall have reached you he will be
restored to his wonted health. I regretted very much
not seeing Willie and Elick Murkland. illeg
To night Andrew is pretty well again.