Difference between revisions of ".MTU1NA.MjU5MQ"

Revision as of 21:04, 23 January 2016

This transcription has not been verified by Special Collections Research Staff. Please also consult images of the document.

Forest Hill May 13th, 1864

My dearest Sister,

We are still I fear cut off

from communication with the outside

world but I will begin my letter [?]

soon to be able to send it. I reckon that you

are quite uneasy about your little sister

here in the midst of our yankee friends.

I assure you, altho I have been blessed

with the sight of them only as prisoners,

I have been no little excited by them.

Monday night we could plainly see the

flames from our burning stores from

Beaver Dam. Tuesday morning we were a-

wakened at five by [distant?] volleys of mus-

ketr, & about eleven more intensely exci-

ted by seeing our Maj Gen flying down

the road. Five or six came on, told us they had

been fighting ever since twelve the night

before, being only 200 strong had been obli

ged to fly & even then going to the [?[

to join their infantry & [?] there to make

a stand. That the yankees 1,000 strong

[?ing] 200 negros pressed into [?] by [?] [?] were only half an hour

behind them. Their loss had been great

[Page 2]

and all were much expected. After they

left we busied our selves in sending

stock of all kinds off & concealing our

valuables. Mr. S and the boys [?] off the [?]

& we took our stations in our rooms. Agnes

came up here with me momentarily ex

pecting the enemy but [?] mind to save

as much as possible. As the day passed on

however & they did not come we composed

ourselves & went to sewing. We did not hear

anything now [?] except that I think Lee

[?] pressing their rear (fighting there all day) until five when

half a day soldiers rode up, told us the Yan

kees had [?] off into the [?]

road about three miles below us & that our

troops were there passing by our [?] gate.

We hastened up each carrying buckets of water

with us and stood there handing water to

our dear wearied, dirty soldiers from that

tie until night. Often our water gave out

& the wearied servants could not bring it

fast enough so we carried the buckets

from the house (100 yds) ourselves, & once

I even went to the spring with one I was

simply repaid for any exertion by seeing

the eagerness with how they received it &

[Page 2]

their gratitude. We heard one say who

so could not fight & many blessings were

poured upon our heads. Poor fellows

they said they had then been fighting

for seven days & neither men nor horses

had had anything to eat since the

morning of the day previous. Gen Stuart

passed & stopped to tell the girls of the

safety of their cousin Frank. I was at the

house & did not see him. I little thought

that he wd be so soon taken from us.

We had heard constant musketry some

times so rapid that we could not speak

because the volleys muffled every word

& then with the booming of cannons. We are

of course very very anxious about one [?]

[great?] there was every relief and joy when

as the 3rd passed Willie Dupuy, Horace Boo

th, [?] & the two Mr. Redds rode up

to speak to me. Willie B & the Capt were [?]

[?] [?] but did not stop. I suppose did

see me. I was at times entirely sur-

rounded by horses & [?] cups. All the boys

were well & entirely [uninjured?] very [?]

[thirsty?], & dirty but bright, cheerful & [?]

[Page 4]

unhurt. So many soldiers were around

me asking for water [?] I cd not [stop?] my

giving & the column was passing [?]

on, so I had very little chance of talking

much with the boys, who only stayed

two or three minutes.