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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 & artillary there to make

a stand. That the yankees 1,000 strong &

[chiding?] 200 negros (pressed in the rear by Stuart & Lee) 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 went off the woods

& 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 Stuart & Lee

were 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 mountain

road about three miles below us & that our

troops were there passing by our front 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 in

front but did not stop. I suppose did

see me. I was at times entirely sur-

rounded by horses & tin cups. All the boys

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

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

[Page 4]

unhurt. So many soldiers were around

me asking for water wh I cd not [delay?]

giving & the column was passing [rapidly?]

on, so I had very little chance of talking

much with the boys, who only stayed

two or three minutes. We had only

had one man wounded, our friend

Mr. Scott who was wounded but not severe

ly on the forehead. Horace seemed to think

he was not much distressed by it as it

wd get him a furlough. I hope he is at home

by this time. [?] was looking rather

thin but handsomer than I remembered him.

Horace had beard about [?] inches long all over

his face [skin?] was covered thick with [dust?]

[?] gave him rather a peculiar appear

ance. Mr. Lee Redd's appearance covered

with dust & dirt, hair, brows, & every thing

[white?], was very different from his look

on Mr. Booker's porch. All day long [Tuesday?]

[Wednesday?] & Thursday we heard rapid

& constant firing & today can still hear

it every now & then I wish so much that

I could again hear that all were safe.

I wrote to Mrs. Booker that night but fear

my letter has not yet been able to go. Some

[Sideways across page 1]

of the Cos had lost very heavily before passing here. Col [?]

had been wounded but not severely. More [?] prisoners

passed. I gave water to several who asked for it but where

one of our Va bunch asks at the same time of course gave

the preference to our own. You might to have seen the in-

fighting and contemptuous manner with which one finely asked

[?] fellow scurried off when I did so. one [?] had a

most horrible countenance. Wickham's, & some of Beagrds

were the ones who passed here; as the latter passed I looked

out most anxiously for Powell, but cd not see him. Upon

inquiring I found that he had recd a painful but not very

dangerous wound in the battle of the previous Thursday

& had been sent on to Richmond. & [Randolph?] of [Charles]

passed. Some soldiers came in at nine for water & to get

meat cooked. You may imagine how nervous we were

[?] I was too [?] [?] [?] to feel it much [?] when they

[Sideways across pages 2 and 3]

left. I have not yet gotten over the terrible soreness produced by

my exertions. Next morning before breakfast cousin Ed-

ward Grady came. He had been sent back as [courier?] to the

[Captain?]. He is looking very well, says the ball struck [P...?]

[?] near the elbow [running?] up the arm for two or three

inches tearing the skin very much but not [touching?] the [?]

He had heard from him [?] [Renee?] he was doing well

& hoped soon to be well, imagined to be moved to Charleston.

Trip Powell on Monday was safe & well. If still as thin with his Co. He

passed here, but I am sorry to say I did not see him, we

[?] is much excited & coughing as hard. Our view of the line

closed entirely by the circle around us that I do not wonder at

not seeing anyone. Frank Grady, suspected first of be

ing a spy has been tried by Court Martial & condemned to

[close?] confinement for the war. [Thus?] the [?] of [prison?]

tho he is now allowed the [?] [?] of Baltimore. Gordon's [Brigade?]

and some say Hampton's followed the yankees down the mountain

road. The prisoners had been told that they were in possession

of Richmond. Some thought that they certainly had Peters

burg. These raiders are fighting most [terribly?]. [?] [?] & four

others deserted by the [rest?] [?] the charge of [?] whole reg't

& afterwards the [?] were only taken after a long chase. They came

very near us but providentially not to our farm. A Mrs. Camp

bell's, the west plantation, they took everything from Mrs.

[Pollard?] all her horses & three servants & searched the house

all over. From Miss Fannie [Minna?] Cook all her meat

& five sheep & along the [manakin?] road three miles from

us stripped the people entirely. Cousin Ed said he never saw

such destruction of woods, fences, & provisions as there was a

along there. [?] Our loss by fire at Beaver Dam was [?] [?]

[?] [?] [?] had a severe fight with them near [Manakin?] [?] but cd

[sideways across pages 4 and 5]

not keep the front from going on to accomplish their object.

It was dreadful to sit here and hear day after day the can

nonading & yet be able to hear nothing from the fight

except a chance [rumor?]. We hear that we have gained glo-

rious victory at Dalton, but can hear nothing but the rumors.

God grant that it may be so, & that our friend Mr. John might

be safe. The girls have been able to hear nothing from their

Brothers. Capt [?] is in the [?], Rob was exchanged & rejoins

his Co the day before the battles began & Agnes has [?]

[?] brothers whom she loves more dearly even than her own,

all of whom are with Lee. It is terrible for them to be there

entirely cut off. I have just heard a train & trust we may

be able tomorrow to get some papers. The only death among

our acquaintances [?] who have heard is that of Willie Randolph

of Clarke. [?] Col of our noble [?] [?]. Do tell me if you see

any others. The [?] Powell you saw was [?] Brother.