Culpeper Va. Aug. the 13^th 1862

 

Dear Sister

As I have a few spare moments I will improve them by writing to you. we started from Falmouth last Sunday morning at 3 oclock for this place we traveled 25 miles, camped down for the night, started the next morning 3 oclock and got to this place about 11 oclock P.M., a distance of 27 miles making in all 52 miles in two days. they had a fight last Saterday about 3 miles from here between Old Stonewall Jackson and Gen^l Pope. our folks got the worst of it, killed on our side 500, on the Rebles side 7 or 800. they sent out a flag of truce to bury the dead the truce was out Monday noon Tuesday noon. we got here Monday night old Jackson got wind of it some way and retreated back to the mountains / six miles from the battle field Gen^l Segil is after him and we will have a fight with him soon in a day or two at the farthest. he has 20,000 men surely, and we have got the whole Army of Va under Gen. Pope (100,000 men) and if we can get hold of him he will suffer a little I guess, but I am afraid he will get away from us as he did Gen. Fremont up in the Valley, but we shall give him a try any way. I with four others went out to the battle field this morning. it is a good place to have a battle, in a field of 2000 acres. we saw dead horses and where they had burried a lot of men poor fellows they died for their country it seems hard to die so young as some were but they died in a glorious cause. if my life was required to save the Union I would freely give it. it may not be called for, but however I enlisted to fight and to see the thing through / safely, and if I live and have my health I am bound to do it. last monday morning Tuesday morning we expected to have a hard fight with the Rebles before night we were tired but ready for a fight but about 8 oclock A.M. the news came that the Rebles had fell back 6 miles. we were all sadly disapointed but we will get them yet I hope we are here waiting for any moove whatever, dont care what kind of a wone it is if we can get a shot at the Rebles. if we have a fight I will write to you imeadeatly after if I come out all right in the meantime write. write as soon as you get this I wrote to Father this morning my best wishes to all. Remember me in your prayers

                                               

Your affectionate Brother

Rob^t F. Twombly

2^nd Regt. Co. G. U.S.S.S.

Kings Division

Washington, D.C. 

 

August 14^th 1862

            As the mail does not go out to day I will write a little more. this morning at 7½ oclock we had to go out on a Division Review we were reviewed by Genls. Pope M^cDowell & Kings we have just got back it is pretty hot to day the same as usual I have not heard from Old Jackson yet, but I should think by Gen^l Pope reviewing all the troops here that we were a goin to do something shortly but cant tell. they say now that Old Jackson has got 100,000 men with him and that is as many as we have got, but we can fight him any way. we will have some hard fighting pretty soon, but lett it come. the sooner the better. we are ready and waiting for it write soon as you get this

                                               

Yours Truly                Robert F. Twombly

SOURCES