John A. Emerson to Anna L. Drake, 28 July 1861
Stone Bridge Va
July 28,1861
My Dear nease I received your kind and affectionate letter I was glad to hear from you it was jest after the battle was over This leaves me well and at presant and hope that when this comes to hand that you may be enjoy the same blessing their is a great many sick men in the regiment I am verry thankful that he has spaired me so long I havent ben sick since I left home. Jesse is here with us now he speakes of going home in a fiew days if we dont get in to a nother battle we are ready are a waiting for a nother fight if nothing elce will do. mr Linkon sais he will have his property back by all hazards if he under takes that their will be hot times certain. he has called on pres Davis / for 30 or 40 days to studdy on I think his idea is to get redy for a big fight Gen Beauregard says he isent going to give him a day and if that is so their will be some fighting in a fiew days. I tell you if their is it will be a hot time. you Papa can give you a discrption of the battle as he has the chance of talking with you their was only 98 men killed and wounded and missing their was only 15 killed Oh it was an awful time the booms was flying all around me the bals whising right and left I feal verry thankful that I was spaired some went in to the battle cursing and swearing I dident go in to it that away I went in praying to god to protect me and if it was his will for me to fall my prair was to get home to heaven with my good Mother and Brother it was an awful sight to see the poor men lying wounded and killed Some with their heads shot off some shot in too some with their legs shot off & armes
I have jest received a letter from Mina I was glad to hear from her She said she was enjoying her self verry well. W Smith is sorty sick he is getting along verry well Samuel is a little puny We are going to move from this place to morrow we are all verry anxious to get away from hear it is verry disageable the sent is verry bad of a night I dont know where we are going I think we will be moved near to fairfax corthouse direct your letters to Manases Junction it will be sent to me no ods where we go Sis I want you to write to me and give me the news I got a letter from Hassie the other day write often you have sch a good chance o you dont now how glad I was to see Jesse he looks as well as ever tell your father to write I would be glad to hear from him & Jane I miss him verry mutch it seames like I would when pappy was gon from home
I was up last knight on gard I am verry drousy you must excuse me for writing so haisty tell the girls howdy for me tell them I hope to get home again to see them all. I have turd over a new leaf since the battle I am mighty thankful to god that I got though safe often so many of the men being wounded oh it was a dreadful sight the yanks are still dying yet dredful to see the house full of wounded men moaning and groaning. I tell you it was a dreadful time. they commeced fiering on us 6 oclock Am and closed 4 oclock Pm then the cavelry persued them and captured 93 pieces of artillery near 2000 prisners and all ther baggeage Nothing more only remaines you
affectionate unkle John Allen
July 28. 1861
13726
DATABASE CONTENT
(13726) | DL1913.002 | 203 | Letters | 1861-07-28 |
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Anxiety, Artillery, Boredom, Cavalry, Death (Military), Fatigue/Tiredness, Fear, Fighting, Guard/Sentry Duty, Illnesses, Injuries, Jefferson Davis, Missing in Action, News, P. G. T. Beauregard, Prisoners of War, Religion, "Yankees" (Confederate opinions of)
People - Records: 2
- (4874) [writer] ~ Emerson, John Allen
- (4875) [recipient] ~ Drake, Anna L. ~ Leak, Anna L.
Places - Records: 1
SOURCES
John A. Emerson to Anna L. Drake, 28 July 1861, DL1913.002, Nau Collection