Camp at New Market

Shenandoah Co. Virginia

May-Day 1862

 

My Dear Friend

                        I wish you a happy May-Day. And now having said it I am in doubt whether it is right, not meaning the wish of course, but whether it is customary and why should it not be. I think it would be very appropriate in New York where a man and a family man in particular experiences so much unhappiness on that day when Gothamites seem to concentrate all their energies for the purpose of turning things movable up side down and playing smash generally. So if you are moving I wish yourself family and furniture safely through it, and if you are not I wish you all the happiness that the return of this time honored holiday can bring you

 

            I would write you oftener if it was not that I know you get all the news from here through the papers and in a / better shape than I can put it. in the main their statements are correct. the correspondents are not particular about telling a tough one once in a while, but as Bennet of the Satanic says that good round lies are necessary to make an article read well, and he ought to know.

 

Well since the Battle at Winchester we have been making our way slowly down the beautiful Valley of the Shenandoah and we are now 75 miles south of Martinsburg from which all our supplies are brought in waggons. ten men from each Reg^t in the Division has been detailed for rebuilding the bridges which have been destroyed by Jackson. I think it is the intention to repair the Manassas and Strasburg R.R. for the use of the Army. if this is done it will be very convenient for our quartermasters who have had a great deal of trouble in transporting in waggons over such a length of road all that is required by such a large Army

 

the last advance we made about 18 miles from Edinburg to New-Market we had some slight skirmishing on the way but no one hurt on our side. our Reg^t was with the force that went through the country by-roads for the purpose of turning the enemys left. the Vermont Cavalry Reg^t took an active part in that days work, the first of the kind they have had, and proved themselves trumps. Our Brigade is now in the rear. Williams Division is reported 30 miles from here toward Stanton which place is 42 miles from here.

 

            Within the last two weeks our forces have captured a large number of prisoners mostly cavalry. our loss in the same time has been about 6 in killed and wounded. Our boys are getting used to the country and beat the Confeds at their own game. the last heard from Stonewall Jackson he was on his way to someplace where he wont be interrupted with Shields and his Division. this part of the valley is the finest agricultural district that I have seen it is well watered with sweet cool mountain streams which furnish any quantity of mill power. the soil is deep rich and warm. the mountains keep back the cold winds of the north and protect the fair valley from the rude shocks of the tempest that is broken on their giant breasts. the valley is cut flat but gently undulating just enough to make it look well and give the ground good drainage. the soil which is about 4 feet deep rests on blue limestone of which many of the fences and houses are built. it is very abundant and easily worked. iron is found also and and there are several furnaces near this place where it is worked in to pig metal. the inhabitants are F.F.V^s Poor white trash and niggers. most of the former went south taking the latter with them. the male portion of the trash were pressed into the service. most of the people that are still at home are strong secesh, but seem to think that we Yankees improve on acquaintance. this place has its history. within a mile of New-Market or the place where it stands was fought one of the bloodiest of the many battles fought between the British and Indians. the date of the battle is August 1^st 1753 the ground chosen for the fight was along the ridges bordering a creek that here winds its way along the foot of a ridge range called the Massanutten Mountain. A road passes through the mountain to the valley of the south fork of the Shenandoah the British were commanded by Gen^l Smith who was killed in the battle and buried on the banks of the creek which to this day bears his name. the field in which the dead were buried is now a part of a fine farm and the plow now turns up the bleached and crumbling remains of what the sword cut down more than a century ago. the General was buried in a mound with his dead comrades around him about two years ago some persons got / an idea into their heads that there might be something valuable in the grave of the General so they set to work one night and dug up the bones of the dead hero expecting no doubt to find a jewel-hilted sword or some other trinkets what they found is not stated. the grave is now empty. I must again thank you for your great kindness in forwarding the papers. I was much amused with that piece in the Post called my notebook in America I think that is it. it is firstrate a good imitation of the John Bull on his travels. I do like to read Train's speeches in London he is a trump and he pours hot shot into them in the right style. in these times of excitement in which Brittania seems bent on having a row with somebody or everybody it strikes me that the government of the tight little Isle showed gross negligence in allowing a battering ram called / Human to pass through their territory on its way to Paris in the country of its enemy. And maybe into the service of Boney himself. it will be remembered that this battery when on exhibition in England a year or so ago created quite as much alarm as the monitor does now. it may be that Napoleon since the advent of the Monitor thinks that his iron sided La Gloire and Cherbourg fortresses are played out, and is considering the propriety of going back to the first principles of offence and defence being the cheapest and the only ones to be depended on. I mean the manly art of self defence. and Boney with his usual tact has secured the services of Monsieur Human to transform his troops of the line into a grand army of shoulder-hitters, with which he intends to clean out Great Britain and Ireland, for if Human did so / much execution himself what would an army of Humans do I expect to hear the Thunderer of Printing house Square issue the warning note in connection with this matter and call the attention of War Office and Admiralty to adopt measures so as to insure a proper means of defence against the newfangled inventions which threaten them, since their Warriors and Armstrongs have been rendered useless except for old iron.

 

            it was lucky for this and other countrys that the selfishness of the John Bull kept that Armstrong gun to themelves it has now proved itself to be a most expensive experiment. I see that after making thousands of them they have just now found out that an Armstrong 100 pdr is not as good at short range as an old 64. I hope they will continue to keep such guns. My kindest wishes to your family and all my friends. While I am as ever Yours Faithfully  James Clarke

 

Mr. E. Preston Esq. New York

 

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it is raining to day. you will excuse blots &c as the tent leaks, and I can not avoid the drops as they come too thick

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