Camp of Shield's Division

Near Fredericksburg Va

May 24^th 1862

 

Dear Marshall

            I received yours of the 4^th very glad to hear from you and to learn that you were all well

 

And now I will tell you how I came here. Monday May 12^th our Brigade marched out of camp at 7 a.m. passed New-Market at 9 AM all of Shields Division moving eastward crossed the first range of mountains and the south fork of the Shenandoah river bivouacked at 6 P.M. having marched 19 miles our camp tonight is two miles west of the town of Luray weather warm roads dusty. May 13^th took the road at 6 a.m. passed through Luray and over a chain of hills on the east of it from Luray we took the road to Front Royal and bivouacked within 5 miles of it on the banks of the Shenandoah. days / march 21 miles day very hot began to rain at dusk rained all night. May 14 started at 6 a.m. and marched into Front Royal roads very bad. A few of Col. Geary's men guarding the town in which there are two very large and fine hospitals built by the confeds. Camped near the town rained hard all day. May 15^th another rainy day the third Brigade started to cross the Blue Ridge at 11 A.M. ours (the 2^nd) took the road at 4 P.M. streams high and roads very bad we bivouacked on the mountain at midnight night dark and stormy days march 7 miles. May 16^th marched at 7 a.m. halted after marching 4½ miles had dinner 3^rd Brigade had some trouble with a few companies of secesh cavalry but soon put them to flight with a loss of three one of our cavalry was wounded. in the afternoon our Reg^t took the lead and marched 5 miles to Gain's Cross Roads where we staid for the night weather fine 

 

May 17^th

took the road at 7 a.m. took the road to Warrenton forded the north fork of the Rappahannock River. water waist deep. day clear and hot, roads near the river very bad, trains detained. 2^nd and 3^rd Brigades bivouacked at Warrenton at dusk days march 19 miles

 

May 18 first Brigade came up at noon our Brigade took the road at 12 M. at dark bivouacked near Gen^l Duryee's Brigade on the R.R. two miles above Warrenton Junction the march 12½ miles weather fine. May 20^th took the road at 5 a.m. our Reg^t on the right of the entire line. marched 16 miles and bivouacked at 4 P.M. day very hot

 

May 22^nd marched at 10½ a.m. 1^st and 3^rd Brigades ahead of us today. marched through Falmouth at dusk and bivouacked on the hills opposite Fredericksburg

 

May 23^rd the President and Secretary Stanton came here to-day. reviewed M^cDowell's force in the morning and Shield's Division in the afternoon they rode through the camps / and were enthusiastically received M^cDowell, Shields and a numerous staff went the rounds with them they left in a special train at dark for the Potomac part of M^cDowells men have crossed the river and are camped on the hills beyond Fredericksburg the RR bridge is repaired and trains run into F. a splendid pontoon bridge crosses the river at Falmouth which is a little town about a mile above F on the opposite side of the Rappahannock I have not been in Fredericksburg yet I think that it is a town of about 5000 inhabitants it looks very pretty from this side. it is the head of navigation on this river. the herring fishery is very profitable here. great quantities of the herring are hauled in daily by the fishermen and sold to the soldiers at the rate of two for a cent. I have lived on them since I came here. they make an agreeable change after living on salt pork a great number of store keepers are here from the north they follow the army and do a fine business. there is some talk of our Division going back to the line of the Warrenton R.R. and and advancing toward Gordonsville it is reported in camp that the enemy in front of M^cDowell has retired. last night they fired a few shell at our out-posts a dense smoke toward the front indicates that they are burning the bridges in their retreat 

 

I would write you a longer letter if I had time. we are soon to be paid off for the first time in our five months. I suppose we will get the legal Greenbacks this time. I will send you some of the secesh shinplasters that are used in Dixie as soon as I can get them. I have had a few of them but I spent them in Winchester. it is the only kind of money in circulation in these parts. some of the notes are as low as five cents. A few minutes ago I read a copy of the World of the 2^nd from Mr Preston who still continues his kindness. I will write to him as soon as I find time Please remember me to him and his family I will wind up as I have got nothing more to say and supper is ready. please write soon my kind regards to all my family and friends, hoping you are all very well I am &c

           

Ever Your Friend & Brother Ja^s Clarke /

 

Address

            J.C. C^o D. 5^th Reg^t O.V.I.

                        Gen^l Shield's Division

                                    Winchester Virginia

SOURCES