Reuben H. Dunn to Henry F. Dearborn, 25 October 1862
Ferreros 2nd Division, Sturges 2nd Brigade, 9th Army
Corps Army of the potomack                                                                                  
Plesant Veley MD, Oct the 25/62
 
          Absent Friend F
I have a few hours of detaining my self in writing you a few lines in answer to your exceptible letter for I was happy to hear from you and to hear that you ware all well and harty. my health is very good and I hope this may find you all injoying the same on receiveing this probly when you receive this wee shall be some ways from plesant Veley for since I begun this letter wee have had Orders to march thay ordred the Cooks to give us three days rations so probly it will take us that time to go whare wee are a going acording to all acounts wee shall see some fighting before meny days from this time for thare hase bin grait araingmunts made for the last weeake yesterday McClellan & Burnside came here to see us their quarters is within one ½ of a mile of us thay are bulley looking fellows I tell you thay fitted us out with sixty rounds of catrige and ordred every man to take with him one spare shirt and draws his Overcoat & blanket and every thing elce to pack up in as small a compas as / he posibley cold and have it sent to Washington not carry eney thing he posabley cold do without thare is two hundred thousand troops ordred to march with us to start tomorrow morning at 6 Ock Am whare wee are a going no one knowes except McClellan and Burnside thare is a big battle ahead not far eather I can see that plain the cry has bin for the last weeak with maney of the soldiers fighting was most over but I coldent see that part of it thare is the gratest fighting to come that ever was for thay have made diferent plans & arangmunts then thay ever did before on both sides both sides are bound to strikit out Stone wall says he can fight ten years longer in the state of Virginia it may be he can but I have my douts of that wee will have him whare wee can look at him before that time if wee dont buley for him & Jef two I tell you F this is the hardest looking Country that ever man behild it is nothing but Negrows, and the houses are log houses & thay are a mile & two mile apart and thare isant a store this side of washington or eney thing elce but woods & hills & mountans it is the most desolate looking place eney one ever set eyes on I have seen all the buties of the southern / States I ever desire to for its sceinerys and flourishing Cities composed of the natives I havent seen eney thing pleasing to the eye since wee left Feledefpha Citty that is a nice place and thare is some nice people thare that is the last I have seen & probley it is the last I shall see at presant if ever I do but I shall do the best I can for them and live as long as I can for my own good not thars Fremon give my best respects to your folks and Elbridge & his Wife and keep a good share your self The Boys are all rite wee havent lost but three of our men yet that is dead      So good day
 
see to my babies Frenan
 
                        Yours With Respect
 
Please write again
 
                                    R. H. Dunn
                                                To
                                    H. F. Dearbourn
6378
DATABASE CONTENT
(6378)DL1054.00177Letters1862-10-25

Tags: African Americans, Ambrose Burnside, Fighting, George B. McClellan, Marching, Nature, Rumors, Supplies, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

People - Records: 2

  • (2024) [writer] ~ Dunn, Reuben H.
  • (2025) [recipient] ~ Dearborn, Henry Freeman

Places - Records: 1

  • (996) [origination] ~ Pleasant Valley, Rockingham County, Virginia

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SOURCES

Reuben H. Dunn to Henry F. Dearborn, 25 October 1862, DL1054.001, Nau Collection