21st Virginia Infantry - Wounded at Cedar Mountain

Item CON-7240

Description

3 pages, original Confederate Civil War soldier's letter written in period ink and war dated.

Camp near Gordonsville
August 15th 1862

My Dear Uncle,

I have determined to let William to Cumberland for a day or two and will write a few lines by him to let you know that I am quite well again. I wrote to Julia just after the fight at Cedar Run and gave her a full account. For some days afterwards I was too unwell to take the field, but there was no [one] knew of me. We have remained quiet ever since.

I have been very busy ever since making out my report of the casualties in our little Regt. We lost in killed & wounded half of what we had in the fight. I was twice a prisoner but thank God I escaped and took many of them prisoners in return. Our army just now is very quiet but it is my general belief that one of [the] biggest battles of the war will be fought in and about Orange C.H. I had my horse killed and lost my bridle & saddle, but I had taken the precaution to have him valued just a few days before the fight. When he was shot he was almost in the Yankee’s lines and do not know whether it was they or our men that took my saddle & bridle & with it my oil cloth coat & blanket, as they were on my saddle.

Give my best love to all at Union Hill. Kiss & John a kiss to Aunt Holly & Mary. Love to all at Claybank. I will send some writing paper for you and Aunt Fanny, also some for Julia as I have more than I want and am afraid that I will lose it in the army.

Your devoted nephew,

Mann Page

P.S. Write by William when he returns.

D. Copeland Randolph Esq.

Please give William a pass to come back.