1861 June 24 Loudoun County, Virginia

Camp Caroline

Dear Creek

As I have an opportunity of sending
this to the office I avail myself of writing you,
as I wrote you before we left Richmond. we started
from there on Thursday evening last and reached
this place last night after having rode about
120 miles on R R and Marched thirty on foot.
I often wished I had old Charly when I was on the
March, but I stood it first rate, and most of the
men did. we are camped in a beautiful grove of
oaks and Hickorys near a small town called
Leesburgh about 30 miles from Manassas
Junction and within two miles of the Yankees
Camp on the Maryland side of the Potomac
river. now dont get scared because I am so
near the enemy they are too great cowards

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to fight us and General Beauregard will not
let us cross the river to fight them so there is not
much chance of a fight yet a while. This is a beautiful
country and the finest water I ever tasted it is close
on the edge of the mountain and is very cool and
pleasant, the only draw back is there is no
regular mail as yet and it is only a chance to
get a letter off. we will soon have one established
and then there will be no further difficulty.

I should like to write you a long letter but I have not
time as the man who is to mail it is only a passer by
and cannot wait for it long. Capt. Brown and
myself have agreed to send our letters in one envelope
to Belton after this so if you get one there will be one
inside of it to Mrs Brown and if she get on there
will be one it it for you we will try and write you
every day if we can get them mailed and as often as
possible if not, Jim and Dugan are both well and like
it first rate, give my regards to all of our neighbors
and Kiss Little Maggie for me tell her I will bring
a pret[t]y when I get home, write me as often as possible
and believe me your ever affectionate
Bill

William Anderson was an officer in the 4th Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

MSS 10366