1861 July 1 Camp near Centreville

I wrote you a note yesterday morning
my darling, and at the time that I fin-
ished the impression was that we would
remain where we were another day, but
in a very few minutes after orders came
from headquarters for us to march, our
horses were ready saddled, baggage wagons
packed, and in 15 minutes after the orders
were received we were marching out of
camp and a very hard day we had, I
begin to think that I can stand almost
anything, juast as we started yesterday mar
ching it commenced raining and rained
hard the whole day at least until we
reached Fairfax Ct. Ho. about 6 o'clock.
it was a cold rain too and we had to travel
all day at slow marching pace soaking
wet, when we got to our camping ground
near the Ct. Ho. our wagons were some
distance behind and we had to stand
and wait until they came before we

[page 2]
could leave our houses, it was the worst
and most disagreeable march we have
had yet, and then we had bad ground to
camp on, and after this march being
the officer of the guard I was up in
the open air all night, now you will
infer from this directly that it made
me sick but you would be greatly mis-
taken if you did. I have been as well
to day as I ever was, and have suffered no
inconvenience beyond the necessary
and natural consequences of fatigue and
loss of sleep. I have taken a nap
this evening and feel very much
refreshed, our comany was ordered
back to this place this morning, the
others are still at Fairfax Ct. Ho. where
they will probably remain for the
present and be employed in picket duty
and scouting between there and the
Falls Church in the direction of
Alexandria where the enemy has a
considerable force, Capt.Pitzer lost

[page 3]
two of his men day before yesterday
captured by the enemy they took four
of them including a lieutenant
but he and one of the men escaped
Pitzer himself recd a shot in one of his
legs by the accidental discharge of
a shot gun in the hands of one of his
men, just as he was about to mount
his horse to go with his company to
Leesburg, he is now upon his back
and will be for several weeks, we are
now about 7 miles from Fairfax Ct
Ho, and about midway between there
and Manassas, we came by Manassas
yesterday and this place also, as we passed
the junction of Gen Beauregard came
out and greeted us, we are encamped
now alongside of the Wist troop, they
have been here some time, and seem
to be pretty well fixed, they are living
right well receiving most of their
provisions from Lynchburg, and
little or nothing to do, we have recd

[page 4]
orders tonight to march in the mor-
ning to Frying run Curch some
six or seven miles from here towards
Loudoun and the Potomac, where
Perry's company is encamped, we are
rather pleased at this as it is a fine country
and a good field for military operations
our destination I understand is Leesburg
in Loudoun county to operate between
that place and the Potomac, this you
know is an intermediate point between
Alexandria and Harper's Ferry, and is
a fine and fertile country almost
as any in the state I was in hopes to
have had a letter from my darling
tonight, but we have not had an op-
portunity to leave from the junction
we have to send up early in the
morning for somethings we leave
there and then I hope to get a letter
you must continue to direct to Ma
nassas until I instruct you other-
wise, I was afraid I would lose the chance
if writing to you to day at our

[page 5]
camp so often and marching every day gives
us a good deal of work to do and keeps
me very busy we were kept this morning
for a long time with our hourses saddled
in a state of uncertainty whether
we were to march or remain where we
were not receiving any letter to
night I have taken out the last
one and read it over and over and you
cannot imagine the comfort and con-
solation it gives me, my darling if you
will continue to love me and cling
to me to the end I can suffer any
privation or hardship with patience
and fortitude [words blurred]
than I deserve and repay me a
thousand fold for everything that
I may have to endure, devote yourself
to me heart and soul, love me with
all your love, and in the darkest hour
I shall have a glow of warmth and
a gleam of sunshine in my heart, it
will be a shield to me in the hour of

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danger and peril and reconcile me to any
fate that may befall me, so long as
I have you to love me I am content
whatever my lot may be--

I wish you could look into my tent
now and see me writing to you, kneeling
aupon the ground and writing upon my trunk
but the wind is blowing pretty stiff and
has flared my candle almost away, and
I will not give you any description of
what you would see if you were to loook
in, my little ones are now in bed fast
asleep, god bless them--if I could only
look at them and kiss them as they sleep
what a pleasure it would be to me--
you must do it for me, I trust in
god we shall all meet again some
time and be happy, [?] only knows
when it will be but let us live
in hope--good night my own darling
may god bless you and little ones
and keep you from all harm

Your devoted husband
G. R. Page

[sideways on top margin of page one]
I forgot to say
that John and
all the boys
are well and
hearty tell
Mrs Patrick
I saw Tom
yesterday mor-
ning as I came
by Manassas
he is as fat as a
bear and looks
healthy and
seems to be
well satisfied
I believe I
saw all the
boys from our
neighborhood
and they are
all well
and doing
well

MSS 8937