1861 July 21 Manassas Junction

Sunday
My dear little Nannie,
I can write only very briefly
after the anxiety & interest that has attached
to this ever-to-be-remembered-day – To us of
the South it has been a real Sun-day for
now after the battle smoke has passed away
we can more clearly see that we are to be
a free independent & prosperous people-

Almost overwhelming numbers of the
enemy attacked our forces at four different
points on the Bull’s Run Creek in a des-
-perate effort to cross & get possession of
our Rail Roads in the rear & thus cut off
our supplies; but thanks to Duty and the
brave Southern spirits we have been again
able to repel them when the odds have
been so largely against us –

I stood upon the summit of my
Battery & could distinctly see the ^ ‘dense’ smoke
& hear the constant loud cannon’s roar
when thousands of human beings were

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being launched into eternity on the four
battled battle grounds along the creek
the extremes of which were not more
than five miles distant from each
other – The firing commenced at about
8 o’clock this morning and lasted until
about 5 o’clock this evening when the
enemy retreated leaving quite a number
of prisoners, a goodly number of Artillery
pieces in our hands & their dead upon
the fields – The celebrated Sherman
Battery was captured & he is reported
to have been killed – We have lost
a good many Officers and a fearful
number of soldiers – Whether ours
or the enemy’s loss is greatest I cannot
say – I have not heard that any
Lynchburger was killed or wounded –
Sam Garland’s regiment was not engaged –
Latham’s Battery lost no men – Clark
had special command of one piece &
worked it admirably – The Yankees fought
well at long range; but at no time

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stood well in close quarters – Genl
Scott was in Command at Centre-
-ville – They may come on us again
in two or three days if President
Davis does not order that they
shall be pursued to-morrow to Alex-
andria which I think is quite likely –

I saw my Brother for a
minute or two on his arrival here
yesterday – He was in the fight to
day & I hope is unhurt –

Remember me kindly to
my friends at Richmond –
Very devotedly
Your own
Choctaw
PS I forgot to mention that our
Cavalry pursued the enemy this
evening –

Confederate artillery captain William King of Lynchburg, Va., to his wife Annie K. Leftwich King.

General Samuel Garland, 1830-1862, a University of Virginia alumnus; mortally wounded September 14, 1862

MSS 6682