1861 August 12 Camp Fairfax [Virginia]

My dear Ma;
Although I’ve just written a few
days ago to some of your at home, I will write again to you.
Everything is as dull & quiet as ever in camp. We have
had some right bad weather in the last few days, it is raining
very hard now; the rain last yesterday evening came very
near spoiling all of our supper, we were sit[t]ing down at
the table when it commenced pouring down raining & all
of us had to run in our tents…We were on picket last Friday
night & Saturday, it rained very hard Friday night until
about ten oclock, we got very little sleep, the ground was
so wet & then the black gnats & chiggers came ^‘came’ very near
devouring us, we were in the woods about half a mile
from camp. Crocket arrived yesterday bringing all of
the letters & boxes safely; we were very glad to see him & he
seemed to be glad to get back. We were very glad to see the box,
it came in very well as we had to cook for ourselves yesterday.
I don’t think Crocket brought less than twenty or thirty boxes to
for our Co. Everything was in very good order in our box
when it arrived….John, Daniel & Tom Cosby were to^‘all to’ see us
this morning, they took dinner with us & returned about
three oclock. John looks very well, he is now stationed at
Fairfax CH. The Baltimore & Tenesee Regiments came here
to day from Fairfax CH, they are now camped in sight of
us, our whole Brigade is camped near together now.

[page 2]
Col Hill is still at Manassa[s]. Lieutenant Col. Walker is here now,
he has n’t taken command of us yet. All of us want to see Col. Hill
back again right bad; our Major is not very popular with his
Regiment, & as for old Gen. Elzey, I don’t believe anybody hardly likes
him, I believe his aid[e]s are afraid of him..Jackson’s Brigade is
near Fairfax CH. I heard today through John Daniel that our
pickets had a brush a few nights ago at Fall’s church with the
enemy, we took two prisoners, John said the fight commenced over
a peach or^‘c’ard. The parties went after peaches & met in the orchard,
none of our men were lost. Eddens started to Manassas today,
& from there he will go home or to the hospital, the Dr says he has
Typhoid fever, he is very sick & I am afraid moving him
will be the cause of his death; I believe all of our of the other boys
are well, Garrett has gotten well… Two of Kit’s cousins were
to see him this morning, I do not know to what Regiment they
belong, their name is Walthall. Pen & myself have moved
out into another tent, our old tent was so crowded that it was
very uncomfortable this warm weather; Cap Murray drew
two tents the other day & we got one of them, we have three others to
with us, they are John Crawford, Jno. Biggers & Nat Nuck^‘o’lls,
all three of them are very nice & good fellows. The tent that
we have is not as large as our old one, but if the officers get
the large two wall tents which they expect to get, we will
take the Captain’s present tent & then we will take one or two
others with us; we will take Albin with us if he comes.

I am very sorry to hear of Joe’s sickness, am afraid he is
going to have a long spell of it. Ask Pa if he has heard
anything from Joe. Brown since he got home? I w’d like to hear from ^’him’

[page 3]
I was sorry that Mr. Hackett & Carroll did not get out here,
if they had not said anything to Beauregard or anybody
else & had come on with the wagons, they w’d have found no
difficulty whatever in get[t]ing into camp; I’ve heard of a goo^‘d’
many who got into camp that way. I reckon the cars will
commence run[n]ing to the Station before very long.
We’ve made arrangements with a lady to have our bread cooked
while Harry is away. I wish you could have seen Bro. Jno
yesterday washing the things up after dinner, it would have
made you laugh, he looked so awkward, I reckon if they the cups and
plates had been any thing but tin he w’d have broken them. It is get[t]ing
quite late so I will stop – Thank Sister for her letter & tell her I
will answer it soon – Did Mattie send the cracker to Belle?

I think I heard Miss Sa^‘l’lie say that she intended put[t]ing short
pants on Edward this summer, has she put them on him yet?
I’ve not made the acquaintance of the first baby since I left
home. I am afraid all of the children, except Belle, will forget me
before I get back. How does Willie Bigg^‘c’ers get on now? I know
[may be James M. Bickers, sent home 5/22/61 for “unsoundness of body”]
I w’d ^‘not’ know Willie Page, have almost forgotten how she looked when I left….On dress parade yesterday evening, four ladies, one of them
very pretty, suddenly made their appearance on the field in front of
us, you can’t imagine what a sensation they did make, we
never see any ladies except washwomen & marketwomen; I thought
Pen & several others w’d jump out of their breeches when they saw
those ladies. It is now most bed time. Please excuse all mistakes
& bad writing. Our best love to all at home, all of my friends &
accept a large share for y’rself.. Bro. Jon or some of us will write
again in a day or two. All of us are well – Henry Chiles is as well

[page 4]
& hearty as ever, tell Miss Isa he behaves himself very well.
August 13th
P. S. All of us are well this morning. From Y’r devoted & most aff
son
P. Edloe Jones

[Continuing on this same page is a letter from Pendleton Jones.]
My dear Ma:
Ed has left me a small
space in wh. to write a few lines & home,
and has moreover doubtless given you
all the news of the camp. But before
all other things let me correct a somewhat
erroneous impression Ed produced sometime
ago. He called forth yr. grt. uneasiness on
account of my hearty eating and I was sur-
prised to hear you beg so earnestly to
check any appetite. We have been feasting
ourselves for some time but really Ed was
only trying to tease me by writing you that
I ate so much. We are all well now and
are getting on cheerfully, contentedly, and
heartily. Jno. Daniel & Tom Cosby visited us
to day – are both well. The other regiments of our
brigade moved in to this place today, so the whole
family are now together. The boys are disturbing
me by counting up the Johns in the company –
they make out fifteen – also fifteen Williams –
they is no prospect for a removal or
engagement with the enemy. We will
doubtless remain here some time & if any of
our citizens wish to come over to see us they
can do so easy enough by coming from the
Junction without asking for a pass. With
best love to all at home - & all the neighbors,
Affectionately yr. Son.
Pendleton.


MSS 13047