1861 September 13

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, of the Dixie Greys, Co. E of the 42nd Virginia]

Friday 13
Morning beautiful though
cool and foggy – We are al-
most facing the mouth of
the enemy’s cannon and
know not how soon we
may be called on, to go
into the battle field. Four
of our men wounded [a letter lined through]
to day and Col. Washington
killed – [-] very near being
taken – Read 8 chapters
in bible. A ballon thought to be
seen at night by some of our men

Colonel Washington was John Augustine Washington of Mount Vernon, a collateral descendant of President George Washington and an Aide-de-camp to Robert E. Lee.
The following undated poem composed after the war was found among the papers of the Washington family:

John Augustine Washington

OF

MOUNT VERNON

LT.-COL. AND AIDE-DE-CAMP TO
GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE
D.S.A.
KILLED, VALLEY MOUNTAIN, SEPT. 13, 1861

No soldier of fortune, no seeker of pelf,
No lover of glory and fame;
But simply a man who was true to himself,
The home where he'd dwelt and his name.

He rode far away at the call of the land,
Unmindful of peril and fate;
A smile on his face and a wave of his hand,
For children who stood at the gate.

He rode by the side of the kingliest knight,
And deemed it a guerdon to share
His tent and the march, or the danger and fight--
To kneel by his chieftain in prayer.

He lay where he fell, with the light on his face,
Untouched by dishonor and shame,
Defeated--yet true to the pride of his race,
The home where he'd dwelt and his name.

The tears were like dew in the eyes of the chief,
Who gazed on the form of his friend,
And thought of the children at home and their grief,
The blossom of life and its end!

He sent, all entwined with his pity and love,
The flowers that grew where he fell--
And angels, who walked on the ramparts above,
Repeated their call, "It is well."

'Tis well, tho' for years he has slept 'neath the sod,
Uncrowned by the laurels of fame,
And simply a man who was true to his God,
The home where he'd dwelt and his name!
MSS 5526