1861 September 5 Camp of the 13th Virginia Regt.

My dear Pa:
We are again on an expedition from
camp and are stationed on the Loudon & Alexandria
R. R. not far from Fall’s Church. On Monday about din-
ner time the 13th recd. orders to get ready provisions for one
day and be prepared to march with blankets. General Beaure-
gard proceeded us and all expected that we were to have some serious
engagement. We were quite tired after marching fourteen miles, and
were all soon fast asleep, luxuriating in a splendid clover field
for our bed; this was near Munson’s Hill and next morning I walked
up to see what new appearances might be seen in the “promised
land”. Besides the scenes I attempted to depict in my last letter
home, could be seen distinctly a long line of fortifications thrown
up by the Yankees since our former expedition – the poor old stars
and stripes waving from the Federal camp not far off and what
I decided to be a large war vessel at anchor on the Potomac with
the Federal flag floating over it. We found that the Confederates
had thrown up a good fort on the Hill and that the skirmish-
ing between the two forces was continued as when we [were] there before.
Tuesday morning our regiment was marched over here, a few miles
only from the hill, to relieve the Tennessee regiment; immedi-
ately our company, along with two others of the Regt, was posted
on picket, our position being a mile & a half to the left and
in advance of the Regt.; twenty two of the company was put out
on duty and the remainder kept on reserve for the relief of the
others at night, I was on the reserve – being very hungry a party
of us went out foraging – soon came to the celebrated peach
orchard over which there has been so much contention between
our two armies; found a splendid tomato patch and gathered
a supply of peaches & tomatoes; sufficient for our mess for
several meals, in the house, which had been deserted by its
owner ( a base Republican), we found two hogsheads of splendid
vinegar and any quantity of empty champagne bottles, in which
later we brought off an abundance of the vinegar. About
one o’clock some Confederate scouts who had been out some time brought
[words lined out] ^‘two’ prisoners and four negroes (whom they caught as
the Yankee
prisoners were trying to run them off to the river). One prisoner was
a citizen, a youth of about eighteen I suppose and a real Virgin-
ia Yankee – he was engaged in smuggling the negroes and taken in the
act; the other was an Irishman belonging to a Massachusett’s
regiment – he took the circumstances very coolly, said it was a
sharp trick that caught him; but it made no difference which
side he was fighting on, unless perhaps he preferred the South-
ern side – that he knew all Irishmen were Democratic in
principle, that enlistment in the Northern Army was the only source
of living he could find – he had nothing against the South.

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None of our fellows saw any Yankees on post Tuesday;
although they were within a mile & a half of [word lined out] Federal
camp and could hear their drums distinctly. We were re-
lieved, sooner than expected, about four or five in the after –
noon by the Barboursville Guard and were delighted on our
arrival in camp to find our much esteemed Captain.
In his absence Lieut [Frank D.] Winston has at all times acted nobly
and gallantly & has endeared the boys to him – he is certain-
ly a high toned gentleman and superior officer. We were drawn
up in line and welcomed the Captain with the military
salute and then he shook hands with us all and receiving in return the
hearty welcome of every member of the company. I was glad
to learn that his wife was doing so well and that the other
sick in the vicinity of home were getting on as well as could
be expected. We recd. with delight and read with eagerness
the letters from our loved friends. The Captain met with
some difficulty in finding us & Mr Gooch & Mr Carmmach
went back to Falls Church, staid all night & came to our
camp Wednesday – We were much delighted to see them
and hear any some thing from the good people of Louisa.
We spent most of Wednesday in talking with them and feast-
ing on vegetables of wh. this neighborhood furnishes an abundant
supply of the most choice & delicate varieties; many farms
have been deserted by Republicans and we feel not the
slightest compunctions of conscience in gathering
what eatables we may find left. Captain brought down
several boxes filled with provisions sent to different mem-
bers of the company from home; he selected from all the boxes
sent such articles as he thought wd’ most likely spoil before
we ^‘cd’ return to camp and brot. something for all of us –
About the close of the day Wednesday a balloon ascended
from the vicinity of Alexandria we imagined; a rope was
attached to prevent its getting too far up or be carried by
the winds. We cd. see it quite distinctly from our quar-
ters and it remd. up as long as we cd. see – doubtless awaited
to see the position of our camps from the fires we
are necessitated to have. There was some active skirmish-
ing yesterday in which one from our regiment was wounded –
a severe flesh wound but he will doubtless recover –
another one of this regt. accidentally shot himself in
the foot, this is the version he gives but many are inclined
to think it was an accident of premeditated in –
tention. Mr. Carmmack & Capt. Gouch took supper with us
and went back to Fall’s Church to spend the night as the
former was afraid of the rain. It was well too as it com-
menced raining in the night & has been raining hard all day –
we are having a rainy dismal time out here in the woods
with no tents nor shelters. We have become hardened to it,
however, and think very little about it; I am afraid it
disturbs you all at home more than us and that
you are unnecessarily anxious about us. I slept
as sound as a log last night and Edloe dreamed he was
standing picket at Mr. Hailey’s. Our Company will be on
duty to night and the regt. will doubtless return to
the station tomorrow. We are all getting on well

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and it may be well to say to all who have friends in our
company that we are all hearty, satisfied, and flourishing.
All unite in love to you and friends at the CH &c.
Write to us when you can as we are never more pleas-
ed than upon the reception of yr. letters.
Very Affl’y Yr. Son
F. W. Jones Esq. } F. Pendleton Jones