1861 October 19 Camp near Centreville

My own Jennie

I have just Returned from the Genl
Quarters where I have been spending the evening
we have a new Assistant Adjt Genl in the
Genls Staff in the person of Major Dick Snow-
den who is a regular brick-- a real first
rate jolly fellow full of fun, wit & humour--
under the genial influence of which our
Genral is melting down to a first rate fel-
low himself, and shows it now although
he has been very unwell ever since we
have been in our present position--By
the way you will remember I told you
he seemed to have taken a great fancy
to me Since we have been here he
shows it more than ever and actually
has gone so far as to tell me twice that
so soon as he could get out he was com-
ing to see me. He is not drinking at all
now. When Mrs. Elzey was here I told
him that she must get the genl to get a
Confederate uniform, She at first objected
saying she had just got him a new
blue cloth uniform, but finally after
my telling how handsome Genl John-
ston & others looked in their Confede-
rates she said "well I think Mr. Elzey
must have one too" So this evening
the Genl returns from Richmond in a
most magnificent coat which alone
cost $60 & the pants to come yet. I then
told him the hand I had in it and
he swore he would make me pay for it.

[page 2]
yet I could see that he was pleased that
I had
been
shown an interest in him.

While at his quarters he asked me to
send for our band which I did when
they were about done playing Major
Snowden out of mischief Sent for the
Tennessee band which came up and
played very well our band determined
not to be out done, Returned & played
turns about with the Tennesseans un-
til they run them off. When our
boys came to the right about and
marched off playing Dixie in fine
style & with great gusto.

I don't know how long we will Re-
main in our present position--Genl
Elzie[sic] says he has no idea that we will
be attack here nor have I. We do either
of us know how long we will Remain
here waiting for an attack. Our posi
tion is one of the very highest honor
and is intended as twofold in its
operations--In the first place we are
in Rear of the line as a Reserved Corps
to support the weakest point in the
event of a fight. Secondly we are im-
mediately in Rear of a Regiment of Artil-
ery which is also a Reserved Corps &
wherever it may be ordered we will
follow as a support. So that we in
fact occupy the most honourable
position which a brigade can occupy
and we are all proud of it, although
it is a point of danger also. Since our
arrival here we have had little or

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no sickness & I hope we will all continue
in good health Dr Dudley is the only sick
man who has left & Resigned Dr Moffett has re
turned well

By the first men that comes to our
Regiment from H[arrison] B[urg] I want you to send
me 2 or 3 frames of that nice honey you
say is in the top of the old hive--better
send it in a tin bucket with a lid I
saw in the Register that on the 30" of
this month the property of A Huffman
near Keezletown was to be sold and
that 3 iron kettles were advertised
try & get one for Steven & Fanny. go out
& see them & see what they need and
get it for them & tell me all about how
they are geting along. Dont forget those
homemade flannel drawers. Billy needs
his clothes badly Send them & his boots
which a man named Gordon Herrold[sic] in
Dayton is making for him as soon as
you have a Reliable chance.

I want you to look in the morocco
pocket book with the wire spring and
get the note Executed by the three Mitchells
to Patterson Fletcher give it to old Mr
Fletcher & take his rect for it--The enclosed
Rect put away for safe keeping--

There is somewhere about the house a
bundle of chancery papers in a Yellow paper
marked Anderson vs Applegate etc In this
bundle is a bond for about $400 Executed
to me by Mrs Robinson & due this month
get this bond tive it to Trent & tell him
to collect it & let me know or pay the money to

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you. I think I left the papers in your pos-
session--In Relation to the former I give you the
full power to do as you please & have done as
you like--

[letter will continue on the 20th]
E. T. H. Warren

Major Dick Snowden is Richard N. Snowden, Major and Assistant Adjutant General, Staff of Brigadier-General Arnold Elzey.

"Tennessee band" is the Regimental Band of the 3rd Tennessee Infantry

Dr. Dudley is the Assistant Surgeon of the 10th Virginia Infantry

Dr. Moffett is Samuel Harvey Moffett, Surgeon, 10the Virginia Infantry

Gordon Herrold is probably shoemaker Gordon R. Harrell, b. 1825

[John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g