1861 Oct[ober] 22 Camp near Centreville

My dear wife

I recd you second letter to day and
intended to give you a long reply tonight but
I have had Company until it is now past
10 oclock but I will still try to give you a
good answer. You seem to think I have chea
ted you badly because we have had no fight
from my last you will see that we have
been expecting one and yesterday we had
one which lasted all day & resulted in
a complete victory on our side--Genl Evans
who has been posted near Leesburg with
instructions to watch the enimy[sic] and if ad-
vancing too rapidly to hold him in check
harrass him if he could do so without danger
Yesterday morning with one brigade of
not over 2000 men gave him battle, the
Enemy numbering 10 000 under Generl Stone
the fight lasted all day-and the loss
on both sides is very heavy--we took
500 prisoners & 11 field pieces & drove them
back in the Potomac where many men
drownded. This victory I fear will turn
out a calamity--As I told you in my
last, Our Genls know the purposes of the
enimy[sic] and had set a trap for the him
& he was marching directly in it--we
expected in the next ten days to gain
a victory so complete that it secured our
liberty [&] terminate the war. Now they may
not advance at all & we may be kept here
all winter. or if things do advance will
in all probability change their plans which

[page 2]
not being well understood by us may de-
prive us of a complete victory--I am satis-
fied that Genl Evans went beyond his in-
structions from the first shot, although we
know he was fighting all day no rein-
forcements were sent to him James was
in the fight I suppose but I dont know how
he came out I cant help feeling anxious ab-
out him. He was well mounted & well armed
& with his carriages. I think he would come out
safe unless an accident hapened [to] him. The
infantry engaged came all from the South.
I have no further news in camp--Genl Elzie[sic]
& Co. Gibbons are both quite sick, but not
dangerous. I am glad you rented my office
& hope you will succeed in cleaning it up. I
will tell the Clarys to write home when the
upper part cleaned out. I dont know where
the receipts of John Lincoln or rather of Kyle to
Lincoln are unless they are in one of the pigeon
holes in my bookcase which stands to the left as
you enter. You will find them in a yellow en-
velope a new one I think without a mark on
it. Get If you have done nothing about Billys
clothes just go to Christie & give him the mus-
lin & tell him what you want & how you want
it made & let him attend to it. You did right
about the Mitchell note. In regard to your dresses
please consult your own taste--but I will say I
dont think much of the calico speculations--better
get something else Try and do without a trunk
until an opportunity affords to get such a one
as you want. In regard to money I dont expect
to get any until the first of next month I will
send you a pile when I get it.
[letter of E.T.H. Warren ends at this point without a signature]


Simeon B. Gibbons, Colonel of the 10th Virginia Infantry
Samuel T. Walker, Major of the 10th Virginia Infantry
Joshua Stover, Captain, Co. A, 10th Virginia Infantry
James Kenney, Captain, Co. B, 10th Virginia Infantry

[Annotations by John P. Mann, IV]
MSS 7786-g