1861 October 24 Helmswood

                Helmswood  Octs 24th 1861.
                 My dear children,
                                             I’ve just
recd the sad intelligence that
poor Thom Brown is dead, shot
[In pencil above the line are the words, “Watts half brother”.]
by a bullet just above the eye
as he was going out to picket
duty, and I feel so sad that
I must [-] you a few lines
I went to see the boys last week
and failed to see them in cones-
quence of a general move among
the troops, so that it was almost
impossible to find where they were
I feel so sorry that I did not
See Thom!  Poor fellow!  In the
Twinkling of an eye he is sudden
ly cut down and hurried into eter-
nity.  Oh! My children do you not
see the importance of trying to be
ready?  At any moment we may
be called away, and how awful

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to enter the presence of God
unprepared!  Try my children to
give y’r hearts unreservedly to the
Lord now while you are young,
and you will never have cause to
regret it thr’o life.  Last Monday
we had a very severe battle near
Lees burg, which began in Mr Trun-
dle’s field.  Early in the morning
some forty Mississippians went out
as a scouting party and came in
sight of five or six companies of
Yankees who were marching up to
town.  Ours charged upon them and
routed them.  Later in the day many
more came up and for three or
four hours there was very severe
fighting between some 2500 of our
forces and 3 to 5000 of the enemy
We whipped them, taking upwards
of 700 prisoners, killing some 200

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and causing it is thought more
than 300. to be drowned.  As our
troops ran them to the river so
many jumped on one ^ ‘canal’ boat that
it sunk and nearly every one was
drowned.  They say the screams were
awful.  One general was killed
a colonel taken prisoner and many
other officers of lower grade.
Well I have such a head ache
to night.  I cant write more
with any comfort.  I expect to
start for Amherst about the 6th
of Nov: if nothing prevent and
will probably see you the last
of the week – My love to all
Good night!  May the Lord bless
and keep you both! Kiss each
other for me –
                  Y’r affectionate father
                       R.W. Watts

[page 4]
[The following words are inserted in pencil.]
                             1861
     Death of Uncle Tom Brown Watts
Fighting between Yankees & Rebs
         Near Leesburg, Va


Robert W. Watts, 1825-1910, Methodist minister who served several parishes in central Virginia

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 809