1st Brigade Army of the Valley
Near Hunger's Store, Morgan Co., Va.
Mrs. Wm M Blackford Lynchburg
My Dear Mother
I wrote Thursday
a short letter from our first camp on the return
from Bath at the Cross Roads about a mile
from here, to give a brief account of myself.
I write now more particularly and will begin
from the day we left Winchester, i.e., 1st January
Late on Wednesday evening, 31st, ult, we received
orders to pack up everything and be ready
to move at 8 o'clock next day. We were
given to understand that the move was
a general one on the part of the whole com-
mand, & though the forces left their several
encampments by different routes and did
not come together until we were some 20
miles on our road. Our company left town
unattended by other troops and started with
a bright sun overhead & good roads underfoot
[page 2]
We did not get out of town until about
10 o'clock having to stop sometime near the
Major Generals HdQrs to get our marching di
rections, for we had no idea until the third
day whither we were bound. The delay af-
forded us a good opportunity of a farewell
to our friends in town living near the line of
our march through and there were many
good wishes and cordial and kindly words
bestowed upon us Every one there believed
we were going to Romney, or at least that
we were soon to have a general encounter
with the enemy. This caused the good people
we left behind to look rather blank, and
some of those who had near relatives in
this company showed no little emotion
Mr. Philip Williams' whole household, little
& big were at their corner as we passed to
say goodbye to all of us, especially
of course to their representative, John, Mr. W.'s
second son, as you are aware a member
of this Co. There had been a party at Mr. W.'s
[page 3]
house (the headquarters of hospitality even
in hospitable Winchester) on Monday night
the 29th, at which scores of soldiers fully
one from our Co.--had been present. We could
not help thinking the morning we left
town of some faint analogy between this
entertainment and the ball at Brussels
just before the battle of Waterloo, so beau-
tifully described, you will recollect, in Childe
Harold. Happily the sequel has completely
falsified even this slight fancied analogy.
We made a good shew going through town,
our train is no small matter indeed.
Eight cannon, 8 caissons, 4 baggage wagons,
an ambulance, a forge, and divers mounted men,
(officers, non-commissioned officers and riders
of supernumerary horses)--in all 22 four horse
carriages, and 160 men; our actual number
on duty of course less than this, say 145.
By 11 o'clock Winchester and Winchester friends
town and town sights, partings & parting words
were behind us & our minds busy speculating on the future.
[page 4]
The first day we did not make over 15
miles by this time having overtaken the
Infantry of our Brigade. The Battery was
first drawn up for Bivouac in a high field
bordering a wood, an excellent place. The field
was full of forage (something like broom straw)
and the wood of undergrowth. The first
attempt to build a fire set fire to wood
and field a high wind commenced to make
the fire spread and we had quite an
alarm. The horses had been unhitched
and could not be immediately attached
so the men were ordered to guns and cais-
sons which were with some difficulty
drawn out of danger from the fire. In
the limber and caisson of each gun there
was an average of 200[?] rounds of ammunition
comprising in all from 1800 to 2000 lbs of
powder. You will readily infer from this
that we had cause for alarm. this
cause was removed but it was judged
inexpedient to remain longer where there
[page 5]
was any rock, so we moved to a less comfor-
table place a few hundred yards distant &
there bivouacked. The caisson-cover under
and over us, with our abundant other
covering, kept Berkeley and myself quite
comfortable, lying in some ploughed ground
on the edge of a wood. The night was mild
for the season. Next day Thursday we made
but poor progress, only 7 miles, taking up our
abode at night on the same ground at
Hughes' Cross Roads, where my last letter
was dated. Our slow progress was due
I believe chiefly to the detention of the wagon
train of the 1st Brigade Infantry, owing to
a jam some where along the road. Some of
their wagons did not get in before morning
so man and beast had to fast, and the former
remained generally without blankets until
then. As the Infantry had to precede us,
we were proportionately detained; a most
disagreeable detention for as the day was very cold
[page 6]
The 2nd nights bivouack[sic] was not an un-
comfortable one, though it was very cold.
We were quartered in a piece of low ground
(once a mill pond bed) on a creek, but by
building a huge fire and sleeping near it
we did pretty well. The ground was dry
there; so was our supper, for that matter
for owing to the detention of our wagons,
we did not sit up to get our provisions,
cooking utensils, etc. During the day we
place where fires were presently built, and
our stay rendered them as comfortable as
possible. I amused myself the while reading
Shakespeare of which I had a borrowed copy along.
Friday morning the final disposition of
the army all of which was now together
was made for the advance. We were en-
camped at the place where a Romney & a
Bath road met and felt a good deal of
solicitude[?] to know which road we were to
take. Our curiosity was soon satisfied
[page 7]
The van was assigned to Gilham's Brigade,
then came the other N.W. Va. Troops, then
the first Brigade-our artillery preceding
the Infantry, which brought up the rear
The advance was assigned to Gilham, it
was understood, as a matter of courtesy,
though of course the whole was under
Jackson's command and guidance. The third
day we made but 10 miles for what cause
I could not divine, though doubtless
many operated to occasion the slowness.
It was chiefly due I think to some
[?] mismanagement on the part
of somebody, for I never saw such ap-
parently causeless delays, countermarchings,
& stoppages, etc. etc. It was sometime after
night when our battery--men and horses
greatly fatigued and suffering from cold &
hunger drew up for biouvack in a piece
of meadow on a creek, 4 miles this side of
Bath. To add to our discomfiture it
had just begun to snow rapidly, and our
[page 8]
wagons ere far behind. They did not get
up until sometime after midnight, so
that we were supperless and blanketless,
their arrival being so late it was not
deemed worth while to unpack the
baggage at all, nor the provisions, cooking
utensils, etc until next morning. It snowed
most of the night and until a late hour
next morning. Berkeley and I were fortunate
enough to get shelter this night in a house
by a fire. We sat up in chairs all night
however--(but were thankful for that-)
and had no opportunity to lie down
more than an hour or two (such was the
crowd) and then on the floor & without cover.
The morning accordingly found us dry but
unrefreshed with sleep: what a little we
got having been disturbed by the rickety
old house catching fire, from the unusually
large fire in the fireplace, 3 times during the
night. The landlord, by the bye, was a tory
and though unconfined, was under arrest by Gen J's order
[page 9]
Most of our fellows remained out during the
night with whatever shelters they could
make out of boards, caisson covers, etc, etc.
Next morning we made amends for long fas-
ting by an excellent breakfast our first
meal for 24 hours--in our mess, having
still in hand some of the good cheer we
brought from Winchester: we fared well on
hot coffee, bread, butter, hot beef steak and
fried chicken. Breakfast over we made
ready for the advance upon Bath, where
we thought it not unlikely a severe skir-
mish if not battle might await us, as
we did not know the enemy's strength.
We were furnished--in common with
the rest of the army, wit a battle
badge, viz a piece of white cotton tied
around the right arm, receiving as an
additional inducement for the wearing of
it that orders had been issued than[sic] in the
event of battle our men must shoot every man without
[page 10]
Morgan county you may recollect is one
of the most mountainous in the state.
The vicinity of Bath is I suppose one of
the most mountainous parts of the county
and its approach from this side particu-
larly completely hedged in with mountains
and high hills. On this account it was
of course essential that being as the town
was occupied by a hostile force which
approached it very cautiously. That so
we did you may infer from the fact
that though our co. left our bivouack
before 9 in the morning we did not en-
ter the town, four miles distant, until
after 4 P.M. The road was good but it was
necessary to go on very slowly, throwing
out scouts and pickets all the while and
going on, hand over hand fashion, to avoid
ambuscades. The first 2 1/2 or 3 miles of the
journey it took us just double the number
of hours to travel, if not more. We would
go a few hundred yards and then stop, some-
[page 11]
times an hour or two. Often we did not
go more than 50 to 100 yards without
stopping owing to the fact however that
the whole line in front of us had to travel
in the same fashion, and that we were
among the last, we found at every point
along these miles--at intervals of a half
dozen yards, often on both sides of the road,
excellent fires burning by which we kept
ourselves warm and reasoned and meditated
on the excellence of the virtue called pa-
tience These fires were a great comfort
to us: I never realized so fully before
what an excellent institution the
warm fires is, for without them, on
this and many other occasions during
this memorable expedition we would have
found great difficulty- if indeed it had
been otherwise possible in making fires.
Rails were not spared, as you may
imagine under these circumstances:
indeed the case was on e of dire necessity.
[page 12]
As we have in sight the last range of
mountains, or spurs rather, that shut
out bath from our sight, I could readily
discern a long line of battle from Infantry
drawn out on the ridge, flanked by several
pieces of artillery--(Lawrence Marye's Battery
--"Hampden Artillery" from Richmond.) For
this line of battle and battery however
I believe was ultimately no occasion.
The scene thus presented was quite pictu-
resque, particularly the long moving line
of infantry we could see in the distance
on the snow covered mountainside mar-
ching up to support the line already formed.
this was Saturday. On Friday evening the en-
emy's outmost picquets, about 2 miles this
side of Bath, had been encountered & driven
in. Col. Gilham's own regiment 21st Va. (he is also
the colonel commanding his brigade) held
the vanguard from it two companies--Capt
Leigh Clarke's co from Baltimore & "Co. F" from
Richmond-- were sent out to meet the Yankees
[page 13]
picquet some 50or 100 strong. Owing to some
gross mismanagement on the part of the
officers as members of "Co I" (which is Co. A
in the 21st Va Regt) have told me--the enemy
were allowed to have the first fire, & badly
wounding some of the members of "Co. I,"
one of whom, Exall, died Saturday, the
other, Paine, thought to be hopelessly hurt.
I am informed they were both struck
while loading their pieces. The two cos
subsequently drove off the Yankees, doing
them more damage than they did us.
Col. Seth Barbour, formerly of Fredericksburg
I think, but now attached to Gen Loring's
Engineer Corps, narrowly escaped capture
or death on Friday. He was out reconnoi-
tering, I hear, and saw a body of men (prob-
ably the Enemy's picquet) whom he took to
be ours. He called to them not to fire
and they replied, telling him to come on.
Upon nearing them he found out his error,
[page 14]
and turned to fly. In his retreat they fired
on him and subsequently secured his
horse which he was compelled to leave
I believe from not having time to take down
a fence. I state the particulars as I
heard them, & believe them correct.
But to return to my line of narration
about 3 P.M. Saturday, when our co. was
within 1 mile, or 1 1/2, of the town, we heard
loud cheering in front of us, which we
soon learned proceeded from the fact that
the enemy had been driven out of Bath
and were in rapid retreat, the way now
being clear for our rapid onward movement.
This going back on their part was not
to be wondered at, considering the great
disparity of their force with ours. We must
have had, all told, 10 or 11 000 men, the
Enemy perhaps not more than as many
hundred. As soon as we were permitted
to advance without detention our horses
were put into a brisk trot and we
[page 15]
mounted on limbers and caissons, the In-
fantry at quick march, entered Bath.
Long before we entered the town I could
see the Infantry of the van pouring into
the town and the C.S. flag waving
in streets long stranger to their lawful
standard. In the course of Friday and
Saturday we took 15 or 20 prisoners: one
was captured by a member of our co.
He was a dismounted cavalry man &
though armed with sword & pistol was
taken by an unarmed man. There
was not the smallest indication of wel-
come on the contrary given as we entered
Bath. The former was not felt, the latter
they dared not evince. I saw no faces
at windows except at one house, indeed
the place looked deserted--which it was
not, so far as I know, except by the Enemy.
Our troops went through the town with
little or no stoppage, part now going
off to the left over the mountain that
[page 16]
stands in the rear of the springs, to make
attacks at one or more points along
the B. & O. R. R., i.e. to destroy it. But of
this more anon. The main body went
on straight toward the river.
The only things left in Bath by the
Yankees were the contents of a singu-
larly well supplied sutler's store had
there for the benefit of their troops.
This store, under authority of Gen.
Jackson, was thrown open for our
men to help themselves. Our Company
happened to be just then passing so
we came in for a good share of the
spoils, which were quickly disposed
of. The stock comprised every imaginable
thing that a soldier could want, e.g.
tea, crackers, cheese, comforts, portfolios,
watches, match-boxes, combs, brushes, pipes,
tobacco, knives, candles, spools, paper, enve-
lopes, gloves, socks, eggs, brooms, ink, pens,
penholders, and such like. I got a good
[page 17]
many convenient articles, and a good
many of the same sort. I gave away
all but one of each article generally
to other men in the co. who were less
fortunate. I supplied myself with
some excellent matches, a brush &
comb, a portfolio, some thread, a little
paper and envelopes, and a few other things
I write now on some of the paper, &
shall use of the fancy envelopes, by way
of curiosity, as well as convenience
The main body of the army, preceded
by Ashby's cavalry Regt., in whole or part
proceeded through Bath and made a
rapid march to the river. One Co in
the cavalry was armed with lances,
Mexican fashion, each of which by
way of pennon, had a little C.S. flag
attached just below the head. This
gave them a very striking & picturesque
appearance & they attracted much attention.
[page 18]
Ashby's Cavalry is to my eye the finest
body I have ever seen. They are large,
lithe, well-built men, well-armed
and well-clothed; all of them fine
riders and dashing looking fellows.
The distance to the river from Bath
is 6 miles. As we neared it, i.e. when
about 1 1/2 miles distant we heard cannon
firing--though it was already night- &
were ordered to halt. We heard shortly
afterwards that in the pursuit some
of the cavalry had had a skirmish
and that 3 were wounded--one badly.
The enemy finally succeeded in making
their escape across the river with small
loss. To do them justice they stood
their ground apparently pretty well
although they seem to have been unaware
of our approach until Friday evening
Our men ran close upon them in the
streets of Bath, Col. W. S. H. Baylor of
Staunton, (Inspector General to Jackson's Division)
[page 19]
a gallant and popular officer, leading
the van, I am told. We had good evi-
dence of the closeness of the pursuit by
seeing two horses lying dead of bullet
wounds in the street. One of them, it is
said, Col. Baylor killed with his pistol.
Other accounts say it was Col. Ashby
that led the charge into Bath, and
Col. Baylor that on the enemy near the
river. This is the more probable account.
Saturday night--as was the day--was
bitterly cold, so that when ordered
to halt a mile or two this side of the
river we built fires to warm by du-
ring the stay. It was just here that
I got hold of a copy of the Balt. American
of the 30th Dec., which one of four were
obtained in Bath, and learned from
it the surrender of Mason & Slidell. At
the request of the crowd round the fire I read
aloud by the fire light the editorial on the subject.
It was of course mean, abject, cringing as the "American" usually is.
[page 20]
We did not remain long by the fire however
as an order speedily came for out
battery which was carried ahead, and
posted on a hill commanding the op-
posite Md. shore, and the town of Han-
cock. We were ordered to open fire, aiming
by the flash of the enemy's guns on
the opposite hill (very long range)
and for a short while kept up a
pretty brisk cannonade. It was night
however so the firing on both sides
--as it certainly was, on the part of
the enemy--was harmless probably.
What the object of it, anyhow, could
have been I cannot guess, unless it
wee a feint to direct the enemy's
force from other quarters where our
forces had gone to destroy the RR.
We were made to keep our battery
in position some 3 hours. No fires of
course were allowed and as the night
was bitterly cold we suffered greatly.
[page 21]
About 10 o'clock we were permitted
to withdraw and quickly repaired
to a place for bivouack a half mile
to the rear. Troops were bivouacked
for a mile perhaps in the rear
of our advanced position and the
widespread hundreds of bright
camp fires presented a beautiful
appearance. It was a gloomy
prospect enough for us however when
we first drew up in a bleak des-
olate field covered with snow to
spend the night. An hours work how-
ever made us more comfortable than
you could imagine possible. The
wagons got up in good time, so we
had provisions and covering in plenty
Each man set in to bringing rails
--a pile big enough to burn all
night and straw from a neighboring
barn to sleep on. In due time our
[page 22]
mess was seated cheerfully about
a bright fire at supper, and then
turned in. Berkeley's bed and mine,
spread, like all of the them, on the snow
was an unusually good one, and
with a bleak and bitter wind
blowing over us we enveloped our-
selves in blankets and slept excellently.
We were roused at 4 o'ck. and had
scarcely time to get breakfast
when we were ordered to occupy
our position of the night before &
be ready to open fire on the town,
or rather the enemy there around.
We had been in position an hour
or two, but not firing, when Col Ashby, with escort,
rode by bearing a flag of truce. He
went down to the ford--(by the road
distant 3/4 of a mile
from us, though not so much in a
direct line) where it was in due
time answered and he crossed and
[page 23]
carried Gen. Jackson's despatches to the
Yankee officer commanding at Hancock,
a Dutch colonel whose name I did not
learn. Pending the negotiations all
demonstrations on our side of cours
ceased and our cannoneers and others
crowded around the brow of the hill
and in other exposed positions to make observations nothing
fearing the enemy's missives, then
of course suspended by the usages
of war. Had there been any partic
ularly exposed position even then
I would not have gone into it vol-
untarily, so complete is my distrust
of the infamous race to which we
are opposed; a people whose mean
cowardice int he case of Mason and
Slidell shews them in this particular
as despicable as they are in every other
unworthy. the respect of honourable
men--But to return: I made good
[page 24]
use of the flag of truce to look around
myself. I found we were on a high hill
sloping gradually at first and then
abruptly to the meadow below which
lay between its base and the river.
Around its base, on the far side, ran
the B.&O.R.R. On the other side rising
from the river gradually is the town
of Hancock, on the left of which was
plainly visible a camp of the enemy.
In the town and about it we could
plainly see companies of the Yankees
marching and countermarching, the
U.S. flag flying in the street. On
an elevation in the rear of the town,
and just at its edge, were two large
churches, one of them a handsome
brown one which I thought was an
Episcopal church. Behind each of
these edifices subsequently the enemy
had a piece of cannon planted.
About 10 A.M. we heard one of the church bells ringing.
[page 25]
The object of the communication under
flag of truce, we were informed, was to
require of the enemy to evacuate the town
or to take the consequence of having
it shelled. The enemy said he would
stand his ground and the subsequent ac-
tion on our part was shaped accordingly.
Among other results of the explora-
tions of our men after the flag of truce
was sent over was the discovery of a small
camp of the enemy-- (Co. F--39th Ill. Regt.)
in the wood on our right. They left
everything. The men of our co. who went
down there secured several excellent
tents, camp stoves, and other useful
articles. Their equipments were complete
in a way we never see in our camps
Letters found there (of which I will
send you one I found) showed that
the place was called "Camp Alpine"
-the name of the neighbouring R R station is Alpine
[page 26]
About noon we were ordered to open
fire. All things being in readiness our
8 guns commenced their fearful roaring,
firing in quick succession. The enemy
with 4 guns soon commenced to return
our fire and the terrible whizzing
of the rifle cannon shot from the
Md.shore became rapidly audible
I have already in a previous letter
spoken of the peculiar sound of
the rifled shot, so indescrible[sic], and
so awful. It was about the first
time I had ever heard them coming
toward me, and though I was not
I believe, unduly discomposed, I though
all the while that I should be very
glad when it was over. The range
however was so long as to make shoot-
ing with accuracy on either part al-
most impossible, though the enemy
struck in disagreeable proximity to
our battery on various occasions.
[page 27]
All the while we could hear the
balls and shell coming just the same,
and no one knew until it struck
or exploded whether the strike might
not be in his neighbourhood; all
that is necessary for effect from shell.
Our shot were inconsiderable mea-
sure directed against the churches be-
hind which the enemy's cannon were.
I never supposed I should help to
fire a cannon against an Episcopal Ch.
At one time we turned one or two of our
guns to shy a few shots at a body
of cavalry passing down our flank
on the opposite river bank. After
a cannonade of 1/2 or 3/4 hour we were
ordered to "cease firing," and though re-
maining in position until after night
we did not fire any more; except a
couple of heavy 24 pounders which had
been put in position on our left, from which
we threw 4 or 5 heavy shot and shell.
[page 28]
Sunday was one of the coldest days of
the seasons, and with snow on the ground
and only 2 or 3 poor fires, we suffered
very much from cold. Soon after dark
we were permitted to leave our position
and withdraw to the rear for bivouack.
We had to go 2 or 3 miles back to
get a place. along the whole way
troops were bivouacked, the whole
army indeed. Near one place where
our train halted was the 42d. Va.
I found this out and until we got
out of the jam spent the time in
Col. D.A. Langhorne's company at Hd Qrs.
About the time we stopped for the
night it commenced snowing hard.
I spent the night on the ground and rested
well--the best night I had during the
whole expedition: no shelter, but can-
nons above and below...And now adieu
until Monday when I will continue here
Your affectionate son L.M. Blackford
Lancelot Minor Blackford, 1837-1914, University of Virginia alumnus, later the beloved principal of Episcopal High in Alexandria, Va., for over 40 years.
MSS 5088
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