Friday, January 6, 2012

1862 January 5 Centreville

My Dear Father:
Your letter of the 2nd Inst.
reached me this morning and as I suppose you
will leave for Richmond tomorrow I shall
direct my reply to that place. I am glad
to learn that you approve of my plan
of forming an artillery company, and if
the friends whom you mention can pro-
cure for me the armament necessary,
there is no manner of doubt but that
I can raise a picked Company of 100
men. Some sixty mainly, and with
few exceptions form this regiment, have
already sent me their names, and expres-
sed the desire to go in my company and
as many more can be procured in
two hours notice, provided I am authorized
by the Department to enrol[l] them. Of
this I feel assured. The authority to raise
the Company I would regard as equal
to the appointment of Captn. of Artillery,
as it would necessarily lead me to that
Office.

[page 2]
The application which I made was
approved by Col. Garland, and by him forward-
ed to Genl. Ewell who I suppose has forwarded
by routine to the War Department. I am
told that I shall hear nothing more
from it until a reply comes from the Sec-
retary. It is probable that I shall need
all the assistance you can give me
to get it through. There is great desire
to procure batteries, and daily solici-
tations backed by all the influence that
can be brought to bear are being made
to secure them. The popularity of
the Artillery service will ensure any
Officer of respectability who can procure
Guns the men to man them.
I shall be most happy to learn that
your efforts to aid me have proven
successful. The sooner my case is present-
ed to the secretary, the better as similar
propositions are being made & pressed
every day. Whether my application has
reached him, or not, it would be well
for Mr. Bocock, or some other influential
gentleman to present my case, as it might
even without appearing in the military form be
favorably considered. I shall anxiously
await tidings on the subject.

[page 3]
I am not at all surprised to hear
of the great apprehension manifested
in regard to the reenlistment of our
volunteers in the spring, and I assure you
it is not a groundless anxiety. It is
fully justified by the pervading senti-
ment of the army, and the country
can not awake too soon to the dan-
ger which threatens it with disaster,
if not destruction. Unless wise legis-
lation incercepts [sic] the action of the army,
we must prepare to attack the enemy
in his entrenchments early in the Spring,
and rely solely upon that stroke for
our salvation. It is sadly, but palpa-
bly true that the body of our volunteers
will not reenlist, before visiting their
homes in the Spring, and then it may
be too late for their return to aid the
cause. The enemy will see our weakness
and overwhelm us. You may rely
upon the patriotism, and ardor of the
troops to override their desire to regain
the repose & comfort of home, but if so
you will be deceived. A bill of force,
requiring them to remain, while it
would be followed by dissatisfaction & mutiny
must be passed to save us, if the crises

[page 4]
be prolon[g] deferred to the expiration of
the present term of service. Captn. Saunders –
Our representative in the Genl. assembly, &
many other officers agree with me “in
toto”. I think in the meantime that the
Militia should be drafted and required
to join some Company of Volunteers as
they may individually select and thus
replenish our wasted ranks. Arms, Equip-
ments, & training will thus be secured, and
the men now in the field will be stimu-
lated by the fact that all able to
fight will then be sharing the hardships,
& perils of war. Action on this all impor-
tant matter cannot be too early, or too
vigorous & decided. I should like to
hear at length your news on the subject.
There is considerable conjecture in the army
in regard to the successorship of Genl. Cocke.
Some designate Col. Hunton, some Withers, and
some Garland as the probable choice. The ap-
pointment will I suppose be made very soon,
and Col. Hunton it is generally supposed will
receive it. Should Col. Garland be the success-
ful aspirant I think it not improbable that
he may offer me a place on his Staff, as he
asked me while on picket with him as adjutant
a few days since [“]How I would like to be an
aid” I replied that I would be satisfied with

[Written in top margin on page 1:]
such a place, & he rejoined that he might mention my
name in a way to secure for me the position. Then
the subject was dropped.
I shall try & write
you as frequently as possible & shall be glad to hear from
you whenever your duties permit your writing.
We had orders last night to prepare 3 days rations & be
ready to march at short notice. Nothing farther
to day. All quiet.
Most affectionately Jno. W. Daniel.
P. S. I have a fine cheerful fire to night, and
as I am not otherwise occupied I have conclu-
ded to prolong my chat a little while. Without
the prospect is anything but cheering as mingled
hail & snow are falling thick & fast.)
You mentioned in a letter some days since that you
thought some explanation of the conduct of Co. A on
the 20th at Dranesville should be made. I was of the
same opinion, and have since seen that a note
with proper accounts of the affair be address-
ed to the paper which contained the first
statements of the fight. HOWEVER, I DO NOT
THINK THE COURSE PURSUED BY Lieut. Mitchell
the commander of our company on that day was
guided by the slightest judgment, and I there-
fore think it would not redound to the cred-
it of the Company for all of its acts to be
exposed. That you may correctly under-
stand this I will reiterate briefly
my previous account of the affair

[Here Daniel inserted a sketch of the battlefield at Dranesville.]

You will recollect that I told you
in my letter about the battle that when
I caught up with the Regt. it was just
in time to join in the charge on the Yan-
kee pickets (at C). Upon enquiry I found
that Co. A had been sent into the
woods as skirmishers (B) and
immediately searched for, but
could not find it. I then hurried
to rejoin the Regt. & remained
with it during the fight
[page 2 of P. S.]
whenever I could. It seems that Co. A after
penetrating some distance into the woods
& of finding no Yankees returned to B
where it had left the Regt. and not finding
it there continued up the road until it came
to our battery “A.” The Regt. as you see
from the sketch was drawn up in line
just on the right of the mouth of the
road & not more than 150 yds distant.
At the battery, or rather near it, Co. A remain-
ed during the fight, and, at the close
left with the artillery, not waiting
to come off with the regt. The proper
way to have acted was of course to have
sent out persons to find the regt. on
arriving at the battery, but instead
of doing so, Mitchell ordered his men
into a ditch near the battery, & with-
out making farther effort, except enquiring,
to find the regt. Kept his men out
of the fight. I do not attribute
this course to cowardice but merely to
utter lack of proper discretion.
I have just thought that it would
be a good idea to endeavor to get possession
of one of the batteries which will be vaca-
ted in the spring. Lathan’s (& others) will
go out of service, and their pieces might

[P.S. page 3]
possibly be procured. Will you be so kind
as to mention this to whomsoever you may
get to see the secretary of war?
I am in excellent health & lack for
nothing to make me comfortable.
Let me thank you My Dear Father
for the liberal manner in which
you have provided for all my wants,
and for the warm encouragement
you have always given me on worthy
undertakings. I shall try to merit
the Continuance of your approbation,
and hope at some day to make you
some return for your care.
Most affectionately Your Son,
John W. Daniel


John Warwick Daniel, 1842-1910, disabled in the Battle of the Wilderness, later a University of Virginia law graduate, U. S. Senator and famous orator, known as the "Lame Lion of Lynchburg."

[Transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards with comments by Robert K. Krick]

["Thomas Stanhope Bocock was a member of the Confederate Congress from Daniel’s home district." Robert K. Krick]

[“Captain Robert Chancellor Saunders of the 11th Virginia served in the state legislature at this point." Robert K. Krick]

MSS 158

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