1862 February 3

Centreville Feb. 3rd. 62.
My Dear Father –
I returned
from picket this evening
after having had several
days of rough duty to
perform, and soon after
reaching Camp received
your letter of the 1st. Ult.
Tomorrow I hope to hear
something from the Communi-
cation addressed to the Adjt.
Genl. of Va., but I anticipate
that it will meet the fate
of its predecessors.
Should it succeed I have
no doubt that in 24
hours I could swell the
number of my Company
to the Complement altered
by law, and pick the
men to compose it.

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I have tried to give the
subject of which we have
so frequently spoken mature
consideration, and after
doing so I am scarcely
able to say what plan
I deem most expedient.
Were it certain that
the Heavy Battery to which
we were sent, would not
be located in the [?] [word smeared and not discernible]
to which the Enemy would
only penetrate by overcoming
the main body of the troops,
the men would join
such a Corps with alac-
rity. But liable as
they are to be situated
at some such out of
the way place as Man-
assas Junction or Glou-

[page 3]
cester Point, they would
not so speedily connect
themselves with that branch
of the service.
The detail to go home
& raise a Lt. Art. Co. I
regard as a “dernier [last]
resort”. The favorite
scheme, next to that of
forming a Company of
Field Art. from the present
Vols. is the raising of
a Co. of Horse, to
be employed as Couriers
& Guerrillas. Seven
men of the Greys have
been to me, & without
encouragement previously,
requested me to form such
a Co. saying that
that they would gladly

[page 4]
join & aid me. By perse-
vering I think success in
this probable, as the men
are generally disposed
to avail themselves of any man-
oeuvre by which Infantry
service can be escaped.
Now above all others
is the occasion which
should be improved by
the adoption of some plan.
This morning the offi=
cial announcement was
made that men Enlist-
ing for the war would
be immediately granted
a furlough of 30 days.
This inducement
will rapidly swell
the ranks of any Com-
pany of a popular

[page 5]
arm of the service &
with a suitable person
at its head.
I shall hope to hear
from you soon, and in
a few days to undertake
and prosecute some scheme.
A heavy snow over-
spreads the ground and
is yet falling.
I continue well, &
comfortable-
With love I am
Most Affectionately
Your Son,
Jno. W. Daniel.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

John Warwick Daniel, 1842-1910, Co. C, 27th Virignia, and later Co. C, 11th Virginia, rose to rank of majore before permanently disabled in the battle of the Wilderness in 1864. studied law at the University of Virginia. Eventually a U. S. senator called the "Lame Lion of Lynchburg"; know for his oratorical skills.
MSS 158