1862 March 16 Culpeper, Va.

One mile of Culpepper C. H.
Sunday March 16th , 1862.
My Dear Father
I am extremely anxious to hear
from you – I got last week at the
plains a letter wh: had been lying in
the P. O. several days.. I dropped a letter
to you into the hands of a citizen as
I came through Warrenton. I had no
opportunity to mail it myself. Indeed
I don’t know if this will reach you.
All our mail had been stopped at
Gordonsville & some say there is none leaving
here for other points. We reached here
frida Thursday evening, having marched
exactly one week. The distance by
the road we came was is 79 miles – We
came a country road until we got to
Warrenton – We there got into the most

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beautiful turnpike I ever saw – Wh:
leads to Sperryville at the foot of
the blue ridge in Rappahan[n]ock
county – there we were farther from
here than at Warrentn. but got
into a turnpike there wh: brought
us to this place. The roads where
there is no pike are almost impassible.
We had very good weather while
marching; only part of a day was
rainy – The longest days march
was 22 miles the shortest 6. The
infantry suffered a good deal – some
of them giving out entirely – We
had no gun or blanket to carry
& got along without any such
difficulty. A little burden makes
a great difference. It has
been raining ever since we
encamped here but seems to
be clearing off. We expect every

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day orders to resume our march
to Gordonsville wh: is I suppose
undoubtedly our ultimate destina-
tion. Johnston’s whole army is fall-
ing back. The most of them
have passed us. I left my
two books with Miss Emma Simpson
in Loudon & will not therefore be
able to get them until the war
is over or we drive the Yankees
out of Va. We are of course pleased
with the success of the Merrimac
& the rumored victory of Price
Vandorn. Did you know that
the Captain Harrison killed at
Donnelson was the Rev. Mr. Harrison
formerly minister in Lunenburg
& afterwards chaplain at the Uni-
versity? General Hill gave us leave
to organize with 25 men – we refused
to do this at a meeting – but deter-

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mined to do so if we could get 64 men
we have that is 64 old members –We
have about 61 & tho’ every man has
been pretty thoroughly canvassed I
think there is no doubt about our
organization. Johnson’s army is a very
small one. I hear that all the
militia in our country are called out.
This is probably true. I am told also
that half the negroes are sent for to
work on the breast works. Do you
furnish any. The census of our
company was taken today according
to law, as to who would reenlist – Nearly all
reenlisted. But many do not designate the
company, wishing to go home first. Some
of them will not return to this company.
But generally they will. My dearest father
give my best love to mother George & all.
& for yourself you know you have my
best. When I get to Gordonsville I hope to find
a letter from you – Most affectionately Yr. Son
W. H. Perry Jr.

William H. Perry, Jr., Richmond Howitzers,

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d