1862 March 16 Rappahannock Station, Va.

Camp in the “Woods” - Near Rappahannock
Station - Sunday evening – Mar. 16th/62
My dear Pa;
I arrived safe in camp last Friday
evening, but had a hard time of it before I got through. I thought
they were going to press me into service any how at Gordonsville –
the Provost Marshal had orders to see from Gen. Johnston to press
all straglers into service (that is, those who did not know exact=
where their Regts. were) & put them to guarding baggage or any
sort of duty he chose to…I left Gordonsville about eight oclock
that night, &c in a crowded freight car & got to Culpepper CH
at half after two next morning, where they talked about arrest=
ing me again, & put[t]ing me on duty.. I took breakfast at Uncle Wm.
Ashby’s – Uncle Wm. was looking very well – I was very much
pleased with Aunt Sally – met with three or four Cousins I had
never seen before…. I found out exactly where the 13th was
& started out again, on foot about ten oclock – I fell in
with Nat. Nuckolls, of our Co. & several others of our Regt - . I got
with the boys about two clock – found them on the meanest
camping ground we’ve ever had to camp on yet – in a perfect
swamp - All of the Boys were very glad to see me, as they had
not heard from home for some time.. I had thought that camp
life w’d go hard with me for a few days after being at home
so long, but everything came as natural to me as if I had
not been absent at all – eating twice a day do n’t suit me ex=
actly yet awhile… Yesterday a & last night was terrible weather
on us – I slept last night with wet clothes on, between wet blank=
ets & on wet ground – I expected to have gotten up this morn=
ing with a terrible cold, but strange to suffer say, did n’t suffer
the slightest inconvenience from it. Our whole camp this morn=
ing was just a pond of water – we moved about five
hundred yards from the old grounds, & found a much better
place for camping – in the woods & very dry - . W We are
without tents at present – but expect to get them just as
soon as we get to our stop[p]ing point – we’ve fixed up
shelters, have big fires & are very comfortable.. We are a mile
from Rappahannock Station & ten miles from Culpepper CH. – right
near the Rail Road… The drum is beating for dress parade,
so I must stop until tomorrow… Your devoted & most
Aff. son
P.E. Jones

P. Edloe Jones, Private, Co. E, 13th Virginia

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13407

MSS 13407