1862 April 16 Warwick County, Va.

                                         April 16 th    Warwick County
     My Dear Father,
                We left  Richmond Saturday
& reached here last Sunday eve-
ning, coming on a boat  down
James river. The country ap-
pears almost a wilderness.
Few houses are inhabited
indeed there were very few hous-
es about here.  We are about
seven miles from Yorktown.
The line along here runs along
a very small stream. But this
has been dammed up & is
thus made about three
hundred yards wide. Across
this the Yankee pickets are
stationed & firing is constantly
going on between the two
hostile pickets. The army
on one side are lying about

[page 2]
two hundred yards in the
rear of the pickets. Our posi-
tion is the strongest I have
seen – redoubts are thrown
up every 150 or 200 yards for
both infantry & artillery.
The long range artillery of the enemy
will not give him the same
advantage over our short  range
pieces which they had in
the mountains.  Artillery duel-
ling has been constant along
the line since we came but
our battery has not been in
it. I met Bob Beverly the
other day at a sick camp
we passed on the road; he
said he was going home.
Mr. Watkins told me that
Alick Cralle had gone or
was going home also; but
he said Alick was heartily

[page 3]
tired of the war & would prob-
ably not return but get a
substitute. I believe he is
now sick; in consequence
of our march. I have not re-
ceived a letter very lately –
Direct to Yorktown & I must
take the chances for getting
it from there. The mail
is not now very regular. I
suppose it will improve
as soon as the stir is over.
News papers can not now be
had, but I suppose we get
all the important news.
Things sold higher in Richmond
than I expected – for a very in-
different pr. of gray pants I
had to give 10 dollars & for
an indifferent pr. of shoes
9 dollars. Every thing in Richmond
was quite quiet & orderly. I saw no

[page 4]
one from the country except
Wm  Brag & the two Stokes. From
there of course nothing interest-
ing was to be learned.
It has been quite warm since
I came down here & is still
so; it is not as pleasant a
country as I have been in
since in the army. Mr. Thainter
you know was trying to get
up a cavalry regiment; he
did not succeed, & came near
not getting up his own com-
pany in consequence. Not more
than 30 of the R. E.[?] cavalry have
reenlisted Mr. Watkins told me.
A great many of the troops
I have seen since down here
have not reenlisted. Give my
best love to all. And know dear
father I always love you as much
as is possible. Yr affectionate son
                       W.H. Perry jr.
[page 1 – between the lines]
17th My Dear Father – I wrote this yesterday but had no
opportunity to send. Capn Pals intended leaving to day
but in consequence of a little battle last evening and an ex-
pected one to day did not go. The enemy came over with about
two regiments & tried to turn some breast works on the
warrick river. They killed a Colonel of a North Carolina regt.
and about ten men. They were driven back leaving about
a dozen dead on our side but is said a good many more in the
pond thru wh: they waded. Our battery was ordered down & came
three miles at full gallop but entered into no engagement
last evening. They ^ ‘the enemy’ through [threw] up a breast work for 10 guns
during the night. They have been firing all day with
sharp shooters. The cannon did not fire many
rounds. We fired at some regiments who
doubled quicked it out of the field this morning.
Of course it is impossible to tell if we injured
them. Our battery is behind breast works & no one
injured. But two Georgians were killed in the trenches
with us this morning. I write in the trenches.
I cannot write more now, & we slept last
night in the field with nothing but big coats. The
sun to day is quite oppressive. I will try & add
another postscript before sending this.
18th. 5 P.M. Dr. [William Price] Palmer says he is going to    
Yorktown to morrow. I will send this to him
this evening to mail there, by our cook who

[page 2 – between the lines]
who comes twice a day ( 3 miles); before day & after
night to bring our meales [meals]. The approaches
to our position behind the breast works
are too dangerous for him to come during
the day, made so by sharp shooters
of the enemy, who are said to be paid
fifty dollars a month. The enemy at-
tempted twice each night to cut the Dam
just opposite us but failed. We drove
him back by infantry. Those who were
at the battles of July 16 & 21st. & Oct. 21st say
they do not think the firing was ever
at any one time heavier than the fight
of the evening before the last was. Our
men are claiming a heavy loss on the
Yankee side. Some say seven hundred.
A man who was in it & at Bethel says
he knows their loss was much greater
here than at Bethel. There [their] wounded are
still unburied. There [their] sharp shooters will
not let us go down to the dam to get
them & bury them. Two of our men
started down to reclaim one of their
wounded, who was on our side, but
[page 3 – between the lines]
was fired on & had to return. We are behind
pretty substantial breast works. But
since leaving Magruder’s line better.
I do not think it as strong as I have
above stated. General Johnston is at
present down here.
     Your letter has not yet come. Dearest
father I am well. I love you all a great
deal & think of you [-]
Our men in a breast work 50 yards
in advance of us say we with our
two guns dismounted, one of the
enemy’s guns yesterday morning
one of our guns fired at their works. The
other at infantry. Again goodbye my
dear father. W. H. P. Jr.

                                     
William Hartwell Perry, Jr., 1836-1915, of the Richmond Howitzers, later a Virginia lawyer


[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d