Thursday, May 17, 2012

1862 May 18 Stribling Springs Augusta County, Va.

Camp of the Rockbridge Artillery 1st Brigade Army of the Valley
at Stribling Springs--Augusta County Va 12 miles
from Staunton 22 from Harrisonburg On road between Shenan-
doah Mountain and Harrisonburg--Sunday evening may 18, 1862

Mrs William M. Blackford Lynchburg

My Dear Mother

My last letter was finished and dis-
patched this day one week ago from a bivouac in Pendleton Co.
14 miles this side of Franklin, the county seat.  It was a long one.
I have received the books, soap-bag, haversack and letters sent
by Mr. Aisquith of the 2d Va., and the letter & paper by Mr. Howell, and
thank you all for them most heartily.  I mentioned before
the receipt of the bag of salt, clothes, Etc. you sent by Rutledge.
They were sent up from the University to Staunton to meet me.
There was considerable delay in receiving the things sent by Mr.
Aisquith, owing to his being for a time separated from his baggage
during our late marches.  Mr. Howell was unable to rejoin his
regiment until yesterday or to day owing to unavoidable detention
in Staunton.  I was well pleased to have Lockhart's instead

[page 2]
of Bourrienne's memoirs of Napoleon.  I decidedly prefer them.
The soap bag was exactly what I wanted: I suppose I
am indebted to Mary's handiwork for this.  The haversack
is a capital one, and will only need a few alterations to make
it as good as I could wish, and these such as a  little pains
will effect. The material is excellent I think, and the whole
thing will be the more prized for being made of your bureau
cover.  The several letters received by these two oppor-
tunties as well as that of the 9th--which was directed
to care of Major A. W. Harman, Staunton, and reached me
promptly--have placed in fuller possession of home items
than I have been for a long time.  I am exceedingly
grateful for them, and will try and answer them.
I had an opportunity last Saturday to send a Telegram to
Richmond to be sent to Lynchburg, to say I was well etc.  I
did not know how long it would be before I could write.
I have but small opportunity indeed to day to write owing
to time spent in necessary rest, attending preaching, and that
spoiled for such purposes by a storm this evening.  I regret
this much as I could write 20 pages about our late marches and
hardships, if I had the time.  The former have been continued, the latter great.

Letter of Lancelot Minor Blackford will continue on May 22

MSS 4763

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