1862 May 5 Staunton, Va.

    [Staunton May 5 1862]

If you can find out where I am and

whether the coast is clear at HB

I would really like to hear from of

you being there if I could not get

there to see you.  my impression is

that we are going direct down the

Valley & fight the Yankeys wherever

we can find them.  I expect to have

several chances with them and

the 10” will do her duty under

all circumstances

     Most affectionately

ETH Warren

“Undated heading” – ‘Warren had, in fact, not placed a heading on this note.  However, based on the content it is relatively certain he wrote this sometime on 5 May.  He mentioned “going direct down the Valley”; it is a direct line from Staunton down the Valley.  Warren also mentioned they would “fight the Yankeys wherever we can find them.  I expect to have several chances with them. . .”.  He did not, however, mention the Battle of McDowell which occurred on 8 May.  Nor did he mention the death of Colonel Simeon B. Gibbons, 10^th Virginia Infantry, at the Battle of McDowell.  Therefore, it is relatively certain the date is 5 May, the day the 10^th Virginia arrived at Staunton.’

“HB”, line 2 – ‘Harrisonburg, Rockingham County.’

“ETH Warren”, signature – ‘Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Lieutenant-Colonel, 10^th Virginia Infantry.’

[transcribed by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g