1862 July 14 Mechanicsville Turnpike

Camp of the Rockbridge Artillery (Capt Poagues)
1st Brigade (Gen Winder)
1st division (Gen. Whiting)
1st Corps (Gen. Jackson)
Army of Richmond (Gen. Lee)
Monday
July 14, 1862

On the Mechanicsville Turnppike 3 miles from the city

Mrs. Wm M. Blackford, Lynchburg,
                  My Dear Mother
                                                 My letter des-
patched on Saturday brought the narrative of my
present history down to the Tuesday after I left you.
I resume it at that point.  On Wednesday
I learned from a member of Gen. Jackson's staff whom
I saw in Richmond that our corps was coming
by slow marches up and would be here Thursday
I therefore remained quietly in town until the next
afternoon Wednesday evening I had the pleasure
of writing two of my brothers and two of my first
cousins, viz. bro. Wm. and Lewis, and Charles and
Berkeley Minor, the latter on his way home
sick.  I have not heard from him since
and am uneasy about him.  Charles
was in town on Berkeley's account and
had already rendered, as  he did further
afterward, efficient aid in getting him off

[page 2]
There was quite a reunion of the family
Wednesday evening for a short time at Mr
Gwatkin's. Bros Wm and Lewis, Uncle Lewis, Chas
Minor and Berkeley and Wm. H. Blackford.  Bro.
Wm, Uncle Lewis and Berkeley were there
to]ge]ther with Wm H. and myself, who were
Cousin Mary's guests before.  She kindly gave
comfortable quarters for the night too to
Berkeley who was really too weak to more
any more than was absolutely necessary.
In the afternoon Lewis and I walked
about town together and then as well
as later in the evening, made visits together
That night I staid as usual with Uncle
Lewis, bro. Wm. with Frank Robertson at
Mr. Grattan's, Lewis with Capt. Kean, and
Charles at Gen. Pendleton's Hd.Qrs. near the
city, unless I am mistaken.  I did not see
bro. Wm. again unfortunately, but next
morning after Charles and I had seen
Berkeely safely off at the R.F.& P.R.R. Depot
for Hanover we found Lewis and breakfasted

[page 3]
together at a Restaurant. (I have often had
a better meal with my mess in camp.)
Shortly afterwards we dispersed.  Thursday
afternoon I started out with several others
on foot for this camp.  We had scarcely gotten
out of the city before a hard rain came up
Just as it began I met Ch. L.C. Minor riding
in and as it was late and the rain promised
to be continued I promised to return and
meet him at uncle Lewis' room and spend
the night in the city. Just afterwards I
turned in to a house hear to escape the
rain, which was over so much sooner
than I expected that I determined to
come on to camp.  I was very sorry not
to see Charles again as he told me he ex-
pected to go to Lbg. next morning.
The camp here is a tolerably good one
only.  The ground has been long used by
other troops and our tent and shelters
are pitched in a pine  and cedar wood where
the undergrowth has been all worn away.

[page 4]
Our surroundings generally resemble much
more those of the Manassas vicinity than
the beautiful locations for camp we generally
had in the Valley and Piedmont region.  The
co is much reduced in number from various
causes.  Though with 140 or 150 on our rolls
we have not 70 men fit for duty, not more
than enough to man 3 guns; (our compliment
is 6.)  all we used in the battle of July 1st.
By the way I have only mentioned inci-
dentally what I can now tell you more
explicitly of the share of this co. in that
battle.  Our loss was 2 killed and 11
wounded, mostly slightly.  The killed were
both from Rockbridge and both men of family.
their names are Brown and Herndon; respectable
men of humble station in life, but both ef-
ficient and worthy soldiers.  Herndon was a
driver killed by a fragment of shell.  Brown
was a cannoneer, but one of the ambulance
corps' on the occasion referred to, i.e. one of
the 2 men detailed from every co. to look after the wounded.

[page 5]
It seems that the action had not long begun,
at any rate the 'ambulance corps' for our co.
were as yet unemployed and Brown was quietly
seated behind a tree 2 1/2 ft thick in the rear
of the battery when a 32 pound rifled shell came
along penetratrated[sic]  the branch of the tree, leaving
a clear round hole behind it, took off the
top of  his skull and then went on a little
further and burst.  It was a remarkable and
fearful example of the power of these ter-
rible missives,or rather of the momentum
with which they fly.  Our battery was
not exposed to any fire from small arms
at all but was under the most terrible
one from cannon that it was ever called
upon to face, from all accounts. I am told
that our boys gained some reputation for
the soldierly manner in which they stood
up to their work under a fire which was
so awful and demoralizing in its effects
as to cause one or more other batteries similarly

[page 6]
placed, I hear, to limber up and retire in short
order and yet, others to come under orders up
to their position and then retire without un-
limbering because it was too hot for them.
However this may be I believe I may claim
without vanity, for our co. that it will stick
up to the mark generally without flinching
(I speak of it now as a whole, there are, of
course individual exceptions, as there are ev-
ery where) wherever superior officers may
see fit to place them. Our company offi-
cers are a remarkably gallant set and
will face any danger they are called on
to incur with as much calmness as any
men I ever saw.  This of course had great effect.
In the battle of the 1st I believe the for-
mer fair character of the Rockbridge Artillery
was fully sustained.  Our dead were buried
by our own men on the field.  Brown just
where he was killed, the great tree with its
bored trunk a fitting headpiece to the soldier's
grave.  He was a man considerably over conscript age.

[page 7]
The last was the fifth regular general engagement
in which this battery has been actively em-
                   July 21/61    Mch 23/62        May 25/62
ployed, viz Manassas, Kernstown, Winchester
June 9/62                July 21/62
Port Republic, and Malvern Hill.  In addition
to these it has been wholly or in part engaged
in several small battles and skirmishes; e.g.
the affair at Haynesville in Berkeley on July 2/61
when, in the language of Gen. J.E. Johnston
his official report "a small body of Infantry
and one gun of Pendleton's Battery taught the
Enemy a severe lesson".  It was the only time
Patterson ever met our men in the field.
Also the skirmishes at Dam No. 5 in December
and at Hancock in January last, and a num-
ber of less memorable little brushes on picquet
at various times.  I believe few batteries
in the army have rendered more service, &
perhaps as few lost as heavily as we have
since the opening of this spring campaign.
Our killed and wounded from march 22 to July 22,
--a little over 3 months--is not less than 50
..of this number 8 have been killed & mortally wounded.

[page 8]
Of our wounded of course a good many are
but slightly hurt, but I give the statement
according to surgeon's returns.  Many Infantry
cos have suffered more than ours but it is not
common for the casualties among artillerymen
to be so numerous--at least in our battles.
The guns used at Haynesville more than a
year ago--a common first class brass smooth
bore 6 pounder- was the first ever fired in
the Valley of Virginia in this war.  It belongd
to this battery at the beginning and still does,
the only one that we originally had that re-
mains with us.  It has been used in all our
battles and most of our skirmishes and has
probably been fired 250 times since we had it,
to say nothing of travelling something like 1000
miles in our various marches. With all this
you cannot wonder that we regard the old
gun with both respect and affection; feelings
particularly shared by its own detachment
to which I belong myself, as well as Berkeley Minor,
Ran Fairfax, the Packards, and others of my friends

[page 9]
Friday, Saturday and Sunday I spent quietly in
camp though on Friday there was so much
rain that the day was a sort of blank
as it usually is when this calamitous
visitation, the soldier's worst enemy as
respect weather, comes upon us.  Our men gen-
erally have happily made such acquisi-
tions in the shape of india-rubber blankets,
ponchos and coats, waterproof knapsacks, etc.
in the late battles from the enemy that
the hardships of the weather are hereby
measurably lessened.  My two india rubber
blankets are a great comfort.  I noticed recently
a regiment of Louisiana troops marching in a
rain among whom probably not more than
one in every 7 or 8 was unfurnished with a
Yankee rubber blanket.  But do what you
will, unless in a good stout tent, rain is a
miserable thing, and for myself as long as
I am a soldier I never expect to be other
than miserable while it lasts.  I speak feelingly
                                                   you see!

[page 10]
Yesterday (Sunday) though within 8 miles of the city
going thither to church was impossible.  Only
2 are allowed to from the co. each day to town.
the pass has to be signed by the captain and
then go up to be countersigned by both the Brig-
adier and Major Generals--Winder & Jackson.
Having recently been so long in Richmond I
have as yet preferred no application for leave
to go again.  I spent the morning as ap
propriately as I could, though a provokingly
large amount of it was taken up by my
duties in the co., which happened to-day to
be more arduous than usual.  In the afternoon
we enjoyed the privilege of hearing an ex-
cellent sermon from Rev. Dr. M. D. Hoge of Richd
(a favourite with me)  He officiated in the
2d Va. Inf in our Brigade, quite convenient
for our men to attend, as a great many did.
There was a large and attentive auditory,
among them Gen. Jackson, who came with
Dr Hoge.  The General is very often present
at religious services held in his old Brigade.

[letter of Lancelot Minor Blackford of the Rockbridge Artillery to his mother will be continued on July 23]