1862 July 23 Camp near Gordonsville, Va.

[letter of Lancelot Minor Blackford, begun on July 14th continues]


[page 11]

Camp 5 miles from Gordonsville, Orange Co. Ho.
Wednesday--July 23, 1862


A variety of causes, chiefly marching and
bad weather have prevented my finishing
this letter before.  I sent a short letter
home friday to give you my reckoning
and prevent uneasiness about me and now
resume the narrative of late events.
Monday, 14th inst., we received early in
the day orders to be in readiness to march
at a moment's warning. We obeyed the order
but did not move until Tuesday morning.
We then went in on the Mechanicsville
Road to within 3/4  mile of the city and then
made a provoking detour by a bad by-road
several miles long round t the Brook
Turnpike which we entered about 1 1/2 miles
above the city.  All this to prevent going through
it as we were very hopeful we might do
so as to have a last sight of our fair
metropolis, and to furnish ourselves with
the papers, and other comforts within our reach.
As it was we had to content ourselves with

[page 12]
one or more of those beautiful distant views
pf Richmond which its vicinity is remarkable
for offering.  The spires of St. Paul's  Rev. Dr.
Moore's & Rev. Dr. Duncan's churches were conspic-
uous and beautiful in the sunny haze of
early morning and the Capitol stood out
in bold relief just before we got of sight of
the town, its two ends respectively decorated
with the emblems of our State and Con-
federate existence--the Va. & C.S. flags--
We journey about 25 miles on Monday, tho'
the day was very hot.  the roads however
were good and as the  horses were fresh
the men rode a good deal on the gun
carriages and thus did not mind the
journey.  We were unaccompanied by our
Infantry who went by the cars to Louisa C.H.
Riding on gun carriages and caissons is generally
strictly forbidden; an exception was made
during the first day or two of this march,
however on account, it is supposed, of the
heat and the length of the way

[page 13]
In the afternoon there was a thunderstorm
and rain with occasional intermission
until late at night, interfering uncharitably
with the cooking of supper, and its eating
too for that matter.  Our camp was in
Hanover, but where I cannot say, as our
road through that country no where ran
in neighborhoods with which I am familiar.
Wednesday we pursued our journey to within
15 miles of Louisa C. H.--Another thunder-
storm in the afternoon and rain during
the evening and night.  I rested comfor-
tably notwithstanding.  Thursday brought
us to Louisa C.H. where we found our in-
fantry already arrived.  Our camp was a little
this side of the village.  Just as we were
approaching it another thunderstorm,
of violence unexcelled by any I have
seen this summer came up.  The rain fell
in torrents for 1 1/2 or 2 hours, and wet us
all pretty effectually.  After halting to camp

[page 14]
the rain continuing to fall profusely, the
drivers continued to sit on their horses &
the cannoneers to stand and crouch about
trying to keep themselves dry as possible
and take the rain as philosophically as
possible--a difficult task, it was to take
it anyway but as a grievous trial.  This
continued for some time,when the rain
slacking a good deal, we went about
making ourselves comfortable, and getting
ready for the night.  The camp was a
fair one and we had plenty of time
to "fix up", so we did pretty well, with
the assistance of one of our late ac-
quisitions from the Yankees, with which
this co. as well as many others is largely
supplied, viz knapsacks tents. The latter
is nothing more two pieces of sheet close
wove brown linen about 5 feet square, or
there abouts, each piece provided with button
homes and buttons to connect them with &
with loops at the lower end to put pegs through.

[page 15]
Each one is light enough for a man to
carry on his back and may be folded
into small compass.  to put up a tent
we have merely to cut two forks, a cross
piece, about 6 ft long and four pegs; then
to connect two of the pieces of linen
by buttoning them together and spread
them over the ridge pole confining
it on either side by pegs.  Thus in a
short time a shelter is made amply
large enough for two men.  If desired
the ends can be covered in by oil-cloths
Etc and the whole mad very snug.
the whole idea is a French one, and un
less I am mistaken their soldiers carry
no other tents, thereby of course greatly
diminishing the transportation necessary
for an army and increasing its efficiency
None of these contrivances however
serve, in my estimation, as other than
poor substitutes for a regular tent,
an appliance of which I fear we have now seen
                                                   the last.

[page 16]
Friday  a rainy and uncomfortable
day enough we laid over at Louisa C.H.
and waited for the wagon train of
the Infantry to come up.  Saturday  we
resumed our march in company now
with our infantry and came up to
camp about a mile this side of Gor-
donsville, a journey of 15 or 16 miles, which
in view of the excessively bad road
was a very laborious one.  I have never
known the mud as seep at this season.
I mention here, for fear of forgetting
it, that I have received from Dr. Fleming
the letter containing $25 00 sent me
by him before my late sick leave.
I hope to be able ere long to send
father $75 to $100, as there is at last
a near prospect of our being paid
off the long arrearages, which owing
to our pay-rolls having been lost, have
become due us.  I wish to send what I
have to be placed to my credit in Bank in Lbg.

[page 17]

Sunday  we laid over another day and en-
joyed the rest very much as it was
mostly fair, though some rain fell,
as has been the case every day for
a week now.  A good deal of the mor-
ning was spent in the tedious duties
for "Inspection", which comes every Sunday
morning, and then in drying our clothes,
blankets etc. that had become damp
or wet in the late bad weather. This
would not of course bear delay
I read the church service, most of it
aloud in my tent with David Barton
and Randolph Fairfax, and enjoyed it very
much.  In the evening we had a prayer
meeting. I had intended to devote most
of the afternoon to writing at length to you, not
knowing when I would have another op-
portunity, as we were already under mar-
ching orders, but was prevented from
doing it by  labour of charity, which

[page 18]
you may consider a sufficient reason for
not doing it.  One of our men, a Welsh
man by birth, and over 35, who has a
family in Washington--his own place of
residence--and who on the latter ground
alone was entitled to his discharge from
the service at the expiration of his 12 mos
term and not liable to further detention,
had been retained sometime beyond
what was just by the simple absence
of a fair representation of the case at
Hd Qrs. which must be made in writing.
Hughes (such is his name) is an illiterate
man and unable to draw up the state-
ment and petition necessary, himself.  Sun
day morning he told me his grievances &
stated his case, saying if he could get
someone to "write him a paper" about it
he thought he would get the discharge
to which he was entitled.  I saw the case
was a clear one, and offered to write it
for him and to this I gave a good deal of time

[page 19]
in the afternoon which would have been
otherwise given to writing to you.   I would have
postponed it,  but the uncertainty
of our movements always is such that
this is unsafe. The petition was sent
in and the petitioner now rejoices in
the [unanimity?] he craved.  He is discharged.
I am frequently applied to to do these
little jobs of writing for our men, my fa-
miliarity with forms seeming to be un-
derstood.  I always accede readily to such
requests, though it is often quite troublesome.
Monday we merely changed our camp,
instead of making a long march as
was expected, coming out about 4 miles
in this direction to a very good place
on Col. Magruder's plantation where
we are now quartered, apparently to
stay some little time as regular drills
have been renewed, and other indications
of a continued stay afforded.  I hope
this may be the case.

[page 20]
Gen Pope in command of the Yankee forces is generally said to be
about Madison C.H. some 20 mile below us.  I dont know exactly
Address my letters "Rockbridge Artillery 1st Brigade Jackson's Army"
and send them to Gordonsville until further notice.   They are al-
ways forwarded when necessary. We get newspapers here but
rarely.  I wish father would me some Richmond papers
particularly.  They would be gladly read by myself & many others.
Give my love to Robin and tell him I regretted exceedingly
being hurried off so when I left home as to have failed
to go up to tell him good bye. It has given me much
annoyance the remembrance of this omission. Just
as I failed to tell my dear little niece Mary Jane farewell.
Please give my love to Fanny Cazenove and to Lucy Landon
if she is with you.  Let me have anything you know
about Berkeley.   I have heard nothing whatever from him,
nor have I had a letter from home since I left it
How is Mrs. Kinckle?  Please give her my respects & kind regards
also to Mr. K--and to Mrs Spence both of whom I was sorry not to go
to see before leaving home.  My love too, and a little expression
of regret to them all at Uncle Thomas' To Sister Sue I al
ways beg you will give my love. I hope I shall now see
bro. Chas. frequently though just at this time he is away
on some detached service for Gen Jackson, with whom he is
My love to father, and Mary Isabella and very kind
regards to the servants especially my faithful nurse
                                  Your affectionate son
                                          L. M. Blackford

[cross hatched on left side of page 20]
Please ask Mary to  hunt up and secure for me a piece of crimson
stuff I bought for Miss Kitty to make a stripe to my pants out of. She only
used a small part of it.  I wish Mary to keep it for me.  Also a red skull cap
entirely new I saw about the house which I would like to have a few months
from now though it does not belong to me particularly--I enclose
the 25 ¢ note concurrent here for which I beg father to send me PO stamps

MS 5088