1862 July 4 Flat Top Mountain, Va.

                                                                        
                                   
                                       Camp Jones, Flat Top, July 4th, 1862.
     The glorious 4th has made its annual return;
but less glorious than it was in its pristine purity.
How oft in bygone years we hailed with
rejoicings this anniversary of American
Independence; with what unalloyed
gladness we celebrated it in a thousand
and one places all over our glorious
country.  Hoary=headed sires and white=
haired infants congregated together this one
day out of three hundred and sixty=five,
to demonstrate by their presence their
love of country.  The little boy who is
so filled with patriotism and enthusiasm
that he can scarcely express it, knows
why we hold in reverence this day, almost
equal to the holy Sabbath, although he
can scarcely carry the book which tells
him all about it.
     In gloomy contrast with what once
was, let us contemplate what now
is the condition of affairs in our
country.  All are well aware of the
                                                                             
dist struggle now going on between different
sections of a once united nation.  The
sword, instead of peaceful debate and logic
has been made the arbitrament of a few
political differences.  Generals have been
substituted for statesmen, but these, of
course, can do nothing without the
assistance of the populace, who, knowing
the justness of our cause, and comprehending
the greatness of our peril, have nobly
responded to their country’s call whenever
made.  Upon this continent we now have
two great armies arrayed in hostile attitude,
and contending for a mastery; one to assert
the supremacy of the National Constitution
to over those of a State, and a consequent
filial regard for the National instrument,
no matter what a local law may
teach them.  Upon a different basis,
the other army army professes to be based,
deluding themselves with the idea that
the National Constitution is subservient
to ‘States Rights.’


I will not longer indulge in these
general features at present; enough to
know that the contrast between now
and former times is indeed painful.
How others are spending the day, I
know not, but those in camp
here experience a dull time.  This
evening, however; through the agency
of some of the boys of Co. A, a
dance was gotten up, and was kept
up until late bed-time, an arbor
being constructed of green boughs for
the purpose.  Numbers right merrily
joined in, and tripped the light
fantastic toe “over the velvety
carpet of Mother Earth, but one thing
was wanting to render all things
perfect.  Plenty of good music could
be had for the asking, any quantity
of the sterner sex, but none of the
other part of creation, gentle woman.
How dull, how uninteresting is every
place without her presence to charm,

                                                                             
her smiles to gladden, her beauty to
adorn, her devotion to animate.
To speak of practical affairs, how useful
to cook your victuals, mend your
clothes, and a thousand other things,
which you prefer to let go undone
because of apparent insignificance, and
suffer inconveniences there from; and how
neatly, quickly and systematically done.
To deprive us of woman’s society, we
are too much like the odd half of a
pair of shears, or a knife without a
fork. ~ And while we are contending
for this Union of States, let us bear
in mind with what intense interest
our actions are regarded by the hundreds
and thousands of blue, and hazel, and
soft brown eyes possessed by the loyal
fair maidens of the land.  Let us hope,
too, that with the restoration of this Union,
and our return home, another happy
Union may await each and every one of us,
as it most assuredly will, if we but denisan

ourselves properly.  Were it not for the
encouragement we receive from fair ones
at home, accompanied with advices and
solicitous fears as to our safety and wel=
=fare, the army would be much less
effective.  Those who have so strenuously
excited themselves to provide for the sick
and wounded of our army, will be
remembered for generations, and posterity
will look back with pride upon the
maidens and matrons of our day.
     But I commenced with the 4th
of July, and here I am wandering off
into distant regions, and talking upon
all sorts of subjects as they occur to
my mind.
     Well, let this suffice for this 4th.
but hope another may find us in
the enjoyment of peace, and plenty,
that enemies may become friends,
that the sword may be turned into the
plowshare, and the spear into the pruning-fork,”
and that nations shall learn war no more.”

 [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925