1862 July 4 near Richmond, Va.

                                          Camp near Richmond
                                               July 4th 1862---
            I returned here last night my darling wife
and found two letters from you for which I thank
you most truly & sincerely.  Our Regiment has
been in New Kent some twenty five miles
below Richmond, & returned from there yes-
terday. The papers will give you an account
of the triumphs vouchsafed to our arms by God in
the late battles around Richmond.  He has
mercifully protected me.  You can form no
idea of the amount of property destroyed & left
by the Yankees in their retreat.  I passed through
some of their abandoned camps yesterday.  They
left their tents standing & the ground is
strewn with blankets, clothes &c.  I picked
up two most excellent blankets, strapped them
behind my saddle & brought them to Simon.
                    So soon as I can find time I will
write you a long reply to your letters.  I was
much rejoiced to hear of the repentance of Willie
for his conduct in playing truant from school
Give my love to him.  Kiss him for me, & tell him
never to act or speak an untruth, and always, under

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all circumstances, to discharge his duty no
matter what the cost or difficulty may be.  Tell
him further not to listen to other boys when they
would persuade him to do wrong.------
                Our loss in killed & wounded in
the late battles has been very large: our
whole land will be in mourning.  I pray God
to console the bereaved hearts & to train the
charities of all our people upon those
whose earthly protectors have been taken
from them.
              It was consummate generalship that
drove McClellan from his fortifications.  He had
constructed them most elaborately & with
great labor, but Genl Lee turned his right
flank & forced him away from them all.
               I will write you as often as
I can.  For the present I must tell you
good-bye.  I unite my prayers with yours
that we may both be preserved, and
sustained by our Heavenly Father.
Kiss the children for me.  Love to Mrs Riddle.  Remember
me kindly to the servants-- I embrace you & kiss you
over and over again, my darling wife--Yr affec. husband--
                                   John T. Thornton

John Thruston Thornton, University of Virginia alumnus, lawyer, member of the Virginia Convention of 1861 and Captain, Co. K,  3rd Virginia Cavalry

MSS 4021