Wednesday, September 12, 2012

1862 September 13 near Gordonsville, Va.

Headqr 6 Cav. at Hopewell Gap
near Gordonsville, Sat 13 Sept '62

My dear Sister
Capt Rowe[sic] of
the Orange Rangers is starting to
Orange this morn, and I avail
myself of the oppty to write to you
We are still in the neighborhood
of the battle-field, kept here as
a protection to the party employed
in collecting arms; of which it
is said the Confederacy has much
need.  I hear that no less than 20,000
small arms have been gathered up
upon the battle field; but of these
perhaps 5000 were our own.
it has been a matter of great dif-
ficulty to get the arms carried
off--and it would not have been

[page 2]
accomplished, if they had not
found some ars on the Manassas
road wh. the Yanks had left un=
=burned.  they hitched up mules
to these, and with the help of a few
teams & wagons wh. they ma
=naged to get hold of, they
have succeeded in removing
the arms to Salem, on thier
way to Winchester.
  We are in a nice camp-
we have fine water-wh.
is a great desideratum
& we get some corn--&
a plenty of hay--
  there is a little church
close by & I preached in
that last evening &

[page 3]
the preceding--the men
attend well & seem to like the services--
  When we get into the
field tho', I can preach
but seldom--I have
made the acquaintance
of a good many, [among?]
them Mr Powell Grady
our A. [?]
Capt Row[sic] is starting,
& I must close. Give
my best love to mother
& all--god be with
you--Yr aff bro
               Richard

[page 4]
P.S. 
I keep very well indeed--
Just now we are foraging
quite successfully--getting
milk, butter, cooking apples,
& a sprinkling of tomatos.  We
have no sugar however &
have to sweeten coffee (cap
-tured at Mannassas)
with molasses---

Richard T. Davis

Richard T. Davis, Chaplain, 6th Virginia Cavalry  "Orange Raiders"

MSS 9852-i

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