Thursday, September 6, 2012

1862 September 7 Frederick, Md.



         
               Frederick  Md   Sunday Sept 7 1862
My Darling Wife –
                                Your two last letters came to hand yesterday and I was indeed
very happy to hear from you. The date of my letter will surprise you. You would
have thought it hardly possible the fortunes of war should have so turned
in our favour that this quiet Sabbath would have found us here in
quietly encampment beyond the limits of our own confederacy. It has costs
much of our best blood and much hardship, but it is a magnificent result
which I trust will secure our recognition in Europe and be a step at least
towards peace with our enemies. We left the Rappahannock two weeks ago
to-morrow and such a week as the first was has no parallels in the war.
Two days severe march brought us about fifty miles, to Manassas. That night              
we had an engagement with the enemy in which the place was captured and some                  
prisoners. The next day there was another battle in which Mr Newman
was wounded. That night Wednesday we evacuated the place and took
up our position adjoining the old battle ground and that evening we had
another severe engagement in which Major Gen Ewell was severely wounded
and our loss very heavy. The next day Friday we were attacked by the
enemy in much larger force but we repulsed the enemy and at night both
armies occupied about the same ground. We expected the battle to be renewed
the next morning. The enemy had time to have collected his whole force Pope
& McClelland combined, and we had brought up all we had on this side of
the Rappahannock. For a while the lines were unusually quiet but after a while
the picket firing began to increase and soon the whole line was engaged. The assault
upon our lines was very severe and for a while the tide of battle seemed to turn
against us, but our men stubbornly resisted the assault, and soon the enemys line
gave way flying in confusion our artillery playing upon them as they retreated
Our lines were then pushed forward and by night the enemy were driven
from every position. It was a splendid victory, partly fought on the same ground
with the battle of Manassas last year. We sustained a very heavy loss, but how much
I have no idea. The next day we moved towards Fairfax CH. The next day Monday
we had another severe engagement. Tuesday we spent at rest, and in cooking
Wednesday we started in this direction and reached here early on yesterday without
meeting any further obstruction. What next – where do we go & what is to be done?

[page 2]
We will probably know by the end of next week what our Generals mean to do with us.
I think it likely we will not stay here and that this time next week will find us either
in Pennsylvania or Baltimore.
I heartily wish with you, Love, that the War was over and we were all at home again.
But our success depends upon the pertinacity with which we stick to the fight.
I trust it may not last through another winter.
I will write once a week to you but in the present uncertain means of commu-
nication you need not expect to receive my letters with regularity. I wish
you would write often and let me know how you are all getting along. Let me know
how your farm work is prospering and as soon as you get the wheat threshed
and put in the mill urge forward the seeding as much as possible. I sold the
hay to Capt Tutwiler the quartermaster at $1 per hundred and he was to have it
baled and hauled away. Send word to Wm White to see him and have it done
as soon as possible. What did Mc Namara do about the land which he spoke
of renting?
I spend but little time now thinking about business on the farm. I trust it all
to you. My duties here are onerous and responsible occupying my time and
mind so completely that I have but little opportunity to think of much else. Not
enough however to keep me from thinking of dear wife and little ones left at home,
and fondly hoping the day may soon come when I will be with them. It may never
come: my fate may be that of many others. Whatever the future may have in store
for me I trust that I am prepared to meet it with becoming resignation.
And now Darling I will take leave of you. Think of me often and believe me with
much love                              Ever Yours
                                                    E F Paxton

[Transcript by Mary Rpy Dawson Edwards]

[The above letter is a photostatic copy of the original. It is included  in Civil War Letters of General Frank “Bull” Paxton.]

MSS 2165

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.