1862 October 2 "Eudora," near Leesburg, Va.

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of Letcher's Artillery]

(Oct 2nd)  Expecting to send
James to Waterford & Leesburg this morning
thought would write a letter home in case
some opportunity might occur from the
latter place.  Commenced a letter to Jennie
and had written but a page when Jas.
came in and said there would be no
use writing, as Mr Braden had just
told him the Yankees were in Water-
-ford last night.  So stopped writing
About 10 o’c some soldiers were seen
coming up the road from Leesburg & in
a few minutes Mrs Peyton & Miss Lizzie
came in, in quite a glee, saying that
the whole road was filled with our
troops, & wanted me to see them.  Mrs P- opening
the blinds for the purpose; after looking at

them a little while it seemed to me the
uniform was too dark for our troops, and
asked the ladies if there were sure they
were our men, they seemed still to think
so, but went out to be certain.  In a
few minutes they returned with very
long faces, and whispered they were Yankees.
     In a short time they were all about
the house, and lot, while I was peeping
at them from my window.  They were fat
well conditioned fellows but terribly hard
faces.  Mr Braden at the time was up
at Wheatland, and we felt some concern
lest the fellows might take his horse
away from him.  In about an hour
they had all passed.  There being only one
Brigade of about 2000 men with Cavalry
& Artillery.  The ladies seemed very much relieved
when they had all left.  About 12 o’c Mr
Braden returned and said while Genl
Wright, Capt Grubb, & Lt Myers & he were
                                 
talking one of the Cavalry road-guard rode
hastily up, and announced five Yankees
on a neighboring hill, one of the officers
rode forward to see about it & Mr Braden
took a roundabout way home, encoun-
-tering five on the way, who asked him some
very silly questions & then allowed him to
ride on.  Reaching a hill from which
he saw the road filled with them, he
stopped at a neighbors until they all
had passed, while there, one Yankee rode
up & inquired if there were any Southern
soldiers in the vicinity.  He was answered
“yes indeed the whole country is full of them”
on hearing which he dashed off at a
breakneck speed.  This afternoon the country
is quiet again and the sun which had been hid
by threatening clouds all the morning, now shone
out as though rejoicing at being relieved of the
sight of the cruel horde of Yankees.  This evening
Mr Braden spent with me, which are passed in
conversation, on Richmond in bygone
days.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS  6150