1862 October 2 Jefferson County, Va.

 [letter written on black bordered mourning stationary]

Hdqrs 3rd Va Cavalry
Jefferson Co. Va
Octo 2nd 1862

Pardon me dear madam for
this seeming intermeddling in your
sad trial, but I cannot refrain from
expressing my sincere & heartfelt sym-
pathy towards you, in this sore affliction
which our Heavenly Father has in his all
wise providence seen fit to call you to
sustain.  Words cannot tell you how keenly
I feel for you and yours, but an aching
void in my own breast deeply responds
in sympathy, only three short months ago
I was called upon to bear a similar
affliction in the loss of my darling
wife, and i was not present to take
a last sad farewell.  Only those who
have so suffered can know the intensity
of the anguish but he who doeth all
things well cannot will not permit the

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storm to crush altogether the broken and
bruised reed, let us then both look to
Him for comfort and support in our affliction.
  I hardly know how to turn to the melan
choly subject, but I feel it to be my sad
duty to give you an account of our Colonels
last days.  On Monday the 15th, he with our Regiment
were exposed to a fearful fire, during which
his horse was shot while under him, again
the next evening we were stationed to support
a battery, and on Wednesday the 17th the Regiment
had scarcely more than formed, and were marching
off when a shell from one of the Enemy's guns
struck a wood pile, throwing the wood in
every direction, wounding our Colonel & another
member of the Regt. while I was attending to
the wounded man I first heard of the Colonel's mis-
fortune, and hurried to his relief. He had been
borne from the field, and was then removed to
a small house where we were tolerably safe
from the enemy's shells: His wound wee of such
a serious nature, that amputation at the
shoulder joint was deemed necessary at once,
and so I had to perform it,  the Brigade Surgeon
who was present, giving me much valuable

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assistance. the Colonel bore the operation
well, and we had good hopes of his ultimate
recovery until about 8 o'clock that Evening
when his mind began to wander & he became
very restless, in which condition he continued
until 12m when he fell asleep, and in that
way entered into rest at 25 minutes past
one of the morning of the 18th.  During the
whole time his bedside was surrounded by
members of his command, and every attention
given him, but alas human energy extends
itself in vain against the will of an all wise
Providence   Most sincerely does my
heart bleed for you as I write these
painful lines, but I feel it to be my duty
as the surgeon of the Regt.
    again let me offer you my sincerest
sympathy, and may our Father give you strength
to bear his righteous  will.
      I am Madam
          Your obt servt.
                Alex. T Bell
                   Asst Surgeon
                               3d Va Cavalry

Alexander T. Bell, 1836-1913

Letter to Mrs. John T. Thornton, on the death of her husband, Lt. Colonel of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry

MSS 4021