1862 October 27 Bunker Hill, Va.

Bunker hill Va
 Oct 27, 1862.  Monday
My dear Jennie
     I have not heard from you
since I left home and am very
uneasy about Lizzie but I am
confident of receiving a letter to
day.  We are having very bad cold
weather but my health continues
very good indeed.  I have as yet
no regular quarters.  I sleep in
Capt Yanceys tent & have my of-
fice in Capt Byrds, both are
good Sibley tents & have stoves
which enables us to keep quite
comfortable.  I am in command
of the Brigade composed of 5 reg-
iments with about 2000 men
So far I get along without any
dificulty [sic] & dont anticipate any

[page 2]
I dont expect to start my wagon
back for four or five days yet
I am expecting to be able to get
a sack of salt of 4 bushells [sic] for
$30  if so, when it comes to hand
I advise you to try & sell a bushell [sic]
at the same you pay Mr Shacklett.
The tallow I have to buy or it
comes from the beef & have it
rendrd in camp.  as to clothing
I find it impossible to get a
thing nor will I be able to draw
socks or any clothing of any
sort.  I have 15 very pretty brass
buttons to put on Jims clothes
& 2 pieces of gumelastic to make
him a pair of garters which I
will send up with the other
things.
  We have no news in camp
of any prospect of a fight.  I

[page 3]
dont think McCleland is disposed
to advance & I am certain we
will not.  The pickets between the
two armies are very familliar [sic]
indeed.  Col Harmon of our caval-
ry had last week a conversation
with a Yankey Major, (both being
on picket) in which the Major
complained very bitterly of McCle
lands recent order forbidding his
army to discuss political questions
The Major admited [sic] that his govern
ment was the most tyranical [sic] on
earth and declared that he was
not only tired but d__d tired
of the war & that such was the
opinion of every man in their
army and said that if left to
them they would make peace
at once.  He asked Col Harmon
what we all thought of the North-
ern election, to which Harmon

[page 4]
replied that we did not think
it made very much difference
which party succeeded since they
seemed only to differ in the
manner of carrying on the war
both being in favor of carrying
it on to conquer a peace.  The
Major swore it was not so, that
the democrats were for peace
and if they get the power
would make peace right away.
This I say occured [sic] on picket
between the two commanding of-
ficers.  it was interesting to me
& I send it to you as I received
it thinking it may interest you.
  I am fully persuaded that
we cannot remain here very
much longer on account of the
great scarcity of forage for
horses.  our next stoping [sic] place
will probably be near Winchester

[page 5]
we will eat out every thing in
that vicinity & then fall back
again eating out as we go &
thus leave the Yankeys no induce-
ment to follow us up.  I am sat-
isfied that between here & Strasburg
there is a sufficient quantity of for-
age to last us until next spring, be-
fore which time I devoutly pray
that peace may be restored.
  Capt Coffman is now at home &
will return the last of this week
or first of next.  I wish you would
get him to bring me my boots &
if you can get it send me 6 or 8
lbs of butter, provided he can carry
it with him.
  I would advise you to kill
your four hogs just as soon
as you can after the 1st of Nov-
ember, they are eating a great deal
of corn & you will need it for the
pigs

[page 6]
And I think the corn should be
shucked out & the fodder put away
as soon as possible.  I saw Peter
Grady who owes me & he promised
me to haul wood & rails to pay
it off with, but you cant rely
on him.  if he brings it, well and
good, but if not, why it dont
matter as you will continue to
get wood of Liggett as fast as
you can get in.
  I am getting along very well with
old man Rutherford  he attends to
every thing very well indeed.  Dr
Moffatt has been assigned to the 10th
& Dr Campbell is chief surgeon of the
Artilery [sic] & has his quarters with us
Dr Taylor has been assigned to his
old cavalry regiment.  as yet we
have no one in his place.  I hope we
will get a good one in his place

[page 7]
I forgot to get a couple of pillow
cases, if you have any to spare send
them by Capt Coffman.
  Tell my dear little daughter that
I will be looking for a letter from
her every day until she answers my
letter to her.  She must make haste
and get right well & then Mama
must take very good care of her
& keep her well until Papa comes
to see her.
  I have concluded to send this by
some men who are going up to day
I think you will get it sooner
than if sent by the mail.
 Write to me my darling as often
as you possibly can
      I am most affectionately
     E.T.HWarren



“My dear Jennie”, salutation – Warren’s wife Virginia ‘Jennie’ Watson Magruder Warren.

“Lizzie”, line 3 –

“dear little daughter”, page 7, line 4 – Both referred to Warren’s oldest daughter, seven year old Lizzie.

“Capt Yancey”, line 9 – William B. Yancey, Captain, Company E, 10th VA Infantry.

“Capt Byrd”, line 10 – Abraham S. Byrd, Captain, Regimental Quartermaster, 10th VA Infantry.  This position with a regiment was officially designated Assistant Quartermaster.

“Sibley tent”, line 11 – This style tent was patented by Henry H. Sibley in the late 1850’s while he was a US Army officer; he later became a Confederate general.  This tent was conical shaped (very similar to a Plains Indian dwelling) and was some twelve feet tall and eighteen feet in diameter.

“the Brigade”, line 14 – Taliaferro’s Brigade consisted of the 47th and 48th Alabama Infantry regiments, and the 10th, 23rd, and 37th VA Infantry regiments.

“Mr Shacklett”, page 2, line 7 – This almost certainly referred to Samuel Shacklett, a very successful Harrisonburg merchant.

“rendrd”, page 2, line 10 – rendered.

“Jim”, page 2, line 15 – Warren’s six year old son James M.

“McCleland”, page 3, line 1, lines 9 & 10 – George B. McClellan, Union general, commanded the Army of the Potomac.

“Col Harmon”, page 3, line 5, 20 -

“Harmon”, page 3, line 22 – All referred to Asher W. Harman, Colonel, 12th VA Cavalry.

“Capt Coffman”, page 5, line 11; page 7, line 3 – Isaac G. Coffman, Captain, Company B, 10th VA Infantry.

“Peter Grady”, page 6, lines 3 & 4 – This was most certainly the Peter Grady listed in the 1860 Rockingham County Census as a 52 year old farmer with a total worth of $1,250.

“old man Rutherford”, page 6, line 13 – Archibald S. Rutherford, Colonel’s Orderly, 10th VA Infantry.  He enlisted 10 April 1862 in Company C2, 10th VA Infantry, as a substitute.  He was one of only two men who served in the regiment who were born outside the 1800’s; he was born c.1797.  On 24 April, Colonel Gibbons, then commander of the 10th VA, detailed Rutherford as a forager; he never returned to duty with his company.

“Dr Moffatt”, page 6, line 15 – Samuel H. Moffett, Surgeon, 10th VA Infantry.  He served with the regiment from May 1861 until being sent home sick in April 1862.

“Dr Campbell”, page 6, line 16 – Joseph L. Campbell, Surgeon, 10th VA Infantry.  This assignment to the artillery proved to be of short duration as various surviving military records show he was back with the 10th VA Infantry in November and December.

“Dr Taylor”, page 6, line 18 – Thomas L. Taylor, Assistant Surgeon, 10th VA Infantry.  He served with the regiment since 20 January 1862.  The 9th VA Cavalry was his old regiment.

“I have concluded to send this . . . if sent by mail.”, page 7, lines 12-15 – It was more common for Confederate soldiers to send their letters in the hands of other soldiers who they knew where heading towards their homes than to place the letters into the official mail.  As Warren noted, personal delivery was faster, and as it turned out, was more reliable.  Comrades were more likely to ensure delivery than postal workers.

“E.T.HWarren”, page 7, signature – Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Colonel, 10th VA Infantry.

[transcript and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g