Friday, November 9, 2012

1862-November 10 - 11 2 miles from Culpeper



                                                              2 Miles of Culpeper
                                                                   Nov. 10th, 1862
My Dear Father                                                                    
     I had written to you several days                             
ago, but my situation has been such that I                   
could not well do so. I came to this place a
few days ago. Immediately before that I
made a scout with our two guns as
far as warrenton springs.  we left about 3 P.M.
& marched until 10 ½ P.M. the water falling nearly
all the time. We however camped that night
in an abandoned female school & soon dried
& slept finely. The next day we returned  - the distance
was about 18 miles. Upon returning we found
our brigade & the other section of our company.
We belong to Longstreet’s Corps   all of which is now
here I think. The rest, which is embraced in to
Jackson’s corps, is I suppose still in the Valley
of the Shenandoah. I do not know what
stand is intended to be made here. Our po-
sition the other side of the Court House
was taken by a  battery from Norfolk – they
have been engaged with the enemy nearly
all day across the Rappahannock – with
what effect I don’t know.  Stuart with             
his cavalry has been fighting the ene-
my for nearly a week & falling back
before them. this looks as if the object

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was to decoy them as far as possible
into the interior. I was over to the cavalry
camp last evening to see the Lunenburg
cavalry – A large portion of the company was
there – not being out on active duty from
the want of horses – the latter seemed in a
very bad condition – suffering from scratches &
black tongue ( they called it) & with a scarcity
of food for them. Dr. Knight had just
received a notice that a resignation which
he had forwarded was accepted. Lan is
therefore captn. of the company. Stith
Bolling is the only officer with the
company. Indeed the only one they have
except Lan. Wm Atkinson was without
a horse & wishes to start home after one soon
and to brin carry Lan’s with him wh:
had such a sore foot that I advised him
not to attempt it until his foot was
better.
     We have had proposed to turn our
company into horse-artillery & joint the s
cavalry brigade – our Captn. declined that
offer.
     I got from Richmond about a
week ago, the box wh: mother sent me –
before I left Richmond – the sweet potatoes was
all that was in a sound state save the
whisky Brandy – they were very fine – The

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brandy was also very good – I thought
as good as I ever tasted; & better judges
than I am pronounced it very fine.

Morning of Nov 11th
     My Dear Father we are about to
send into town this moment & I must
close to send by this opportunity – for
the last four days we have had to
keep our horses harnessed & hitched
ready to move at any moment. Here
is: h  Every thing is quiet this morning
however. My best love to all –
          In haste most affle.
                         W. H. Perry Jr.

William H. Perry, Richmond Howitzers

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 7786-d

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