Augusta County: Isaac N. Smith to Colonel G. Q.
Tompkins, June 10, 1862
Summary:
Smith ponders the nature of war and analyzes the current state of military
affairs. He fears Richmond will fall, and he discusses the activities of
Confederate and Union forces in Virginia, as he reviews the strategies of
several Generals, including Jackson, McClellan, Fremont, and others. Smith also
discusses the difficulty of communicating with his family.
Colonel C. Q. Tompkins
June 10/1862
Folly Farm (near Staunton)
Dear Colonel -
So far from adding anything to my despondency, your letter was a source of gratification & satisfaction - Your sentiments harmonize more nearly with mine, than those of anyone else, & I read your statement of occurrences & remarks upon them, with a consciousness that I am reading truths, & not monstrous exaggerations- The utter disregard for truth, which permits both sides in every contest great or small, to claim a magnificent victory; & for justice, which aggravates every slight irregularity on either side, into a monstrous outrage & crime, illustrates forcibly the degrading tendency of the war - an approach to truth may be attained from the public prints [added: only] by a careful study of details in the accounts of both sides, & deducing conclusions - upon general statements nothing can be founded
Upon general principles I am led to believe Richmond must fall. Time is all a
besieging force of appropriate numbers needs, & that time has been
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given in a great measure. McClellan's
reconnaisances have been sufficiently complete for more than a week or ten days,
to admit of definite plans & arguments, doubtless now in course of
prosecution. Except the battle of Seven Pines, we have read of no engagement
near Richmond, & I am satisfied the Yankees have not been idle. I am
forced to conclude also that the "Seven Pines" is wholly without other than
moral effect. The Yankees were doubtless somewhat worsted, but its [added: effect] bears such a proportion to the fate of
Richmond, as a skirmish among [unclear:
pickets
] to an impending battle between [deleted: opposing]
contiguous armies. I am also so perfectly satisfied that the Confederate [added: generals] have already done, & are
still doing everything that can be done in the premises, as to make that fact an
important consideration in my conclusions. If they could have done so, they
would certainly have before this joined battle in full force, & thus
[added: have] adopted perhaps the only means of
saving the city. Whilst I am writng this may have already been done, but we
heard nothing of it.
I know you have mourned with me over the
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losses of our regiment at
Lewisburg. My first information was that poor Thompson [deleted: was
killed] and Colonel Patton's brother were killed,
and that Rand was left lying in the field with a broken arm. These things
shocked me greatly, & I have been greatly relieved to learn that my
information was not correct. We have though to mourn some [added: good] men, Lieutenant Tom Mason formely "orderly" of Barker's Company was killed- he was a very worthy man. [unclear:
Captain
] Chase & Lieutenant Johns (formerly 1
st
Lieutenant & orderly) of Lipscombe's Company were also killed, Except one of the privates Chenning) of the
Riflemen these are [added: all of] the fatal
casualties I have learned Thompson's other eye was
badly shot, & being badly stunned by the Shock, he was left for dead
upon the battlefield - Rand was [added: not wounded but] taken prisoner in Mason Matthews house
- I am glad of it - he will now at least be out of danger & can see his
friends. - The regiment is said to have behaved handsomely, they had the post of
honor (the right flank), & drove the enemy before them as far down as
Mason Matthews house; the [illeg.] repulse & flight of the left
made it necessary for them to retreat but they were so far in advance, as to
make their escape
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with great difficulty, & not without severe
loss as the Yankees had nearly closed in behind them. I get this information
from Captain Ruby who has recently written me. You [deleted: have]may have heard it long since - I have a warm affection for [deleted: ] the regiment, & whilst I rejoice over their gallantry I
deeply mourn their losses
I can tell you little or nothing [illeg.] of news here, On Sunday [deleted: ] cannonading was heard here. On yesterday morning (Monday) I
heard with great distinctness heavy cannonading, very frequent &
somewhat continued - We learn the fight on Sunday was Ewell's force with part of
Jackson's old command, engaged with Fremont & Rosecrans' forces between
Port Republic & Harrisonburg. On yesterday Jackson fought Shields' near Port Republic - Shields came up the
Valley from Front Royal on the East side of the South Fork of Shenandoah,
& the battle took place on that side - Jackson attacking. To tell the
results of these two engagements is a different matter. I hear that the
Confederates were victorious in both, - the following are some of the accounts.
The rumor before the fight on Sunday morning was that
Jackson & staff had been captured at their headquarters (this was false
of course) - Sunday evening "Enemy badly whipped took
18 cannon" "Enemy [unclear: do] took three cannon"-[deleted: Monday
morning" Ewell whipped Fremont] "Enemy [unclear: do]" took
everything Shields had" (Shields army at that
time not engaged) - Monday morning "Ewell [deleted: whipped] &
whipped & routed Fremont"- etc., etc., etc. Monday evening "Jackson routed Shields, Shields
retreating & blocking the road behind him" - Last evening late it was
reported Fremont was crossing the North river at a ford between Port Republic
"The Valley Turnpike, & it is certain that the bridge across the river
at Port Republic was burned by [deleted: --- Jackson ---] the
Confederates - A victory followed by the [deleted: retreat] falling
back of the victorious army, & the destruction of the only bridge left
in the Valley, is certainly not a remarkable success. The bridge you will see by
reference to a recent [illeg.], across Middle river just before its
junction with
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the South fork of Shenandoah river. Ewell fought
somewhere along the road from Port Republic to Harrisonburg, & must have
fallen back for he would scarcely have burned the bridge behind him. An
additional fact is [added: that] sick &
wounded etc. are being removed from Staunton by
order of Jackson - it is also said that Jackson received a regiment or two
reinforements on yesterday, & more are expected today. These are reports which have reached me distilled through many
brains & lips. You can study them for yourself I can draw no conclusions
I have abandoned all hope of receiving any letters from my wife & sister. My efforts to get them aided as I have been by kind friends have been [unclear: unavailing]. My family have not heard from me either. The Federal officer at Charleston burned my last letter which reached them [added: in February] Colonel Patton thought the last which I wrote improper & did not feel authorized to send it - on neither side therefore have we received letters for many months. The short letter I have received from my mother who seemed too much affected to write news.
My kindest regards to all of your family & believe me very truly
Your friend
Isaac N Smith
