Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, August
3, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes the Confederate camp at Mechanicsville, especially the surrounding
countryside and the availability of supplies. He relates news of a skirmish, and reports that
the Confederate forces are expanding in numbers.
Mrs. Sara A. Hotchkiss
Churchville
Augusta Co
Va.
Maj. Bell will please
forward & oblige
J.H.
Aug. 3 1862
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Sunday Morning, Aug. 3rd 1862
My Dear Wife:
In the quiet of this lovely sabbath morning my thoughts revert to my home and the loved ones
there, and I can not refrain from writing you a few lines more, though all things invite to
rest after the fatigue of a week, in which I have closely kept my tent, hard at work, all the
time, preparing maps for future use -- if not immediate. We moved last Tuesday, from our camp 4
miles N.E. of Gordonsville, on the road towards Orange Court House to
a camp at Mechanicsville 6 miles S.W. of Gordonsville, where we are now. This is a very
pleasant region, sparsely settled, but having some very fine farms in it, and one from which we
can draw some supplies, though at extravagant rates -- potatoes $5, onions $4. Butter $1. Eggs
$1 &c, war prices sure enough, but then we must live, and nothing is as good for the
fatigues of a soldier's life as a hearty diet, nothing so good to keep off disease. We are in
the grove of an old church, (the new one only a few steps off), under the shade of venerable
trees and not far from good water -- the enemy is about 12 miles from us, and we enjoy
comparative quiet, though there was a skirmish of Cavalry at Orange Court House yesterday, in which we had two killed and several taken prisoners, and also
killed and took several of the enemy, driving and being driven in turn through Orange Court House I received your last letter, the
one of last Sunday, in good time, and have thought, daily, of writing, but, as I said before, have been more than usually busy. I am very sorry your old
complaint has come on you, but hope it will not continue, be very careful and do not exert
yourself in the hot sun, as that aggravates it. We are all very much incensed at Pope's
atrocious orders, and hope the day of retribution may soon come to him & his vile crew.
Our ranks are filling up with conscripts from the Carolinas, Georgia
&c, and we have some reinforcements, so we are safe from any force that may be sent
against us, and may take the offensive if the powers that be shall so ordain. I wish you would
put up, carefully, in a small box, my bottle of Blue Ink and send it to me through Maj. Bell.
Fix it up so it will not break, for it is very precious -- no more to be had. If the bottle is
half full keep some of it in another bottle. Pope will [illeg.] are tired of that game.
[page 2]
Our forces are augmenting and I suppose a blow will be struck somewhere -- Morgan
telegraphed to Gen. A. P. Hill, here, a day or two ago, that he took 10000 stand of arms and
destroyed 15 millions worth of property in his late raid, and that he went to within 4 miles of
Cincinnati -- a pity he had not gone there and burnt the
accursed hole up --
The doctors are a hard crew generally, but it was thought the Staunton hospital was very well managed -- many of the men at Staunton have been brought away, and our sick in Charlottesville have been removed to Lynchburg. I will buy you the things you speak of if I can find them -- you will have to send to Staunton & buy Sugar there, for it is just as dear elsewhere -- if I find any cheaper I will buy some -- Much love to all -- I am feeling very well indeed -- I shall look for my barrel of things soon -- Kisses for the wee things -- Goodbye & may God bless you all
Your affectionate husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
