Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss,
September 21, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss relates the battle of Sharpsburg (at Antietam Creek), and gives his thoughts on his
daughter's education.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Sunday Sept. 21st 1862
Near Martinsburg Va.
My Dear Wife:
After long waiting I at last heard from you a few days ago -- got your letter of the 6th inst. -- I have written to you since the victory at Harper's Ferry since
then has been fought the bloodiest & hardest fought battle of the war, near Sharpsburg
on the Antietam Creek in Maryland in which nearly our entire army was engaged with McClellan's.
The enemy began the attack and we repelled them and drove them back with great slaughter,
especially on our left wing, which was commanded by Gen. Jackson, and on the right where A.P.
Hill commanded, our center was not as well sustained & gave back some & there
our loss was greatest -- We had many thousand killed & wounded but most of our loss was
in wounded, slight wounds, though we lost many valuable men -- Gen. Starke, Gen. Branch
& others were killed - - We held the battle ground -- The fight raged from 4 in the
morning until 9 at night -- we took 3 or 400 prisoners & many small arms We occupied
the battle field the next day and refused to let the enemy come to bury the dead &c,
though they asked the privilege three times, which showed plainly who had the advantage -- both
parties were too much exhausted to renew the fight -- we spent Thursday in collecting our
wounded, burying our dead &c & that night we quietly left Maryland, avoiding
the plan of McClellan for fighting us & compelling him to make up a new programme. It
was a night of suspense for our immense train and large body of troops had to pass the river by
one ford
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with McClellan's vast army close behind & watching our movements
-- but it was all accomplished, safely, Providence blessing us with a fog to aid us -- the
enemy did not know anything about it until all were safely over except the cavalry picket, and
it made good its escape. The movement was equal to a great victory & left us free for
new plans -- As soon as the enemy found that we had left they pursued
and planted artillery on the river bank & made quite a scattering of stragglers
&c that happened to be near -- & of wagons &c, but no damage was done I
believe, but we had batteries of the shore too and compelled them to Cave in turn -- We moved
back most of our force towards other points & left a few to guard the ford, with some
artillery & that night (Friday), the enemy came over in great force and surprised our
men & took a few prisoners, captured 4 guns & killed a few, holding both banks
of the river, but yesterday Gen. Jackson went down & pitched into them and slaughtered,
captured & scattered all that were on this side. It is reported that 1700 dead bodies
of them floated down the stream and we took 60 -- The Yankees have the greatest fear of Gen.
Jackson, and if they know that he is after them they think they had better give up at once.
We came up yesterday to Martinsburg and then out to Opequon Creek, where we are taking
Sunday, the first one in some time. Part of our troops are still in Maryland, at Williamsport,
and we may go there again
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any day -- in fact I think we will go there tomorrow if
the army gets together -- though I do not know. I hope to soon get leave to come home and fix
up for winter, get some clean new clothes &c -- and fix for your supplies -- I cannot
conjecture when my turn may come but Providence has always favored me and I trust in Him for
good with an unswerving faith -- I am glad that Nelly is getting along so well with her studies
-- try and have her think & know what she is doing, and do not, by any means, exercise
her memory at the expense of her reasoning faculties -- avoid making a mere memorizer -- of her
-- and do not let her have too much on hand at once -- lest she become weary of study --
especially cultivate in the children unanswering obedience -- I think no excellence can equal,
in children, the crowning one of respectful and cheerful obedience.
I am very sorry that Mrs. Baylor takes to heart so much the loss of her husband. It is well
to grieve for the dead, but half the pang is removed when one dies as Baylor died, at the head
of his troops -- bearing the colors & cheering them on when he was met by a volley from
a whole regiment of the enemy -- One of the Louisiana Regiments in the
Wednesday's fight, had 10 color bearers killed, 5 wounded
& had 144 bullet holes through the flag -- they passed through a storm of fire
literally -- I have some nice paper, envelopes &c for you & Allie & the
other girls if I can ever send
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them -- Tell Nelly shall have some gilt edged paper
to write on if she will learn to write and send me a letter I will write to her when she gets
so she can read writing, I hope little Anna is growing finely & will soon get hearty
enough to think of learning her letters -- I have a pretty little pair of shoes for her
& also for Nelly - find out what the size of Allen's foot is and I will buy him a pair
of shoes -- I got some fulled cloth for a suit of clothes for myself and some for Allen.
I must get some clothes out of my box and fix up some for variety's sake - - I may fill this up by & by -- May God bless you all
Your affectionate husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
