Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Nelson H. Hotchkiss, May
20, 1863
Summary:
Hotchkiss gives his brother a description of recent military action: a series of battles that
saw both his tent-mate killed and General Jackson wounded.
Nelson H. Hotchkiss
May 20th 1863
Head Quarters 2 Northern Virginia Corps Army of Northern Virginia
My dear Brother:-
I have been too amiss in writing to you and replying to your last letter but I was very much engaged, as you may well suppose, during the many days of fighting that we have had and if possible I have been more busily employed since, having received orders the very day the fight ended to make a map of the battlefield, involving a necessity for a survey of the Wilderness, in which we fought, and my toes have been well blistered and my face well sunburned by the heat and exercise of last week. I got back to our quarters yesterday and avail myself of this evening to do a duty to you so long delayed. I supposed from your letter that you would very soon go over to the Valley and so my letter would not reach you at Howardsville and you would hear of my safety as soon as you got to Churchville. Though spared myself it seems lonely and desolate here; my tent mate and well beloved friend, Capt. Boswell was instantly killed and our revered and adored Commander is gone too. His aids have left also and only two or three of the "Old Staff" are here and though we all know and like and admire General A.P. Hill, who commands our Corps, still it is not as of old. The singular but good and great man that directed everything and stamped a peculiar character upon it is no longer at his post and everything wears an altered and lonely look, but such is earth and such are earthly things.
We had a terrible battle or series of battles. We first occupied the same place that we did
at the first battle; the enemy crossing over a large force there, but General Lee knew that was
only a blind and as soon as the body of them crossed the river above and was coming down to our
flank we left a protecting force in front and
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went up to meet them, fought them
until they had concentrated; then General Jackson moved some 9 miles around to the rear of them
and fell on them unawares and routed and threw them into confusion and drove them some two
miles when night came on, and in the confusion General Jackson was wounded; our men thrown into
confusion by the breastwork of the enemy and the trees they had felled and there the fight was
stayed for the night. General A.P. Hill being disabled by a bruise from a shell General Stuart
came and took command and got the forces in order during the night and in the morning by ten
o'clock had taken the heights which the enemy had occupied with his heavy force and fortified,
defending it with 70 pieces of artillery. Our men behaved gallantly, never giving away in
confusion, but when forced to fall back on account of the thick woods which prevented the
advance of the line and gave advantages to the enemy they did it slowly and sullenly and at
once reformed and pressed forward, driving the enemy at last from their stronghold and
compelling them to go back with a heavy loss which would have been much greater if the country
had been opened but the dense masses of pines and the broken character of the country made it a
difficult matter to follow them with an organized force, and only such a one is safe when an
enemy has such numbers.
I am still at the same headquarters. General A.P. Hill is in Command of this Corps and I may stay here; I suppose I shall.
There is one of the small stoves at Dr. Wilson's which you can get and then you will have
the one in your dining room and if you want another I will try and fix for one for you before
you need it. If you want the cup-
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board don't deprive yourself of it. It was only in
expectation that you would sell it that I spoke of it. I will find you a boy if I can. Sara has
concluded that she cannot stand your woman after her performances in regard to Allie, so you
had better hire her out at an advance which you can to some one that can manage her. I will
find you a boy if I can but am kept very busy here by business. Write to me soon and I will not
postpone so long. My love to all,
Your affectionate brother,
Jed.
