Augusta: William F. Brand to Amanda C. Armentrout,
September 13, 1864
Summary:
William writes to Kate of her brother being taken prisoner and transported to
Elmira, New York. He also describes the recent battle in detail with
descriptions of what befell men whom she knew.
Miss Kate Armentrout
Greenville
Augusta County
Virginia
Miss Kate Armentrout
Sept. 13th 1864
Camp Stonewall Brigade
Dear friend
I seat my self this morning for the purpose of dropping you a few lines. Yesterday the 12th we were on Picket & the enemy's
cavalry attacked us. And I am sorry to inform you
that your brother was taken prisoner, also Sargt
Hays, James Trotter, Samuel A. Lightner and James Hutcheson, we were on picket
at Waidsville on the Occoquon river one & a
half miles from Brucetown; only thirty men of the 5th Regt was there a very small force to contend with two brigades of Cavalry, We held them in check
for about three quarters of an hour. When about two Hundred charged across the
ford getting into our rear, we all clumped together
& fell back about two Hundred yards, When the cavalry that had got in our rear charged us calling loudly on us to surrender, But the little band heeded them
not but
[page 2]
continued pouring volley after
volley into their
midst, almost every shot taking
effect. one charged up within six or eight yards of me whirling his sword around
one of company D who threw down his gun & surrendered, he then called on me to surrender, the boys kept hollering to me to shoot him but unfortunatly I had
just shot out at the bulk when he rode up I pretended to
have my gun loaded & ready to shoot him if he moved. Several of the boys
fired at him & the balls coming so unpleasantly near him he whirled his horse & made tracks we soon
perceived we were getting them demoralized & we charged them, driving them
from our front, we hadn't got more than three Hundred
yds when they
were reinforced & charged us again in which our boys ware taken. They
were trying to get to a small bunch of timber; seeing
they could not reach in time they whirled & fired into
[page 3]
the
advancing foe & kept loading firing until
they
wer all mixed up with the foe, Seeing thay were overpowered & a further attempt to whip the
enemy
useless, they surrendered.
Several of our boys seen them going back under guard, all of us that made for a
deep ravine got out safe, one overtook little George Hutchison just as he got to
the ravine & ordered him to surrender George said he was almost scared
to death at the old sword whizzing around his head but he jumped into the brush
& shot the Yank dead off his horse, our loss in
killed & wounded was very light One of Comp. H was mortally wounded
& died in the evening his name was
Strausburg, a brother to the Strausburg in our band. One of Comp K. received a flesh wound in the arm. Our loss was the
heaviest in prisoners. Some twelve or fifteen from the regt. The enemy mostly used[deleted: e]
their sabers I am certain they
didn't
lose less than forty in killed & wounded.
[page 4]
Jake was enjoying very good health I hope he may meet with kind
friends & mild treatment also the rest of our unfortunate friends. Again
we are left without an officer in our Comp. It is reported that Sam Hays is on
his way down to the Comp. I think the rest of Comp. E will have to go to fort
delaware to recruit, we have Eleven here yet & I
am sure we can whip twice that number of Yanks. My health is very good & hope this may
find you enjoying the same. There has been a great deal
of wet weather down here It has been raining all morning
this is a very cold rain. It will not be very long until we will need our over
coats. I heard from both of my Brothers C is at Camp Elmira New York & J
at the hospital in Baltimore J can begin to use his arm & is enjoying
good health, I must close write soon. May heavens richest blessings shower
around thee. My love to all,
From one that think of thee often & loves thee devotedly
William
