Augusta County: Tony Pastor to Annie Harris, June
11, 1862
Summary:
Pastor describes a recent battle in which his cousin and friend die, though the
battle still ends in a Confederate victory.
June 11th 1862
Browns Gap
Dear Annie
I have been waiting very patiently to hear from you, & as yet have
waited in vain, but I shall not wait any longer. I will now give you a brief
history of our fight on monday, in which we suffered more severely than in any
previous engagement. I will not say anything of the
fight on Sabbath (as we were not in it) excepting
early in the morning, our artillery repelled the enemy that were attempting to
cross at Port [unclear: Republic], after which the attack was made in
our rear upon General
[unclear: Euel], he fought
[page 2]
them hard nearly all day occupying
the field at night - the loss was heavy on both sides. On monday morning we
crossed the river & proceeded down in the direction of Swift-Run Gap,
our Train Crossing & taking the Browns Gap road, we had not proceded far
until our batteries commenced shelling a piece of
wood in which the enemy were encamped. Our batteries were soon responded to by
the enemy's, it was not long untill a [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[unclear: my]
[unclear: regiment] on [unclear: across]. [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.] to support a [unclear: battery] which position we held
for some time. We were then ordered forward (to meet
[page 3]
the enemy who
were advancing on our left) the 7th Louisiana being on our
right, we had not proceeded far until the firing
commenced which was kept up for some time, our men fighting most nobly. Regiment after regiment of the
yankees came up until our men had obliged to give way,
not however until their ammunition was nearly
exhausted. It was just about the time that our men commenced falling back that
your Cousin James fell, he fought with as much bravery as ever did any man - he
was in the act of loading at the time. John [unclear: Bonbeck] fell
about the same time. Our reinforcements came up pretty soon & it was not
long until we had them to use a vulgar
[page 4]
expression, "schedadling". we pursued them some 6 or 8 miles taking some 300
prisoners. We also took [unclear: 6] officers of their best Artillery -
Lieutenant McKeny & myself took your
Cousin James' & Bruckick's
bodies & carried them some distance up the
river thinking that we [added: might] get an
opportunity of sending them home - but the yankees came up on the opposite side,
& we were obliged to take them down the river further, we then concluded
to bury them which we did as best we could. Our Regiment lost 4 men killed & 78 wounded. Our company 2 killed
& 12 wounded. Thus ended one of the bloodiest battles that we have
witnessed. We then fell back to this place where we are perfectly safe. The
Yankees are falling back it is said [next section written upside down at top of
page] I think there is no doubt but we will be in the valley in a few days
again, & may yet be able to drive the invaders from off our soil. I
shall expect to hear from you soon.
Yours in haste
Tony Pastor
please don't show this miserably written sheet
