Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, May 10,
1863
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes the battle of Chancellorsville and its aftermath, death toll and
prisoners taken. He reports that General Jackson's condition is worse, and that he is near
death. He comments briefly on affairs at home.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Sunday May 10 th 1863
Camp near Battle Field of Chancellorsville
My Dear Wife:
Your letter of the 5
th
came to me today & though I have written to you twice since the battles began I
will write again now lest I may not have time to write for several days to come, as I shall be
very busy making a map of the battlefield by the order of Gen Lee -- I moved up here on Friday,
so as to be near my work & shall stay here until done, several days -- I am glad you
are getting along so well & hope you may thus continue, I am glad too that you will
have a Bible Class to teach, it will occupy your lonely Sunday time & furnish you
excellent food for thought. I got your letter about the Lindsey property and took no more
thought about it, as I do not wish any place you do not like, and as you say you are very
comfortably located where you are and I am glad you are getting along so well & all are
disposed to be kind to you -- I like the people of C -- as you well know & am sure they
will deal kindly with you -- I am also gratified that you do not have needless alarms about me
-- I shall go where duty calls, but shall not rashly expose myself to danger -- but the charmed
circle in which General Jackson and his staff moved is broken & the break was a heavy
one -- and today it is feared that Gen. Jackson has reached his last days, pneumonia has
attacked him, debilitated by his wound, and his physicians think the chances for his recovery
are very poor -- but I do pray Heaven to spare him, unless in the wise counsels of eternity, he
has accomplished the end for which he was created -- he said himself that he did not doubt but
it was for the wisest of purposes that he lost his arm as the revelations of Eternity would
show, The smoke of battle has cleared away and we now see what we have done -- & can only hope for the results -- We have severely punished Hooker
& his immense army -- his loss in killed, wounded, & prisoners, can not be much
less than 20000, we fought him over a space of country 15 miles long & 5 wide, having
some 5 or 6 distinct battles with him & he did not gain an advantage in one of them,
though
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we had many valuable men killed & wounded -- . The fact is that as
soon as we flank them they become panic stricken & no amount of leadership can avail
them -- they have been so often whipped that they always begin half whipped, and give up at
light reverses -- though they bray and bluster and are going to do wonders -- we fell on their
rear unexpectedly and they say one of their Corps ran at the first fire -- We hear today that
Lincoln has called out the militia of the North, fearful of an invasion, now that his best army
on the planet", has been demoralized. Let them come on, nothing will end the war sooner, come
it must that they have fighting at home and when that begins they will let us alone &
peace will come -- we hear also that armed men have been sent to various parts of the West to
enforce order & collisions must ensue If there is any spirit of freedom left there they
must resist -- if they do not I hope they may be enslaved -- The details of the battles you
will get form the papers. I am thankful you found out about Nelson's woman, tell him to hire
her out -- he will let you have the cupboard though he had thought of moving it & if
you can spare one of the little stoves le him have it as he lacks fire places, do as you think
best about that and arrange to your own liking -- I should be intensly gratified to come home,
but there is no earthly chance -- we have only commenced our active operations & they
will be active. I am very well -- have money for you when I am near a Post Office to send. Love to all -- write often & God bless you --
your loving husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
