Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, July
25, 1863
Summary:
Hotchkiss briefly describes a small battle at Front Royal, the weather, and a Sunday's
rest.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Saturday July 25 th 1863
Camp Near Luray
My Dear Sara:
I have not heard from you for a long time & have written to you several times, but I
know, with your accustomed thoughtfulness, you have written to me many times & in our
moving about the letters have turned by the wayside & I can only blame the carriers for
my want of sweet missives from My lone dove at home -- We went down to Martinsburg last Tuesday
hoping to buy a party of Yankees under Kelly, but they got wind of our movement & lift
so we came back & followed after the rest of the army to Front Royal, there the enemy
attempted to oppose our going across the ridge, but we moved out and gave three of their corps
a fight with one Division of ours & drove them back until we passed by & then
they came down to Front Royal -- & we came up to the place and will be here over
Sunday, our men need rest badly -- we had 45 killed & wounded in our little fight at
Front Royal
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I know not where we may have to go, it depends on the movement of the
Yankee army - but we are bound for one the Ridge to some place, to put ourselves in the way of
Meade's advance
Sunday July 26
th
They moved up to the foot of the Mt. yesterday, 3 miles from Luray and
there rest for the holy Sabbath & it is a lovely morning, giving promise of a joyous
day for inanimate nature, for it rained hard last night, with thunder & lightning
& tempered the fervent heats of the past few days, laid the dust & worked the
face of creation -- we shall all enjoy this much needed rest, animals as well as men, and then
the pasturage here is very fine. I saw Sam Chapman yesterday, he said his mother was very low,
could hardly survive -- I hope my bundle has reached you by this time -- and I hope too I
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may soon hear from you, I have not heard in so long that I feel quite uneasy -- Lt.
Smith goes up today & I send this horrid note by him -- I am in excellent health, thank
a kind Providence, and doing very well, only earnestly wishing that this war may cease
& I permitted to return once more, but still I am for fighting this war out, and hope
it may not last long -- Smith is going & I must close -- Good bye & God bless
you all Write soon my love
Your Affectionate husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
I enclose Forty Dollars, which you may need --
