Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, August
15, 1863
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes travelling over the countryside, making a map. He writes of Sunday in
camp, and the lack of battle activity at present.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
August 15th 1863
Head Quarters 2 nd Corps Orange Court House Va --
My Darling Sara:
I have just returned from an all day's ride over the roads & hills along the Rapidan
and eaten my frugal dinner of corn, beans, stewed peaches & bread, and now; just as the
glorious sun is sinking behind the distant Blue Ridge , looking at me away here in the tented
field and at you, away yonder in our quiet home, but lonely; my thoughts follow his setting
& I fain would, like Milton's Angel, ride up to the Ridge top
on one sunbeam & down to you on another, but I will do the next
best thing, write you a long letter, especially as I have so long neglected you my Love, so
long that you wrote to me first, a kind sweet letter, thus gently chiding me for my long
silence since that sweet dream of home, one day in its blissful
retreat -- but I have been so busy, but that is always the case & I will not bring that
as an excuse, though your kind heart will pardon, for you know I have daily thought of writing
& as often something has interfered. I got to Staunton
in good time the next morning, found William there, my box finished & so was fixed for
being off, but I missed my glass, but, thanks to your constant foresight, Maj. Harman brought
it safely a day or two after my return -- I found William had a bag
of vegetables at Fishersville, Miss Hamilton sitting there as guard
with her pleasant, hearty, honest face; that it does one good to get a look at -- We got to
Gordonsville in good time, a wonder for a fatality seems to attend my travelling on the cars. I
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there found Gen. Rodes, he having been up to Charlottesville a day also, to see his
poor wife, who is very low --we got a seat in the ladies car for Orange Court House an hour before the starting time & there joined
snacks and ate a hearty dinner -- I found our camp at the same place and went to work to fix up
some neglected work, but was not well the next day, the heat of the cars had almost suffocated
me & I felt quite debilitated for one day, but am now
as fat & hearty as ever -- I had not more than fairly got to work when Gen. Lee sent
for me to form one of a party of Engineers -- to make a complete map
of our front, so I had assigned to our Corps the portion west of the Railroad and up to Liberty Mills, ten miles of front, so I divided it out & took
one portion myself & have for several days been riding over my work & of
course, these hot days, after being in the broiling sun all day one feels more like sleeping
and resting than like doing anything else, so I have been naughty & waited &
waited to do what is a pleasure at any time, but the "flesh" has been too weak & I have
given way; but fell refreshed by the cool of this evening & your nice little note of
the 13th. I am glad you are again freed from the fear of an invasion
& I still think you will be spared the humiliation of being run over by the Vandals, --
I am glad your stout little heart holds up under apprehended danger & I would venture
that you would make a better soldier than 75 per cent of the stay-at-home-and- won't -- organize people & I feel a supreme contempt for those that
will not do anything for themselves --
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Sunday Morning 5 1/2 A.M. The darkness put an
end to my rambling letter, my Sweet One, yesterday, but I resume it now in the cool of this
pleasant Sabbath morning, sitting on my blanket in my night garments, early for me to be up,
yes at home, when there is some one to caress & fill the morning hours with delight,
but here when rested one feels like leaving his hard pallet. The General spends his nights away
from camp, his wife being in town -- & it has really made the old fellow look young
again, has taken away much of his former roughness of manner -- in short, in his case, as in
all other men's it is true that marriage is the natural condition of man, the one in which
there is the fullest development of his whole nature and the greatest amount of earthly bliss
to be attained when the parties thus joined are determined & willing to enjoy it
& only smile at the few clouds that will flit over any summer sky. Mr. Lacy preaches
for us at 9 A.M. at our camp, a lovely spot, a grassy hill top, in a large yard, shaded by
noble trees, with the town in full view in front & the mountains beyond -- Orange is
one of the most fertile conties I have known & it does one's
senses good to look at the luxuriant crops of corn that cover hundreds of acres in every
direction Poor little Nelly, I hope she is better now, that she has gotten well again, such
spills will come to children, but we will hope they may not be frequent and that she may become
what she promises, a strong & hearty woman I will write to her before long -- a long
letter & she must reply to it -- and so put in practice what you have so painstakingly
taught her, kiss her & my little Anna for me --
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The
fight did not come off at Brocks' Gap I believe -- O! how the world is given to lying. You will
find Mr. Wise a very good neighbor, from what I have heard of him -- I did not intend to bring
the white shirt, but I did intend to bring my shoes -- if you have a good chance you may send
my slippers -- if they are in order -- they will be more comfortable than my boots & I
have lost one of my cloth shoes -- Send them to Mr. Shoners to fire up if they need fixing
We are very quiet here, fixing to give the Yankees a reception if they come this way -- but I do not expect them for they never come where we prepare for them, and all accounts agree that Meade's Army is smaller than ever before and in no condition to make an advance, and he told a gentleman that saw him a few days ago that a battle depended on Gen. Lee rather than on him - One of our staff, Capt. Turner, was within 5 miles of Alexandria a few days ago -- was with Mosby when he made his captures a few days ago --
Our army is recruiting finely, and all are in the best of spirits, looking hopefully to the future -- The summer is passing rapidly & the Autumn must bring active operations again, & the work of blood must be resumed -- but time gained is everything to us -- for each passing day takes away one from Lincoln's term of office --
I told James Bear to get receipts to the bill of Dr. Butcher I looked at when home, & I would pay them - give them to him to get fixed.
I will send you more money in a few days, as soon as I draw my pay --
Write to me often My Darling & May the blessings of a kind Providence be with you
Your affectionate husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
