Augusta County: George W. Baylor to Mary C. Baylor,
October 1, 1861
Summary:
George Baylor writes to his sister Mary about his company's movements and
skirmishes near Alexandria.
Sept [deleted: the 31] 1861 Oct the 1 1861
Fairfax Co Va
Dear Sister
I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at
this time. I received your note the other day and was very glad to get it. We
just got back to camp yesterday evening we went
down on picket today week ago, we could see Arlington
heights from Masons hill; we could see the Capitol
at Washington and the steeple at Alexandria and all their breast works, they surely
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have it fortified. We could see the steam boats going on the river be
low Washington. The river is a mile wide it was four miles from us to the river.
We would go on picket in the morning and stand until the next morning and had
about ten on one post, we were in sight of their picket often but we didn't shoot
not they didn't - friday night about ten oclock we got
orders to to bring in the pickets and fall back about a mile to a little town
named Annandale and we stayed there till in
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day light very near in the morning and then we came about three miles
farther back to [unclear: Secutank] crick at the border and there was a
brigade of Mississippians throwing our breast
works and the next morning we came back to Camp. we could see their old Balloon go out every morning and evening it looked as large as a tent and as white.
I don't know what we fell back for without it is to get
them away from their breast works out toward ours; President Davis came here to [unclear:
Fairfax
] yesterday evening but I
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have
not saw him yet. I would like to have a pair of socks or two be fore long if you could send them, and a pair of drawers. I don't know whether to have a new pair or not the
boots that are at home have some holes in the leg and they would not do me much
good, for I would like to have a good pair. I think that I will send my measure the next time I write. I must stop writing for
this time, for it is time to put on a [unclear: doger] for dinner. Mat and Cal has not been
well for a few days. Tell Dave that I want some of his water millions. I want
you to write soon as you can.
G. W. Baylor to Mary C. Baylor
