Augusta County: Thomas M. Smiley to His Sister, January 10, 1862
Summary:
Thomas M. Smiley describes troop movements in the mountains of Morgan County during bad
weather and a brief confrontation with Yankees at the county seat, Bath. They are moving
towards winter quarters.
sister
[1862 Jan 10] Jany 10th
Camp near crossroads Morgan Co
Dear Sister
As it has been almost three weeks since I wrote to you I will try and write a few lines to
you this [unclear: morning] to let you know that I am well and getting along pretty
well considering the hardships we have had to go through with since the commencement of the
present year We left camp Stephenson on New year's day and since that we have been almost
constantly on the march and when night came we had to lay down without our tents in the snow
and rain We marched to Bath the County seat of morgan and was five days in getting there. The
first snow we have seen this winter fell on us the third night while we were laying on the side
of one of Morgans Numerous mountains
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And after that we marched on a solid sheet of ice the wagons running on the road packed down the snow and
it got so icy a person could hardly stand on his feet the horses falling down wagons sliding
off the road and breaking to pieces there was several men slipped down and broke their legs and
arms there was a great many horses killed and crippled not so many in our brigade but in those
that came from Western Virginia they are weak and poor and can not stand much hardship we drove
the enemy out of Bath took 24 prisoners killed and wounded 8 or ten took their commissary stores &c we got about 6-or 8000 dollars worth of
property our success would have been much greater had it not
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been for some militia we had along with us 2 regiments of them run
from some 25 Yankees and their general in the first place disobeyed orders throwing the whole
plan wrong he has [deleted: been] been placed under arrest by Gen Jackson. If the
Militia had done right we would have captured the whole [deleted: plac] force baggage
and every thing they had and made a complete disaster to the enemy We are camped at the cross
roads where we can go to four different places we do not know where we are going to some thinks
we are going to romney and some to Martinsburg-while others suppose we are going to Winchester
we will probably take winter quarters when we get back if the weather is very rough
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you say to let you know whether I want a pair of over socks I do
not know that I want them as I have not wore the other ones any yet my boots are most too tight
with them on Tell pa that he need not be uneasy about my enlisting for the war as I have not
had any idea of it yet there is a bill up in Congress now for the purpose of keeping the twelve
month volunteers in service during the whole war but I do not know whether it has passed or not
our regiment are all wanting to go home when their term expires as they do not like their
officers but I must close as my paper is out Write soon
nothing more at present but remain your brother
T M Smily
Crossroads Jan 10th
