Augusta County: Jesse Rolston, Jr., to Mary Rolston, May 9, 1863
Summary:
Rolston describes the bloody battle of Fredericksburg.
May the 9th 1863
Camp Hamilton Crossing
Deare and affection companion
i seat my to inform you that I am on the land amongst the live whilst many of my fellow soldier has fallen and gone never to return. my health is good and I thank my god for it and hoping that this may find you and all of our family, enjoying the same blessing and all of our friends and relations. I haven't heard from any of our relations since the battle.
from what i can learn this battle has been one amongst of the hardest
battles that has been fought yet. we moved
back to our old camp last night and we feel
like we was at home since we don't
hear and see the bombshells falling in
our ranks, although if i could be in old
Augusta o how much better satisfied I would be
where i could be with you and the children and hearthem pratel and i feel now like if i was at home a with you i could talk. well, i don't
know how much more though than i can write now. i do pray that we all may soon get home.
i do think that this ought to do for all men to quit fighting
both north and south east or west and settle
it up some other way. fighting never will settle it. we have been in line of battle for the last nine days and nights with orders to be
ready at a moments warning for we did not know how soon the enemy would
advance on our lines. we have or had been exposed to the enemies cannon all the time but there was only four killed and seven wounded out of our regiment and i thank god for
his mercy and i pray that it may be his will not to cut any more down by balls and hope that he may see fit to stop this terrible
war but o god thine will be done. our division was left here to hold the
yanks at Fredericksburg which we did. 20 thousand crossed over along
the banks the river but they didn't venture to our fortifications. we was too well fixed for
them there. we had
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some 4 or 5 thousand in all. the balance
of the army marched some 12 miles above here
where the main body of the yankees army
was acrossing the river and there's
where the greatest
slaughter was. General Jackson lost his
left arm in that fight. we regret the loss of our general very much but
pray that god may be with him and protect in time of need but if god
spares General Lee i think he will lead them yanks where they won't like to go. we have taken many prisoners from
them and killed wounded many. their great General Hooker was wounded with the rest. i don't
know what the loss is on either side but it is very heavy. that i know. i will write as soon as i can find out the particulars. it is thought that the yankees
is a leaving from their old position on the other side of the river but
they don't
know
where they are a going. i dont think they will try this place again
soon. it don't pay. i talked with some of the wounded and they are 40
thousand of them that their time is out may and they won't
volunteer for no price nor they won't
fight no more. home is their place. if all men
would do that what a joyful time it would be. i hope it may come to
pass soon as i won't have a chance to send for a day or 2.
i will wait until then before i close.
Jesse Rolston
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Amanda Jane you must be a good girl and mind what your mother
tell you to do. Elizabeth Susan I want you to do what your mother tells you. don't get mad and you be a good girl.
Emanuel C I want to you to mind when mother tells to [do] thing go and do it. feed the pigs water the chickens pick up the chips and wood. Joseph Asbury you must
mind nute [Newt] when Manda Betty Manuel goes for the cows. the you
help Manuel with the pigs. Sarah write a few to me about the news in
your part of the country all about it. lots of boys out here I tell
you they is.
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write to me as soon as you can. send some envelopes if you can. Mary C Rolston
