Augusta County: Clinton Hatcher to Mary Anna Sibert, July 27,
1861
Summary:
Clinton Hatcher recounts his role in the battle at Manassas Junction in July 1861 and
relishes his next opportunity to bayonette a Yankee. He also addresses Mary Sibert's concerns
about the propriety of their correspondence and hints at his feelings.
Miss Mary A. Sibert
Mt. Solon
Augusta Co.
Va.
July 27th 1861
Camp Berkeley
Dear Miss Mary:
Your, as usually, most welcome letter was received on yesterday morning and read with unusual pleasure. We had just returned the evening before from Manassas Junction, tired and low spirited, so your letter was quite useful to cheer me up.
On Thursday before last we left our camp near Leesburg and marched down within about six
miles of the Junction; here we were kept in a continual state of alarm, we had to stand or
march in the sun all day and then sleep on our arms all night without either tents or even
blankets and were usually aroused several times during the night by alarms and compelled to
stand in line of battle until our scouts could be thrown out and ascertain
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that no
enemy were near. We had about half enough of stale bread & cold fat meat to eat not
near half enough muddy water to drink. We had become so accustomed to false alarms that on
Sunday when they drew us up in line of battle behind a hill, I had not the slightest idea that
we would get a sight of the enemy. About nine O'clock we were formed as a
reserve behind some small trees and underbrush which served to hide us without offering
us the least protection. Shot, shell and minnie balls fell round us like hail but still we were
kept in line of battle exposed to their fire without being able to return a shot until about
one O'clock when Gen. Beauregard rode up. We gave him three good hearty cheers and then turning
to Col. Hunton he said "Colonel had your regiment without a moments delay to the thickest part
of the battle."
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We came through the woods in dreadful disorder on account of the
density of the undergrowth, but as we emerged we gave a shout, so loud and terrific that the
two regiments of Yankees who had been placed there to oppose us broke and ran. We then marched
to the relief of the extreme left wing. As we came up we met the South Carolinians and
Alabamians in full retreat, they said that the day was lost and that all our men were in
confusion and retreating, but still we marched steadily on notwithstanding the storm of grape,
canister, shell and minnie balls which were flying round; when within about three or four
hundred yards of the enemies right wing we halted and took the enemies fire without being able
to return a shot until the South Carolinians and Alabamians
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formed behind us, then we charged with a shout. The enemy seeing men charging
with such alacrity when they thought their victory complete and our ranks in remediless
confusion, became frightened and ran away. We took the house which defended their right wing
and then stormed and captured the battery which had been pouring shell and shot into our ranks,
but the enemy fled so soon that the fire which we sent after them did little execution. After the battle was over we started about sunset and
marched eight miles to Manassas Junction in quick time before we
could get any thing to eat or drink. About ten minutes before we were ordered into the battle
two of our men took all the canteens of the company and started after water, they were unable
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on their return to find our regiment, so we had to fight all day and then march
eight miles without any thing either to eat or drink. Our company escaped almost miraculously
without even a man hurt, but the left wing of our regiment, behind which an Alabama ensign was
carrying his flag, his regiment having all retreated, was cut to pieces dreadfully. Seventeen
of the men in one of our companies fell the first fire.
Gen. Beauregard complimented our Regiment very much, thanked our Col. for the gallant conduct of his command and said that we had turned the tide of battle and gained the victory when the South Carolinians and Alabamians were retreating.
I have not attempted to give an
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account of the battle but only to let you know as
briefly as possible something of the part we took in it. I expect
even this has wearied you nearly to death by this time and so I will drop that subject. I am so
heartily tired of it I know as you can be, for I can't get a crowd of fellows here now to talk
of any thing else but the battle of Sunday.
My feelings while in the battle were hardly unpleasant. I believe I would soon become fond of the excitement at least I rather hope I shall be in one bayonette charge before I leave the service. Besides wanting to stick my bayonette in a Yankee I wish to see if I can feel as cool when marching on the steel as I did while the balls were whistling round me.
I never felt the whole day as if there was a possibility of a
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ball's striking me.
I had a kind of presentiment that I would not be killed.
Please excuse my writing with a lead pencil and putting you to so much trouble to read it but pens and ink have gone out of fashion in camp and are "[unclear: vavae ares]," here.
I am very sorry that Chum did not come on and join our company. I want to see him very much.
M
c
Donald's legion, consisting of some of the bravest and best men in our county left for the
neighborhood of Staunton a few days ago to check the advance of the enemy from the west. I
don't know where we will go next, but would not be surprised any morning to receive orders to
march either to Maryland or Washington "via" Alexandria. But I have already promised to
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stop talking about the war.
You say you "do not expect I care much whether I have your esteem or not". Indeed you are very much mistken. I would consider it a misfortune of unusual severity & If I lost that esteem by any misconduct of my own I could never forgive myself for the act. Do not hesitate to write as frank and candid letters as you can, they need no apology. I like your free and open style; but for my part I dare not write half that I think and feel. I am sorry that our acquaintance has really been so brief and especially that you remember that fact, for my part it seems to me that I have known you almost always.
I should be perfectly delighted if the varied fortunes of my ever changing life could once more bring me up at Mt. Solon. I love that sweet little village and more I ---- will not say.
I have been interrupted several times for roll calls and drills while writing this hasty letter and now I must close for the [unclear: nine] O'clock [unclear: drill].
Please write me another of your long interesting letters very soon and believe me ever to be your devoted and unchanging friend
Clinton
P. S. I expect to write to Chum today.
