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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.



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