Augusta: William Brand to Kate Armentrout, August
10, 1861
Summary:
William tells Kate about an argument in camp between her brother and one of their
friends; he includes news about several other family members and acquaintances.
He also sends her a description of the battle of Bull Run.
6 letter
Miss Amanda C. Armentrout
Greenville
Augusta
County
Virginia
August 10th 1861
Centreville Fairfax County Virginia
Dear Kate,
I received your kind and affectionate letter by Mr
Britton I was happy indeed to hear from you and to hear you were well with all the rest of your brothers and sisters. My health
is very good and hope when these
uninteresting lines come to hand you may be
enjoying the same with all the pleasure this poor world can afford. I have the
blues this morning and you must not expect as long a
letter as usual. Brother John & Tom Graham got to disputing about a very
trifling matter. John was left out of his mess to get breakfast, and it not
being ready when we came off
of drill Graham commenced cursing John when he had been
swearing as John thought long enough he told him to
stop. Graham yanked up a stick and let him have it over
the face, at that moment the Captain
interfered & sent Graham to the Guard
house. Captain told John when ever he got a chance to
give him a good whipping I am sorry the fuss
occurred but it can not be helped now. The Staunton band has came down to play for the regiment.
[page 2]
We were marched out yesterday morning
to be reviewed by the prince Napoleon. There was two brigades making ten
or twelve regiments all drawn up in line of Battle it was a magnificent view. The Prince just passed along the road. I should have
liked to have seen him; Cousin Joseph R Brand was over the other day. I think he
wears the same old face he used to wear he seems to be a very kind &
tender hearted young man he seems to be acquainted with young men all over the
State his school mates at College. We took dinner with one of his former Teachers he had a very
nice dinner such as Chicken pork and good light bread
& blackberry
jam
which we used instead of butter. I renewed Jo's acquaintance with J.P.L. Jo. said he didn't know any in our company
but your Brother, Charles & my self, he said he
never would have known me if I hadn't
laughed when I saw him. Jo.
was at fairfax Court house when the Yankees came on them & they had to
retreat back to Bulls run. Another of our old school mates was to see us, William Weeb. You would not know him for he has such a
large beard & mustache, he belongs to the Monticello Guards, has a very nice uniform. Weeb & Cousin
Jo. both belong to Brigadier General
[page 3]
Cox's brigade. I have seen both my uncles since the great Battle of bulls run.
I shall now give you a short account of the Battle.
We received orders about the dawn of day to march down to the run & to charge on a battery near our breastworks; we had been there an hour and a half when we recieved orders to, Change our position we marched about three miles north our enemies had been cannonading us for sometime at different points
at eight o'clock the attack became general. I can not describe the firing of small arms at nine o'clock our brigade was ordered to the scene of slaughter on our way we met the Staunton Artillery the men said they were almost out of ammunition and were nearly surrounded.
We advanced in quick time to support the Washington
Artillery on the right which
done
excellent sevice in the engagement. We threw down a
fence and advanced a few paces and was ordered to lay
down and incessant fire was kept up by our enemies
for about ten or fifteen minutes. I believe if we had have raised up at one time
we would have all been wounded or killed the balls seemed to range about two
feet above the ground. The regiment in advance of us
fell back in confusion but on passing our line
immediately formed again. We then were
[page 4]
ordered to advance in quick time to the old [unclear: home]
we then laid down waiting orders to fire we beg[added: ged] our officers to let us fire at a regiment
on our right but they said they were our friends
& would not let us fire on them. We then commenced firing at three or four Regiments in
front of us I gave them three rounds & then we fell back some twenty or
thirty yards & met another Regiment advancing
we went up with them some of our boys went on & never stopped at all & some had left before we went up
to the house I hollered at Sam two or three times
but he would not listen to me. When we went up the
second time that Regiment
on our right fired on us but with little effect we
returned their fire throwing them in to confusion for a
little while we all got behind the house & corn crib fences & every thing that would
shield us from their
Minie balls I got behind the crib and fired five times at them I looked round & couldn't see any of our Regiment. They had fallen back to the woods I had
got mixed with a South Carolina
Regiment & they were
now falling back I turned round and jumped over a dead man & commenced
retreating to the woods. I couldn't find my own
Regiment or at least I did not hunt long for I came
upon the fourth Alabama Regiment and laid down
beside[deleted: s] my Uncle
William Mosley one of the men was
shot on the opposite side of Uncle
William from me the men seemed
greatly excited the most of their field officers was killed in the Battle Uncle
William was not touched
Uncle John was not there he
was sick in Winchester I reckon you was at the mountain with that large crowd of
Mr Brittons he said he kissed upwards of twenty ladies & said he could
have kissed them all but he told them they were too willing & he would not kiss any more. I
should like very much to come home for a few days but it is impossible at present I must bring this scrawl to a close asking an interest in
your prayers excuse all mistakes & bad
writing.
Write soon to your devoted friend.
William F. Brand
[page 1]
You said I never wrote this
on the other letter. Received
the rose bud with the emblem &c. I hardly know what is the emblem
without it is you are too young to love if so I never knew it before
& don't believe it yet. Goodbye my ever
remembered friend
