Augusta: William Brand to Kate Armentrout, May 29,
1862
Summary:
William describes his Brigade's movements in the Valley, recent battles, and
their reception in Charlestown, (West) Virginia.
Miss Amanda C. Armentrout
Greenville
Augusta County
Virginia
May 29th 1862
Camped near Charlestown Virginia
Dear Kate
I received your kind letter some time ago I suppose
you think I have forgotten you entirely as I have been so long in answering your
letter. Indeed we have hardly had time to wash our clothes for the past two months. You seemed to think when you wrote to me
last that the Valley was almost gone but thanks to
Almighty God we have been able to drive them out there
is some in Harpers ferry yet we attacked them on the 23rd & have been
fighting less or more every day since. We have entirely
routed [unclear: Banke] Army. I think that we have taken about 3
thousand Prisoners
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all their
Baggage & government stores our Brigade was ordered to Charlestown yesterday. We
left Winchester early in the morning & marched eighteen miles by the
middle of the day the enemy
were drawn up in line of battle & opened fire on
our skirmishers we run up four or five pieces of artillery & fired on them. They fired
five times & commenced retreating throwing off
their
blankets canteens & haversacks. We run them for four or five miles the boys say we run
them into their den in the ferry. We captured fifteen
prisoners they fired some large guns this morning. We
could see the smoke they seemed to be on the Virginia
heights & the hills of Boliven. I expect we will we will march on them this evening as
two more brigades came down this morning.
I never seen people so rejoiced as we come in one end of Charlestown & the enemy going out of the other the people cheered us & told us that their doors were open & ready to receive us the ladies asked us why we did holler we told them it was against orders, thay said we we will do the hollering & your all will do the fighting. The citizens kept asking where was Jackson we told them we left him in Winchester we cheered General Winder yesterday for the first time the men do not like him much because he is so strict. The merchants have a full stock of Good & sell them cheap I think coffee is a [illeg.] per pound sugar[deleted: s] the same there is plenty of all kinds of Goods.
I must bring my letter to a
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close as we have orders to move. My health is not very good at present
[deleted: but] on account of a very bad cold. I hope this may find you
enjoing the blessings of health
nothing more but remain your true & untiring friend
WFB
P.S. you will please write soon
