Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, August
16, 1861
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes his continued search for a permanent appointment with the army, the
presence of Yankees in Virginia, and discusses the treatment of sick soldiers by women.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Friday Night -- Aug. 16th 1861
Huntersville, Pocahontas Co. Va
My Ever Dear Wife. --
I was certain when Mr. Bear left that I should write to you the next day & was almost
as certain that I should get home this week, but it seems to be my duty to be here rather than
where inclination would lead me, to my "loved ones at home" -- I hope you will be of good cheer
and not repine or complain because I do not come, for I want to come badly enough -- heaven
well knows -- but then I owe a duty to my country that I must discharge that she may be enabled
to put the shield of her protection over my family & enable me and them to spend some
portion of our days in peace & at least transmit to our posterity freedom -- of thought
& of action -- Our men moved Tuesday to the top of the Alleghany & the men that
were there moved ten miles further to
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Yeager's -- I had an interview with Gen.
Jackson & he wished me to continue to work for him on the map -- the duty by which he
had assigned me, but he had not the power to assign me any rank and could only keep me at work
as a common soldier, and I had not the least inclination to be changed to such a duty as that I
was discharging from a higher rank & then only to be classed as a common soldier, so I
had concluded to come home & try and go to Richmond and secure a place in the regular
engineer Corps, by the appointment of the Pres. but Jackson thought I would accomplish my end
better by going to see Gen. Lee & get him to recommend my appointment -- so he gave me
a very flattering letter to Gen. Lee & after working until Thursday noon in Monterey I
packed up my tent &c & left them in Mr. Stevenson's care & I came over
to the top of the Alleghany in an ambulance that was coming over -- saw all the boys that were
there encamped, for a few moments -- Capt. Lilley had just got his banner back from Staunton
where they sent it to be fitted up -- as it got somewhat rumpled during the retreat -- and I
also ate a tomato that the Capt gave me -- it was capital -- then I found Dr. Butcher, who had
kindly agreed to bring me in his gig to where Lee is -- the Mingo Mt -- at the head of Tygart's
Valley River -- & so we started on down towards this place at 4 pm -- he brought me 8
miles, to his brother in law's -- F. Arbogast's -- where I was treated splendidly -- ate
& slept gloriously -- the 3rd time I have slept in a bed
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since I left home -- lots of blackberry pies, eggs &c she served us to -- her
husband -- (we did not find Mr. A. at home.) is Captain of the Militia of Pocahontas - - and
they are kept as scouts in Cheat Mt -- Mrs. A cooks all the provisions for his company -- she
is a whole souled woman -- they have some chubby children -- they made me think of home -- Dr.
Butcher lives at Huttonsville and he had to leave there when we came through -- his wife was
sick -- had just been confined -- he has 4 children there -- one of his little girls had come
over a few days before for a visit to her aunt here -- and now she is cut off from her mother
-- she was close to her father all the while he was there & felt very badly when we
left today -- The Dr. heard from his home a few days ago -- the Yankees had taken all his books
-- horses grain carriage &c and they have sent away, in irons every Secessionist they
can find, tho' they invited a good many of them to come back
& McClellan wrote to Dr. B. to come back, but as soon as they got any of them back they
shut them up -- quite a good many got away lately -- they say there are not more than 8000
Yankees in W. Va -- and they are very much scared -- many of them are sick -- after they heard
of the battle of Manassas they sent home the 8 bands they had at Beverly
We come on this morning towards this place, passing through to Green Bank, where I saw
[unclear: Donaghe] & Francisco -- two of the C. Cav -- who had been out to Cheat on a scout -- we stopped at Mr. R. McCatchen's for
dinner -- a cousin to Bob that used to go to school to me -- by the way Bob is a Union man
& is now at Beverly -- married to a woman that ruled him into such a course -- There
were some 20 sick at Mr. McCatchen's & the old lady was seeing to them all -- she is
the only angel of mercy I have seen & Miss Ewins at McDowell is the only other one I
have heard of in all this N.W. country -- more of the men have
died for the want of nurses & proper
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diet than any other cause -- the women
here flee away from the army instead of coming to its aid & cheering up the men by
their presence -- there are enough of them here but they seem to think it indelicate or beneath
them -- or something -- I do not know what -- to take care of the sick soldiers -- there are a
great many sick here -- I can hear them groan here where I am from the upper story of the
tavern which is converted into a hospital -- We met with an accident and shall be detained here
part of tomorrow -- a wagoner was driving heedlessly along & did not turn out as he
ought and we had to get on a bank to avoid his wheels -- and that threw all the weight on one
wheel & it broke down -- every spoke broke -- but we pounded it together &
walked the last mile & got here just before night -- there are 3 Regiments here -- one
from Ga. a Tenn --
[unclear: one] under the command of Gen. Donalson --the one that ran for Vice Pres.
& one Va -- there are some 8 or 10000 with Lee, 28 miles from here -- where I hope to
get tomorrow -- then I shall know what I shall do. I hope you got the sugar &c I sent
you & hope they were acceptable -- try & keep in good spirits & get
along the best you can & I hope I shall soon get home & get all things arranged
-- write to me to Monterey -- for I shall go back there in a day or so -- we expect a battle in
Tygart's Valley every day -- Any quantity of love for you & the children -- remember me
to Allie & other enquiring friends
Truly Your aff husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
I am longing to get home -- and if I get an appointment I shall not accept until after a visit home -- Capt. Lilley presented me with a pair of Green flannel waist bands -- wide they are very nice & comfortable -- write often -- I will send you some money or bring it early next week -- I cannot find any thread above No. 40
