Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, August
9, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes meeting and fighting Federal troops near Culpeper. The Confederate troops
lost one general, but took hundreds of prisoners.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Saturday Aug. 9th 1862 &c
Crooked Run church 1/2 way between Orange & Culpeper C. Houses --
My Dr. Wife:
I wrote you [illeg.] of a letter 3 days ago, expecting to finish it the next day & send it on to you, but, as in all other army doings, now or never, we were started off at dark that night, travelled most of the night, slept on my saddle blanket by the side of my horse, in a field, near Orange C.H. Then we were up by day the next morning, poking along through towards Culpeper C.H. driving the Yankee picket before us, and camping along the road for several miles last night -- in fact reaching some 6 miles, the Division of Gen. A.P. Hill being in the rear. The enemy attempted to fall upon our rear last night, with a strong cavalry force, but they "caught a Tartar," finding us ready for them, & were repulsed, we taking some 15 prisoners, at one point, and they attacked at another point & met the same fate -- we have taken some 350 of Pope's Cavalry, now, some officers that we shall hold as hostages for the treatment of our people by Pope -- ([illeg.] here we were ordered forward & away from my seat under a tree) I resume my writing on a hill top, in full view of several thousand of the enemy cavalry that have been drawn up all day in the hot sun, -- while we are maneuvering to take them, have been sitting round here all the evening -- trying to find out the enemy's position 4 P.M. the battle has opened -- & we must [illeg.] on -- it is about 6 miles west of Culpeper C.H. -- Sunday 6 A.M. -- the firing has opened again We had a bloody day yesterday -- as desperate a fight as I ever saw -- but we drove the enemy away from the battle field, took 12 leads of ammunition, 1 large piece of artillery, some 400 prisoners, one Brig. Gen. & a good many officers. The fight continued until 9 P.M. Our Gen. Winder was killed & we had a good many others killed & wounded -- We lost a good many men & killed & wounded large numbers of the enemy most of which they left on the battle field. I can write no more as the Gen. is about to start again & we will have another bloody Sunday. Providence has kindly blessed our arms & spared most of us -- May He still be near us. I rec'd my barrel. Send this & let the rest see it. I will write this evening May God bless you all
Your Aff husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
