Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, October
26, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss writes of bad weather that has delayed him at an inn while scouting, and relates
news of the people he met there. He spent the next night at Mt. Sidney, and relates news of
people from there as well.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Sunday P.M.
Oct. 26th, 1862
New Market Va --
My Dear Wife:
I promised to write to you from Mr. Rude's, but I did not get here until quite late last evening & the wind was very high & the turnpike dust, the very worst I ever saw -- fine sand -- filled the air at times, & then I heard that Mr. Rude had gone to Synod, so I turned in to every body's home, (emphatically everybody's in these times,) where I happened to know the landlord, Mr. [unclear: Crabide], so I got a good room & clean bed, and as I found a storm, cold & bad, brewing this morning I have kept by a good fire in my room, truly thankful that I am so well off, when I see so many hundreds tramping along through the mud & rain or travelling in the overloaded stages & ambulances -- I went to church, the Old School Lutheran & heard most of a sermon on "the good old way", delivered in cadences, seemingly attuned to the organ that accompanied the music -- though the organ had stops that the player used but the preacher had none in reading or speaking -- though he got through at the good old hour of 12 m. -- It has rained quite steadily all day & the clouds still hang low & heay on the Massanutten Range that is visible from my window --
There is no news from the army, all quiet it is said --
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Miss "Madam" Belle D --
and her [unclear: Potter], made their appearance at the dinner table, occupying
"reserved seats" near the head of the board, and having a "private" cup of tea for the use of
their weak stomachs -- She was quite elegantly dressed & he equally stylish -- I think
she knew me far down the table, for she never looked up & "very modestly" conversed
with her paramour -- I have asked no questions about them -- Belle is looking very fresh
& gay but he is rather thin --
I spent the night, after leaving home, at Mr. Roler's at Mt. Sidney -- they had buried old
Mr. Hyde that day -- he got thrown from a wagon & hurt. Dr. Moorman was buried the day
before & a Mr. Ross was brought home that day -- Charley was at home, he has been
exempted on account of health, but is uneasy and longs for the excitement of camp life -- wants
to go on some light duty -- he is now in very good health & is fat. Miss Charlotte is
about as usual -- very kind & got me a nice supper & breakfast -- Sheffey is
tall and thin & looks badly -- They have servants & every thing seems to move
nicely - - Mr. R --
[page 3]
lives in Staunton & does not often get home except for
a few hours -- he is in the Stable business at the Va. Hotel -- I came Friday to Peale's at the
cross roads from Harrisonburg to McGaheysville -- had a very pleasant evening there -- where we
put up when we left H-g and went to Conrad's Store The people
have many surmises as to the object of my passing along taking notes -- & I heard many
strange reports -- One that I had selected a hill near Dayton for our winter quarters -- that
report had spread widely. I could hardly make them believe that I only wanted to make a map of
the country -- they suffered so much from the Yankee invasion of the Valley that they live in
constant dread of a repetition of it and interpret everything that looks like a backward
movement as ominous of danger -- they say Jackson is now where he was last year at this time --
therefore he will run the same round for next year; that is their logic --
[page 4]
I found it quite hard to take the weather again, after two days rest & housed by a warm fire & was quite chilly the first day, but got more used to it the second -- had a slight attack of diarhaea, but "the remedy" in the bottle checked it, and I am feeling very well now -- as well as such a raw and disagreable day will allow one to feel --
I hope you did not get the blues badly after I left -- you must not get into such bad habits -- for I may be able to make short trips home every now and then, but if they depress as much as they enliven, or perhaps more, it wont do -- So cheer up and keep in good spirits -- the war must & will end before long, one or two years more at the most, and if a Kind Providence spares our lives we may hope to again enjoy the blessing of peace, and with a keener relish from having experienced the evils and privations of a horrid war --.
Write to me soon, I expect to get to Camp in one week -- not much before, as I have quite a round to make -- God bless and keep you all Kiss Anna & Nelly for Pa --
Good bye
Your aff. husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
