Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss,
November 2, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes troop movements in the Valley, and discusses the northern political races
and their implications for peace.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Nov. 2nd 1862
Front Royal Va
My Dr. Wife
I wrote to you just one week ago today, from New Market, but you will wish to hear from me
again by this time & though I am on the wing so that I cannot hear from you as often as
I desire I will not therefore deprive you of the pleasure you will derive at home from hearing
from me. I went from New Market, after the rain of Sunday, into the upper end of the Fort
Valley & went down to Burner's Springs and then across into the Luray Valley and down
to Front Royal -- meeting there with my old friend of 1847, Mr. Marcus Buck & spent a
very pleasant night at his house, well up on the side of the Blue Ridge, a place that he bought
when Ralph & I were here then & which he has builded
& planted until he has made it a delightful place -- orchards, vineyards &c
& has a large and interesting family grown up around him, two sons Lieutenants in the
army &c -- I found when I got to Front Royal that the army
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was in motion,
found part of it on the way to the Ridge & all bustle on every side, the people excited
with fear that the Valley was to be evacuated & they turned over to the tender mercy of
the invaders &c &c. I went, Friday, to our Hd.
Qrs., not far from Berryville, Clarke Co -- and spent the night there, found that the
enemy had moved away from Sharpsburg and down the river & was crossing into Loudon Co
-- and that our forces were so disposed as to meet them if they should advance and offer
battle. There may be another great battle in a short time if the Yankees persist in coming on
along the base of the Ridge towards Culpeper C.H. &
Gordonsville -- and by God's good blessing they will get one of the very worst threshings they
ever got if they do come on. There are all sorts of rumors about an armistice of 90 days
&c &c but no one can trace them to any source entitled to credit -- and we all
think the intervention story is about played out. I only wish there was some prospect of peace,
some ray of hope on which to base a calculation
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but I see none yet. I am going
across the Blue Ridge tomorrow, to what point I do not exactly know, as yet, but will write to
you before long -- I may be able to bring myself around by home again -- I shall do so if in my
power & so get my overcoat & boots, as I sent word to Nelson not to send them
to me until he heard from me. Have my pants made by Mrs. Fisher and ready -- If you can find a
suppy of butter, buy it, and I may be able to find some on my round up through Rockingham. I
have read the New York Tribune of the 30th ult. it is full of Black Rep. speeches &c -- preparing for the election of next
Tuesday -- there are strange combinations -- D. S. Dickinson and Horace Greeley speak from the
same stump & for the same purpose, while Washington Hunt and Jon Van Buren go side by
side. The Tribune says flatly that it thinks Seymour and Van Buren are antiwar men -- and that
they pretend to be for the war only to get votes and so get into power and that when once in,
they will make
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peace with the Rebels -- If the Democrats carry New York there are
many that think there will be no more fighting, but that we will go into winter quarters and
negotiations will be carried on during the winter for peace. I am not sanguine enough to think
so, but yet place some hope in the division of the U.S. Congress so that there will be two
sides to the question and then the will become a peace party as well
as a war party. Some of the Democrats speak plainly of a change of men at Washington from the
President down -- and Old Abe does not arrest them & so the power of free speech is
again abroad and there is some hope yet that the love of freedom, inherent in Anglo Saxon men,
will make itself heard & free itself from the bondage of its own rulers and then let us
alone to choose our own way of life -- But I am talking politics and not writing a family
letter -- which I wont do again --. So kiss the babies for me -- tell
them to be good girls -- Nelly read the Bible be like the good women it tells about, and little
Anna listen & do good thing too -- pray for peace & may God keep you all under
his holy wing Write to me -- for I may get it Good bye
Your Aff. husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
