Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Nelson H. Hotchkiss,
August 14, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss gives his brother a detailed account of a battle near Cedar Run.
Nelson Hotchkiss
Aug. 14th., 1862
Camp near Toddsburg-or between Toddsburg and Gordonsville
Dr. brother:
Your letter and the provisions came to hand in good time, (only the butter all melted and ran
through the potatoes, and the potatoes have all rotted), and I intended to write to you at
once, but the General had a move on hand and worked us all the time, of course, so there was no
opportunity to reply, for after working all the time for two days we started last Thursday, at
dark and marched most of the night, Gen. Ewell going with his division towards Madison C.H. to protect our left flank, while the main army crossed the
Rapidan 3 miles from Orange C.H. on the main road to
Culpeper C.H. We went about 8 miles that night. Friday we
crossed the river and forced back the enemy's cavalry picket, a very strong one, and drove it
on some 6 miles, forcing the cavalry to abandon their camp where we made some captures, and our
scouts brought in a good many prisoners, most of them from New Jersey. They caught two fellows
that had been out foraging and had 15 chickens tied to their saddles. They insisted "on the
square" that they had not stolen the chickens, though they said they often did such things, and
the people testified that they took everything, saying it belonged to them. We slept on the
ground Friday night 10 miles from Orange C.H., Saturday
morning we started on, and at Cedar run, 13 miles from Orange C.H. we found the enemy posted to receive us, in a splendid position of their own
choosing. An open rolling region some 2 1/2 miles long by a mile wide, bounded by woods, with
Slaughter's mountain on the E. side, densely wooded. Their cavalry presented an imposing
appearance; extended across the plain as skirmishers with supporting squadrons, with a large
body of cavalry
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in reserve, so placed as to mask the movements of their infantry,
and to conceal their batteries which they had masked in the woods in the rear. We came up on a
hill in front and threw some shell at their cavalry which made them scatter confusedly, but
they speedily rallied on their reserves and brought up some artillery and threw balls at us
from a safe distance. In the mean time Gen. Jackson was forming his plans for a battle. He sent
Gen. Ewell, unobserved by the enemy, through the woods along the mountain on the right with
some artillery, etc., and sent Early to the left through the woods to flank them on that side.
Early got in place about 5 P.M. and opened on the cavalry and made a grand stampede of them. I
never saw a worse skedaddle, as the Yankees say, then they opened their artillery on our men.
Gen. Jackson says before they intended to, then we brought up our artillery to within a half a
mile and the cannonading was terrific. Soon the infantry fight began, the enemy advancing in
front, and at the same time attempting to turn our left flank, thus, situated as we were in a
piece of triangular shaped woods we were exposed for some time to a horrid fire of artillery
and musketry on nearly three sides of us, the balls falling as thick as I ever saw them,
reaping their harvest of death on all sides. I never felt the protecting goodness of God more
forcibly, and never looked upon a scene with more calmness, though in the very vortex of
destruction. Just then, while our left was wavering, Ewell's artillery, which had gained the
end of the mt. towards the enemy, opened upon their flank, while ours of the left thundered
upon them in front, and Gen. Jackson ordered forward the "Stonewall Brigade", which had lost
its General, the gallant Winder, early in the action. He waved his hat and told them to
remember they were the Stonewall Brigade, and with a shout they
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rushed forward and
hurled back the insolent foe, captured two of their boasted banners and took a Brig. Gen. and
many prisoners, turning the tide upon the left. Taliaferro and Early with their Brigades still
pushed upon the centre. Capt. Lilley seized the colors of his regiment, which was wavering (in
Early's Brigade) and waving it gallantly in advance, rallied the men and led them on, some of
Hill's Division came up and the enemy, met on all sides, recoiled from the deadly fire our men
poured upon them and left the field, marking with lines and piles of dead and wounded the
places they had occupied.
We pushed them on some three miles, when they met reinforcements and fresh batteries, and
just at dark one of the most active artillery duels I have ever seen- the whole horizon was
lighted up by the flashes. The firing lasted a half hour or more when it ceased, we resting
where we planted our last guns, and the enemy occupying a range of hills beyond. We spent a
good deal of the night carrying off the wounded, our own first. The next day, Sunday, the enemy
showed no disposition to advance, but was drawn up in line of battle for a long time, but left
it during a heavy rain that came up. We were left in undisputed possession of the battlefield,
and collected arms, wounded men, and buried our dead throughout the day. There were hundreds of
wounded Yankees still upon the field when night came. I rode over the field and witnessed the
ghastly horrors of the day after after the battle. God save me from such spectacles, the dead,
the dying, the mangled, the screaming, the blackened living and dead humanities. I looked upon
them all without a feeling of sorrow for my foes, (though I could in faith say Father forgive
them,) for they had come of their own will upon our soil to waste and burn, and kill, but my
heart grieved for every son of the South that lay there weltering
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in his gore; that
had poured out his life blood to rescue our land from a worse than Egyptian bondage. May God
help them with salvation, and their friends with consolation and may they live forever in the
memory a people that will one day be free and happy. We lost some 250 or 300 killed and had 6
or 700 wounded. The enemy adimtted 500 killed and of course 1500
wounded. But they lost more than that. We took 19 wagon and 1 car load of arms, a 12 pounder
gun, some 12 loads of ammunition, and nearly 350 prisoners; checked Pope in his career and made
a move that will, no doubt, be soon followed by another. We moved back after staying two days,
granting them a truce of one day to bury their dead, as they asked it. I suppose we may soon
move again, for reasons not necessary to mention. Write to me. I must go to bed. I am tired and
it is late. I have written more than I intended. Love to all.
Good bye, Your aff. Bro.
Jed. Hotchkiss
If you can buy some butter and send it to me to Gordonsville, soon. Fix it so it will be sure to come. Put it in a jar and in a key, or some way right side up.
