Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss, June
24, 1863
Summary:
Hotchkiss describes the Confederate Army's movement northwards to Sharpsburg, then to
Pennsylvania. He writes of the supplies the army is acquiring there, and describes the people
of Pennsylvania. He also gives brief instructions to his wife concerning affairs at home.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
June 24 th 1863
Hd. Qrs. 2 nd Corps -- Near Chambersburg Pa --
My Darling Wife:
I know you have before now been looking eagerly for another letter from me since I wrote from
Winchester but we have been on the move & when we have stopped I have been busy until
very late at night to keep up the maps of the country in which we are operating new &
strange as it is to us all -- We went on from Winchester to Sharpsburg -- some by the way of
Williamsport, then through Boonsboro to Hagerstown & day before yesterday our infantry,
for the first time in the war crossed the Pa. line & invaded the old "Keystone",
frightening the Dutch out of their senses, they confidently expected us to burn every thing and
lay waste the country and they thought we would be justified in so doing -- but when they found
us doing all things decently & not disturbing them except to supply our army with every
thing it needed to eat &c &c and furnish any number of big horses &
wagons, all sorts of supplies, leather saddles &c all called for by a polite officer,
& no pillaging, they were rejoiced to get off so well & set before our men any
quantity of the good things they have so abundantly & Gen. Ewell says we will all get
fat here -- It was one of the most amasing sights I ever saw to see
the broadclothed gentry com-
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ing in & bringing saddles, bridles &c
& making a pile of them in the square for the use of the Rebels -- this land is full of
every thing -- the stores were opened & they had to sell goods at their old prices for
Confederate money -- I bought about $100 worth of calico, wool [unclear: delaine],
bleached cotton, hoops, gloves, thread, gingham, pins &c &c which I hope to get
home in due time if we stop short of N.Y -- Providence has abundantly blessed our movement, few
casualties of any kind -- and our success wonderful -- we shall get nearly a million dollars
worth of horses, supplies of all kinds &c from this county, (Franklin) & we
have invaded Fulton & Adams Cos. -- also and shall levy on them in like manner --
supporting our army entirely on the enemy -- they say they never felt the war before but the
first taste is enough for them they do not care for more I saw Kenney Campbell,
[unclear: Brow] Allen, Eubanks, Cameron, Cochran &c on yesterday, they were all
well & were enjoying the fat of the land hugely -- it is like a whale full of blubber
to a Greenlander Gen. E.
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says -- The people are very
submissive and comply, meekly, with the demands made on them -- I think we shall be able to do
a good deal towards bringing about an honorable peace -- Yours of the 8th
overtook me in wh. you had the "blues" badly -- I feel like writing
often but the flesh is weak & I have to yield to sleep -- have not had time even to
write in my journal But do not scold me -- but write to me as often as you can -- It is
cheering to hear from home when one may not get there -- yea cannot get there so be of good cheer & dont complain & dont say, pouting out your sweet
little lips, I wont write unless you do -- that's naughty. -- I am
glad you were soon rid of the army, but such is the history of it every where when about home
& you may be thankful you fared no worse, though I am very sorry the fruit of your
wearisome labors should be thus [illeg.] destroyed -- I will be as well to sell the
sewing machine if you can get a good price, it is a piece of [illeg.] B.
[unclear: Gamber]. Get the Butcher notes [illeg.] I want to come home as soon
as possible -- Nelson has had Evans buying off debts & the whole property is bound by
mort-
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gage to pay the debts, the personal & real, and no power can free it
until the debts are paid, so do not trouble yourself about this I know it to be so -- and no deed can be made until all things mentioned in the trust deed
are paid Nelson pays off more of the debts at the June Court -- I hope you got back your butter
from Staunton it will reduce prices a good deal our subsiting the army here -- I only wish I
could send you some things to eat -- but eat the best you can get -- I shall send a small
parcel of what I bought up to Winchester today & hope it may reach you -- As to your
keeping the sow it would be good policy, but let her run & only feed her now &
then -- husband your grain -- I know the cost of living & only want you to hear from B. Brown, I shall try & send all you may need You may
be able to sell some of the things I may send & thus make one big price balance another
& so keep even -- You can make me some shirts of calico I may send you - tho I intend to buy ready made here -- I will get all the things you want
that I can find -- Dont pay anything of debt until I write more --
write often -- God bless & my love to all
Your aff Husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
