Augusta Country: Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick, October
4, 1861
Summary:
Dedrick talks about the health of friends in his Company and about nearby actions at
Greenbrier River and Cheat Mountain. He also mentions that he has no money to send home and
that his wife should sell some rye or a calf for money.
Mary E.A. Dedrick
October the 4 1861
Pocahontas Co VA
Dear wife
it is with pleasure that I take this morning to inform you than I am well at present and I thank god that he has spared me to write to you once more to let you know how I am and how I am getting along. I have been getting along very well so far and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and your sweet little boy enjoying the same blessing of health, and I hope that all of my friends is well, also [unclear: Anna].
Bridge is not well, he has not been well for two weeks, and Ephriam Sillings has not been well for about three weeks. They both had the yellow jaundice. William Offlighter has had the [illeg.] but he is well at this time. Me and him is on guard today. A.R. Sillings his throat is right sore this morning, he didn't eat any breakfast; Hiram Coyner is well and hearty, and all the rest of the back creek boys is well; Billy Grass is well, he is put in as a blacksmith and when we move he drives a sick wagon.
We left Strait creek last Monday. I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of September and you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We are at this time on the top of alleghany mountain, we got here on the 2nd of this month. The next morning when I got up it was raining and it rained all that day. The next morning it was very foggy we was late in the morning. About half past eight I was washing the dishes and I heard the cannons one after another pop pop pop, and in that time I had to drop every thing and run and get my gun and we all fell in a line of battle ready to march to Greenbrier river. But we didn't get any word until after twelve o'clock and we marched four miles down the mountain and then we got word to stay there until we heard the report of the cannon and if we didn't hear no report by five o'clock we was to turn back. And we didn't hear any and we turned back and I tell you the boys all was keen to go.
They had a right hard battle at the river. I think they fought about four hours and a half, they say that we lost four and twenty one wounded. I don't know how many the yankees lost, they say that they hauled eighteen loads away after the battle and they had four wagons hauling all the time they was fighting. Mr Slow from Waynesboro was down on the battle field this morning and he says that they had hot times down their for certain. He says that the cannon balls tore up the ground all about there. The yankees is now on the top of Cheat Mountain and I heard that General Lee had whipped them at Huttonsville the same day. If he whipped them as bad there as they was here I think they had better quit and go home and stay there, but we look for another battle at Greenbrier river every day. We think that General Lee will drive them on us, they haft to whip us at Greenbrier or they will haft to whip old Lee and go the other way. I have saw the yankee tents on the top of Cheat Mountain.
That is all that I can say for this time. Dear Wife I have no money to send to you and I
don't know when I will get any and if you want any you must try to sell some rye if you can
spare it, and if you can't spare it you must try and sell one of the calves and get what you
can. You must try and do the best you can while I am absent from you, but I hope and trust that
I will return again safe and sound. And if I should not return no more I hope that we will meet
in heaven and there to meet to part no more for ever and ever. I want you all to pray for me
that I may get there and I will do all I can to meet you all there. I thank god that he has
made it so plain that I can just see how I am placed. Dear Lissa I want you to write to me as
soon as you can and I want you to let me know how you are getting a long and how all of my
friends are getting along. Well my Dear wife I could write more but I don't think it necessary
and so nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death. So fare you well to you
all for this time. I have one more word to say I want you to kiss my sweet little boy for
me
Henry H. Dedrick To his
Dear Wife
Hiram Coyner told me to give you all his best respects, he is well arty. He told me to tell you all that he had his health better than he had for years. Tell Aunt Rebecca that he wanted her to write him a letter and send it to him
Direct your letter the same way you did before
