Augusta County: Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick, December
9, 1861
Summary:
Dedrick writes about having the mumps and about a scouting party that encountered Union
soldiers.
Mary E.A. Dedrick
December the 9 1861
Allegany Mountain, Camp Tip Top, Pocahontas Co., Virginia
Dear Wife
It is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present. But I have had the mumps for better than a week. They did not hurt me much. I kept myself close and I hope when these few lines comes to hand that they may find you and the little boy enjoying good health and all the rest of my friends.
Dear Lissa I received your most affectionate letter that you wrote on the fifth and the sixth on the eighth and I was truly glad to hear from you and to hear that you all was well and doing well. Dear wife you wrote to me that you wanted to know if I had received the letter that you wrote to me the 22nd or not. I received the letter that you wrote on the the 21, the next day after I wrote that letter that Mr Lewis brought you, and I answered it the 1st or the 2nd of this month. I thought that I would wait a few days as I had sent one by him and I had wrote one on the 5th to send it by Mr. L. Falls. He was coming to Staunton to bring some horses in and then he was coming home to see them all, but as other orders come he did not get to come and he returned it to me today. I get to see him and David Kennedy nearly every day, and James Trusler. They are all well at this time. James Trusler is working with Grass in the blacksmith shop. All the rest of the creek boys is well.
Dear Lissa I wrote to you to send me some pants the first chance you get and the rest of them that I wrote for as I am nearly out of pants. There is a great excitement here today. They don't seem to think that we [unclear: will] stay here long. Some of them seems to think that we have to go to Winchester and some thinks that we will go to Staunton, but I don't know how it will be for there is so much news in camp. We expect a fight here of before long. Captain Long came to our cabin a few minutes ago and told us to be in readiness. You must excuse my bad writing as I am in a hurry and have no time to spend and bad ink and paper.
Dear and Dearest wife, you wanted to know if I was trying to get religion or not. I have been tryhing and I intend to try all that I can, but I tell you it is a hard place here in camp. I will tell you more about it the next time. You will please excuse me for this time, so nothing more but I will remain your affectionate husband until death. God bless you. H. H. Dedrick to wife.
Dear Lizza I will write a few more lines to let you know how our scouts come out that went down at Greenbrier River this morning. They come across of some yankies and they killed two and took two prisoners and none of our men hurt.
I saw David Kennedy a few minutes ago. He is well, he told me to give his best respects to you all and that he was very sorry to hear that Uncle Sam had lost his children. He told me to tell you that he had wrote Lizza a letter but he had not sent it, and he was glad that I told him that she was dead and would not send it. Hiram Coyer and Ben Wright has left here. They left Thursday night and David Robertson and Frank Bush left last Wednesday morning. They will fare badly I think.
Tell all of the folks how I am and give my love to all my inquiring friends. I must bring my scribble to a close. May god bless you all. You will please excuse my bad writing for I have bad ink and bad paper and it is dark. I have some paper nothing more but remain your affectionate husband until death.
Fare you well.
H.H. Dedrick to wife, write soon.
