Augusta County: Mary A. Smiley to Thomas M. Smiley, June 15,
1861
Summary:
Discusses the mobilization of area troops, women making tents and clothes for the troops, and
President Davis' declaration of a day of fast.
Thomas M. Smiley
June 15th 1861
Dear Brother
I seat myself this pleasant morning to write again to you We are all well at present and hope
that you also are in good health we have had no letter from you since Sunday week we have been
at the office nearly every day this week but there was no letter for us and very few from the
Ferry. I think you are all getting too slack about writing home. we would like to have a letter
at least once a week Mr Wm
Wright has been home on a furlough. he and his family were down visiting their
relations. They called and Mr Wright said you were very well when he left. He expected to start
back last Thursday. Henry Wright started Wednesday night to Staunton with his wagon He is to
take a load of provisions or clothing to the soldiers in the Western part of Virginia, I
suppose. There was also a great many soldiers started from there this week. Mostly
Tennesseeans, between 3 and 4,000 for the Western parts, under command of Ex-Governor Wise The
Augusta [unclear: Lee] Rifles has gone also to protect our State from her enemie's the thirteenth company from Old Augusta. There is a company
trying to be made at Newport, an independant company to go where
there is danger or stay at home to be regulated by the vote of the company. It is thought by
some that it is most to fair, for of course the greater portion would
rather stay at home, at least some, unless they get more patriotic than they are now. There had
about 30 joined it the last I heard of it. The militia are now mustered every week. They have
not yet been drafted in Augusta I expect if they are there will be considerable additions to
volunteer companies Capt
[unclear: Hutchens] paraded his company yesterday evening in the little fields of ours
back of the weave shop it appears the Newport fields & lots are all in pasture
& cant be mustered in. The Capt I
think does tolerable well now but the company -when such mustering I actually believe some
dont know right face from left. General
Sproul was to have been to see them muster but did not come The Newport boys have
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formed a company, they call themselves Southern Guard so I have
heard. We were sowing two days last week at Newport making pants for
the soldiers There was a pair cut out and marked for you It was said
they were for the Southern Guard but I believe there was pants made in Middlebrook for them so
we dont know who will get those that were made at Newport The Ladies
have been makeing clothing and tents for the Brownsburg troop who
lost their clothing at Phillippa. The wagon started to day It is to be
hoped their defeat [deleted: it] will be a lesson to our troops to be on their guard.
I have no time to write any more as the mail carrier has gone by and I wish to send this to day if possible
Write soon and often Your affectionate sister
Mary Allison
June 18th
The mail haveing gone before this was taken up, I sent and got
it again and will write more. We received the letter you sent by Capt Hite Saturday evening I did not expect that he would have gotten home so soon and
was quite surprised Saturday to hear he had. It is just two months, last night, since you left
home. A long two months it has appeared to us. I do wish you could come home on furlough. The
signs of the times dont appear to be in favor of getting home for
good. I think as you do that some of the militia ought to be in the army especially those that
say they can whip five northerners. Last Thursday was fast day appointed by the President it
was more generally kept here than such days are commonly kept it was almost as well observed
by some as the Sabbath there was very little work doing. How did you Spend the day. Mr Adam
Yago is to be married next Sunday if he can get ready to a Miss Deniza Smiley there is some
difficulty about it though she is not of age and a certificate is needed from her guardian
which he expected with Capt Hite but was disapointed I reckon people know now why he was so much against going to camp as I
guess he had an idea at the time. From what I hear camp life is not very funny after all at
least the substitutes & others in the Brownsburg Calvary think so now I suppose you
are pleasantly situated at Sheppardstown if the people there are still as kind as when you
went to meet that bogus enemy
