Augusta: William Brand to Kate Armentrout, August
10, 1861
Summary:
William tells Kate about an argument in camp between her brother and one of their
friends; he includes news about several other family members and acquaintances.
He also sends her a description of the battle of Bull Run.
6 letter
Miss Amanda C. Armentrout
Greenville
Augusta
County
Virginia
August 10th 1861
Senterville Fairfax Co. Va.
Dear Kate,
I recieved your kind and affectionate letter by Mr
Britton I was happy indeed to hear from you and to hear you ware well with all the rest of your brothers and sisters. My health
is very good and hope when theese
uninterresting lines come to hand you may be
enjoying the same with all the pleasure this poor world can afford. I have the
blues this morning and you must not exspect as long a
letter as usual. Brother John & Tom Graham got to disputing about a very
trifling matter. John was left out of his mess to get breakfast, and it not
being ready when we came of
ove drill Graham commenced cursing John when he had been
swearing as John thought long enought he told him to
stop. Graham yanked up a stik and let him have it over
the face, at that moment the Capt
intofeared & sent Graham to the Guard
house. Capt told John when ever he got a chance to
give him a good whipping I am sorry the fus
occured but it can not be helped know. The Staunton band has came down to blay for the regament.
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We ware marched ut yesterday morning
to be reviewed by the prince Napolion. Thare was tow brigades making ten
or twelve regaments all drawed up in line of Battle it was a magnifisent view. The Prince just passed along the road. I should have
liked to have seen him; Cousin Joseph R Brand was over the other day. I think he
wares the same old face he use to ware he seems to be a very kind &
tender hearted young man he seems to be acquainted with young men all over the
State his school mates at Collig[deleted: g]e. We took dinner with one of his former Teachers he had a very
nice diner such as Chicken pork and good light bread
& blackbury
gam
wich we used instead of putter. I renewed Jo's acquaintance with J.P.L. Jo. said he did'nt know any in our Co.
put your Brother, Charles & my self, he said he
never would have none me if I had'ent
laughted when I seen him. Jo.
was at fairfax Court house when the Yankees came on them & they had to
retreat back to Bulls run. Another of our old school mates was to see us, Wm. Weeb. You would not know him for he has such a
large beard & mustache, he belongs to the Montosella Guards, has a very nice uniform. Weeb & Cousin
Jo. both belong to brigadeer General
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Cox'es brigade. I have seen both my oncles since the Grate Battle of bulls run.
I shall know give you a short account of the Battle.
We recieved orders about the dawn of day to march down to the run & to charge on a battery near our breastworks; we had been thare an hour and a half when we recieved orders to, Change our position we marched about three miles north our enimies had been cannonading us for sometime at different points
at eight oclock the attack became general. I can not disscribe the fireing of small arms at nine oclock our brigade was ordered to the seen of slaughter on our way we met the Staunton Artillery the men said thay ware almost out of amunition and ware nearly surrounded.
We advanced in quick time to surport the Washington
Artillery on the right wich
don
exilent sevice in the engagement. We threw down a
fence and advanced a fiew paces and was ordered to lay
down and incessant fire was kept up by our enimies
for about ten or fifteen minutes. I believe if we had have raised up at one time
we would have all been wounded or killed the balls seemed to range about two
feet above the ground. The regament in advance of us
fell back in confusion but on bassing our line
immediately formed again. We then ware
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ordered to advance in quick time to the old [unclear: home]
we then laid down waiting orders to fire we beg[added: ged] our officers to let us fire at a regament
on our right but they said they ware our friends
& would not let us fire on them. We then commenced fireing at three or four Reg. in
front of us I gave them three rounds & then we fell back some twenty or
thirty yards & met another Reg. advancing
we went up with them some of our boys went on & never stoped at all & some had left before we went up
to the house I hollowed at Sam two or three times
put he would not listen to me. When we went up the
seckond time that Reg.
on our right fired on us put with little effect we
returned thare fire throwing them in to confusion for a
little while we all got behind the house & corn crip fences & evry thing that would
shield us from thare
Manie balls I got behind the crip and fired five times at them I looked round & couldent see any of our Reg. They had falen back to the woods I had
got mixed with a South Carlino
Reg. & they ware
now falling back I turned round and jumped over a dead man & commenced
retreting to the woods. I couldent find my one
Reg. or at least I did not hunt long for I came
upon the fourth Alabama Reg. and laid down
beside[deleted: s] my Oncle
Wm Mosley one of the men was
shot on the oposite side of Oncle
Wm. from me the men seemed
grately excited the most of thare field officers was killed in the Battle Oncle
Wm was not tuched
Oncle John was not thare he
was sick in Winchester I reckon you was at the mountain with that large crowd of
Mr Brittons he said he kissed upwards of twenty ladies & said he could
have kissed them all put he told them they ware too willing & he would not kiss any more. I
should like very much to come home for a fiew days put it is imposible at presant I must bring this scrall to a close asking an interrest in
your prayers excuse all misstakes & bad
writing.
Write soon to your devoted friend.
William F. Brand
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