Henry A. Smith to Family
Primary tabs
I received two papers from you the 6th I wrote to you the 27th June. We expect every
day to have the Ferry to go toward Harrisonburg We get news from Richmond every day
heard lately that old Stone Wall was killed hope We shall not hear any more from him
though would like to try him with the force we have in the Valley now our four
Companies have took no less than fifteen Prisoners since we have here they had hired
out to the Farmers and were going to wait till Jackson come back they say that
Jacksons Army went through the gap at New Market down the Learay Valley and out at
Front Royal I wish it would be so I could send you a box of Peaches
you ought to have some of the great nice Cherries that grow around here I have all i
want to eat every day I wish I had a pair of drilling pants to wear it is so hot we
have had plenty of Bread and warm biscuits to eat since we have been here if we want
any milk take a Canteen and go out and milk a secesh Cow the boys go out most every
night and forage a lot of Butter and Honey we have to be on Picket Guard most every
other night but that is not very hard work the Horses are all fat now having plenty
of good grass to eat the papers say that General McDowell has gone to Richmond to
reinforce McClellan and that McClellan has been taken Prisoner with 40000 men this is
in the Baltimore
Sun and no body believes it I suppose you have commenced
haying by this time dont let Bill work any more than you can help if you have money
enough there is four months pay due us now 80 dollars State pay and all expect to be
paid when we join the regiment which is near Front Royal. I hope I shall have a
chance to meet Carter some where I dont know when I shall have a chance to send this
letter perhaps not till we join the regiment it is so much cooler here than any where
else that I hate to leave We have no tents except square pieces of Canvass just for
shelter as we are here in a place where we dont see much I have but little to write
since we have been in Dixie I have not been homesick a bit but when we were in
Maryland I felt real homesick though
we did not stay there but three
weeks it seemed like three months how does fruit look up there this summer Gene Blake
talks of going Home this summer and come back in the fall does Charlie Drake live
with Shep now I dont know as I can think of any more to write
so good bye write soonH A Smith