1862

Foglesong, John C., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lydia A. Bishoff

Foglesong writes that when the war will end is dependent on the "Big Battle at Richmond." He predicts that the battle will be in the Union's favor, since the Union has had success at every battle with the exception of Bull Run. He reports that there is constant skirmishing at Richmond, but he explains that the Union men cannot be driven back any more. The Union Army is within 4 miles of the city and "can throw a shell in the city at any time if needed." He believes that General McClellan can take the city without burning it, but if it is necessary, he predicts that McClellan will "fire the…

GLC03523.40.33

ca. 1860-1870

Alberger, William C., 1837-1925

Scrapbook

Title: [Loose Page from Scrapbook of William C. Alberger]

Page contains: Unknown. Map: s. l., Topographical map of Virginia between Washington and Manassas Junction. No date. 1 p. Includes an image of Washington, D. C., with the capital building in the foreground. Depicts Virginia and the western corner of Maryland, including United States encampments, roads, rail lines, rivers, and other topographical features. A smaller image consists of a military map of Virginia and parts of Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky, and Delaware. The military map includes some topographical features and notes where battles took place. (27.5 x 20 cm.) Kenyon, D.…

GLC06628.03

24 October 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

He describes the difficult march they have had along the Rappahanock. They are now camped in the Bull Run battlefield. Written near Warrenton, Virginia.

GLC07205.072

4 April 1862

Albert, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister Sophia

He describes the dead from the Battle of Bull Run. The bodies are spread out in deplorable condition and in many cases their bones are thrown carelessly over the ground. He also talks abotu the gorilla bands

GLC07205.041

12 June 1861

Potter, Lal H., fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to My Dear Sister

He writes that he was remarkably fortunate to have gotten the position he did with his regiment. He goes on to desribe the battle of Bull Run. The real horrors of war were realized. They lost 5 men and 15 were wounded. Written at Fort Monroe

GLC07205.022

February 14, 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Norman R. Dewey]

Wednesday they marched through Centerville. Centerville has the strongest position the Rebels ever had. He has been to Manassas and Bull's Run.

GLC02161.017

June 1865

[Ineligible], Thomas

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Short and punchy letter listing service at Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, & several skirmishes, ending "I have no desire to remain in Service in time of Peace"

GLC02414.443

19 November 1862

Bettes, William H., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lodema

Left Gainesville, Virginia yesterday at 5PM and is now between Centerville and Fairfax, Virginia. On the way, they passed the memorable battlefield of Bull Run. Encamped about six miles west of Centerville; they are now about four miles east of that place and comfortably encamped in the woods. Have their tent up and plenty of hay for their bed. They have "good soft bread, good butter, good fries, good coffee and milk for supper tonight and we have enough for breakfast. We live on the best when it can be had." Feels that the public will no longer be "bored with the old stereotyped phrase…

GLC02596.03

22 November 1862

Bettes, William H., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lodema

Has not received any letters from home this week but expects there is one or two on the road. They are encamped on the Chantilly Plantation between Fairfax, Virginia and Centerville, Ohio. When he last wrote, the Army was up at Aldie, Virginia. Ordered to march to Thoroughfare Gap, where they stayed for one day, and then ordered to march to Gainesville, Virginia. The Army arrived in Gainesville around 10 o'clock and remained there until five o'clock, when all the troops had passed and their war guard came up. Started for Centerville and passes over the historic Battlefield of Bull Run,…

GLC02596.04

10 August 1862

Bell, Grove L., 1844-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to home friends

Bell to friends. Stationery has a Union stamp of a stars and stripes shield inside a five-pointed white star. On guard duty today. Left Washington on Thursday; arrived in Fredericks City [Fredericksburg?] on Friday. Witnessed heavy fighting with the Confederates. Stonewall Jackson fought McClellan and Burnside. Miles let Stonewall up the mountain, and was accused of treason. "They say old Stonewall is the man… I wish we had a few Generals as wide awake as him. It would not take long to finish the war" then. Is on the move to Harpers Ferry, where John Brown "first commenced his execution."

GLC08913.01

26 July 1861

Porter, Charles B., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother Henry

There was an awful battle at Bull's Run He criticizes General Tyler who changed General Scott's orders, thereby ruining their position. Another General was drunk and their Colonel refused to obey the drunk General's orders. The next day General Tyler and the drunk were arrested for treason.

GLC02172.07

18 August 1861

Porter, Charles B., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother Henry

They lost their blankets at Bull Run but expect to have new ones in a few days and a full suit of clothes. He warns him not to enlist again and says he would rather his brother stay at home and look after their parents.

GLC02172.11

circa 1861-1865

Porter, Charles B., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Unknown

They only got about 2/3 of their ration before going to Bull Run, so they were without food for a day and a half. When the bullets wer flying they saw a black berry patch and immediately began picking berries so the Colonel called them the black berry company. He saw General McClelland.

GLC02172.12

1862

Warder, T.B., fl. 1862

Book

Title: Battle of Young's Branch; or, Manassas Plain, Fought July 21, 1861

Co-authored with James M. Catlett. First edition copy published in Richmond by Enquirer Book and Job Press. Folded map (39.2 x 29 cm.) in front of book of the Centerville-Manassas, Virginia area. Says it is a "Map of the country occupied by the Federal and Confederate Armies on the 18th & 21st July 1861." Created by the authors. Also has another large (55.3 x 50.5 cm.) fold-out topographical map of the Manassas, Virginia and Bull Run area between pages 72 and 73. It is a "Relief Survey and Map" by James L. Bowen. Says "Linear Survey" was made by the authors. Shows where Union and…

GLC04061

23 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Rainy weather, rebels hold city, rebel pickets taunting about election, Bull Run and Antietam; Colonel courtmartialed twice for drunkenness but cleared, Colonel and regiment's surgeon trying to get regiment out of battle area, soldiers mutilating themselves to get discharged, Italian soldier bayoneting a fellow Italian, with final note dated 11/24 3 AM regarding marching orders. Signature followed by postscript "The orders to march today is countermanded 5 oclock A.M." The letter is continued on October 24th.

GLC04558.055

1861

Kiger, James S., fl. 1859-1873

Diary

Title: 1861 Diary

Records the weather. On March 12th, he mentions the city elections. April 24th, acknowledges how sad it is that so many young men are going to war and he hopes they return safely. Mentions church and bible class frequently. On July 22nd, he notes bad news from the battle of Manassas Junction. Reports say between 3,000 and 15,000 were killed.

GLC03131.16.03

22 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter

Title: to R. West [incomplete]

Says they arrived in the Navy Yard at Washington the night before after being towed up the Potomac River. As they came up the river they heard "furious cannonading which never ceased until after our arrival at the city and learned that a desperate battle was going on at Bull's Run about 30 miles distant." Says they suddenly received an order from Captain Dahlgren to get underway at once and proceed to Alexandria. A steamer was pulling the brig as fast as it could and they speculated that the army lost and that they were needed to protect the town from a Confederate attack or to keep it "being…

GLC03836.10

24 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says little has happened and they remain anchored at Alexandria. Says they were told to wait in readiness to man the town's batteries last night, but nothing came of it. Says the USS "Pawnee" is docked next to them. Went on shore and describes the town and the defeated soldiers from Bull Run. Has heard that no forward movement has been made by the enemy. Says "Last night and this morning they were reconnoitering from Washington in a balloon, and this morning it passed over Alexandria and descended just outside the town." Blasts the newspapers that were clamoring for the North to end their…

GLC03836.12

23 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says the news about the Battle of Bull Run has been confirmed, "Our army has suffered a most shameful and bloody defeat." Says all the fugitives streamed into Alexandria and "at one time it was thought it would be expedient to set fire to the buildings containing government stores at this place." Was glad it did not come to that. Reports that "The troops as they came in, although entirely disorganized did not appear to be so much panic stricken, as dejected and ashamed. All who have come into this place have their arms with them." Believes it will come to light that the defeat was caused by…

GLC03836.11

29 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says the scattered troops have been reorganized. Reports on conditions in town saying "I took a party of seamen on Saturday night as a reinforcement for those already in the trenches, and was painfully struck by the appearance of things in general. Not a soul was to be seen in the streets except soldiers, some of them off duty, lounging about, or drunk, and ready for any outrage." Says their naval brigade has done good work. Says they are led by a Lieutenant Parker, "who is true blue, although he has a brother on the secession side. How do you get on with all our secessionist connections, I…

GLC03836.13

19 November 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Written aboard the USS "Alabama." Encloses a one-page hand-drawn chart of the 7 November 1861 naval battle at Port Royal Harbor, which he had copied by "placing a sheet of thin paper" over the original. Reports that the original chart had been made by one of the officers of the 'Susquehanna' and was "said to be very accurate." Says he is at Charleston and that they are still blockading "this nest of secession." Duty has been dull; since "the stunning blow inflicted on them [Confederates in the area] by Dupont's splendid victory. We have seen no sign of the small steamers which were in the…

GLC03836.27

2 September 1861

William Lloyd and Co. (Richmond, Va.), fl. 1861-1865

Newspaper

Title: Daily Richmond examiner. [Vol. 14, no. 159 (September 2, 1861)]

General Beauregard's official report of the Battle of Bull Run on the 18th of July, Capture of Fort Hatteras, Important movement about Washington.

GLC05959.72.003

January 30, 1864

Newspaper

Title: Magnolia weekly. [Vol. 2, no. 18 (January 30, 1864)]

Letter by General James Longstreet, Negro Troops in the Mississippi Valley, Victory of the First Battle of Manassas.

GLC05959.61.05

7 March 1862

Newspaper

Title: Richmond Whig & public advertiser. [no. 67 (March 7, 1862)]

Battle of Manassas.

GLC05959.71.01

7 August 1861

William Lloyd and Co. (Richmond, Va.), fl. 1861-1865

Newspaper

Title: Daily Richmond examiner. [Vol. 14, no. 137 (August 7, 1861)]

The Evacuation of Hampton, The Battle Field at Manassas, The Attack at Aquia Creek, Proclamation of General Pillow.

GLC05959.72.002