Letters From The Civil War
J. W. Brown

Army of the Potomac
Camp on the plaines of Manassas
August 2nd 1861.

My Dear Father;
I received yours dated July 24th to night at 9. O'clk. Be assured it almost made me leap with joy. I expected to have recieved a letter from you before this but perhaps you did not know where I was.

I am truly proud to learn that my relations are standing up so manfully for liberty & the South. I am proud of my Brother Samuel, May he make the fight of the good & true - Tell Uncle Harve I love him - Tell Dr. Logan to clean out those Lincolnites up there - &C.

You have read before this of the glorious Victory we gained at this place on Sunday the 21st June.

By some unaccountable accident the Kentuckians was not in the fight -

We broke up Camp at Winchester Va. on the 18th of June & made a forced march, marching all day & all night, of thirty miles to Piedmont Depot on the R.R. leading from Strousburg to / Manassas. We belonged to Bartows Brigade - Three Thousand of our Brigade took the cars immediately for Manassas & our our Battalion of Kyns with Two Thousand Gorgians were left behind - Bartow going with the advance collumn of his Brig - & we had no acting Brig - Genl - consequently we were left behind - We would have arrived there however in time for the fight if it had not been for a R.R. accident. Some body tore up the track on friday night which ad to be relaid before we could get off - We arrived on the field of Battle Monday evening. There was six Thousand troops behind us at Piedmont.

I strowled out upon the Battlefield Monday after the fight - It was pouring down rain in perfect torrents - I never beheld such a scene as met my sight before. There was at least fourteen thousand dead dying and / wounded strewn a long the scene of action for the distance of nine miles - Heads leggs & arms lay scattered every where. The scene was terrifick! It was a glorious but dearly fought Victory! The Yankies suffered a complete rout. They had tow men to our one but we cleaned them out. We took seventy three peices of the best Artilery in the world. Our Boys were very much disappointed by not being in the fight.

You may look for a grand Movement before very lont.

Our company has never been under Col. Duncan. He has resigned. He is a great Dog and had not a man that like him. Capt. Harvey and his company were arrested & put under Guard yeasterday for insubordination. they are from Louisvill. They were very troublesom.

Our company No. 104. fighting men with the best Captain in the world. Our Battallion of four hundred men is commanded by Lieut. Col. Clairborn of Tenessee. / We have no tents - sleep out on the ground rain or shine. I would like to see you very much but advise you to stay at home. You are too heavy & fat to stand marching. I am satisfied to know that yur sympathies are with South.

Give every body my best love and accept the Same for your self. Write to me when you get this & tell how my Sister is getting along and Louis. show this to Uncle Harve, Dr. Logan - Uncle Milton & sent it to my sister.

You must must excuse this letter for it is badly written. I write in a great hurry in order to be in time to send it to Ky. by Col. Williams who leaves in the morning at six O' clk. This is the last sheet of paper I have.

I have plenty of good cloathes which I brought from home with me - and fifty cents in my pockett.

Good by we may never meet again but if we do I hope you will have no cause to be ashamed of
Your Son

J. W. Brown