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1 July 1862
Powell Family Papers – 65 P875, Box III, Folder 1
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Charlottesville July 1st 1862
My Dear Mother
I recd your very welcome
letter yesterday, and I assure you I
was glad to hear from you all
again, and to see that you were
getting along so comfortably. I would
have written to you long ago but
did not know where exactly you were
I assure you in refference to my doing
nothing I have been as unsatisfied
as you possibly could have been, and
would have been in Jacksons army
long ago but for Uncle John, who wrote
to Capt. Vaughan, and was kept two
weeks working for an answer as the
Capt had moved away from where he
was the time that Uncle John
wrote. At about that time Jackson
was receiving reinforcements from Richmond
and we had no mails at Gordonsville
for more than a week which prevented
me from hearing a week longer.
The Jacksons army began passing
down the Central R.R. and through
Gordonsville, while there I saw
Capt Poague and the members
of the Rockbridge Artillery all of
whom advised me not to join
the company as it would not
[2]
be in a fit condition to go into
a fight if we had one at Richmond
as there is only one gun in the
company which it was safe to
shoot. The Captain told me that
the company had been ordered to
Staunton to recruit, as he had
reported it unfit for duty some
time ago. Just after that, I came up
here to Charlottesville and saw Capt
Irwin who told me that on the
First of July he would want another
clerk here in his office, so here I
am, having come up from Gordonsville
yesterday. I think myself that I did
wrong in waiting so long in Gordonsville
(I have not been at Mr Gordons as you
suppose) but I had no idea of doing so
when I went there, and would not have,
had it not been that I could get no
answer from Capt Vaughan, and Uncle John
was so positive that he would want
me. I hope you dont think that I would
not be willing to stand the hardships of
a camp life or would fear to go into
a battle. My Dear Mother I am sorry
that Aunt Fannie should have given
you any such impression. In fact when
I was with Jacksons army I never felt
better and left it with the impression
on my mind that I would be able
to stand it very well and was
just as anxious to join the Company
as I was when I started from
Staunton for the army two weeks before
[3]
Mr and Mrs Renshaw and Miss Evelyn Carter
are here staying at the "_____ House"
They are on their way to Clark County
at least they say they are going to try to
get there, and say they are tired of
running all over the country getting
out of the way of the Yankees
Clayton Williams and Mrs Averett are
staying in the country about nine miles
from here. I saw all the Grady Boys
in Gordonsville the other day, none of
them had been touched in any of
their fights under Jackson in the
valley. Temp (?) had his horse shot
under him and tells some of the
most marvelous stories of his exploits
and of Powells. There is no doubt that
Temp has killed a great many Yankees.
Temp says that at one time Powell
seeing some Yankees going through a
fence that they had pulled down
started round to the other side, and
came up and stationed himself
there, and to use Temp's expression
whacked them as they came through
with his sword. Temp can most
certainly tell some of the strangest
stories that I ever heard.
You would hardly know Powell if
you were to see him. I dont think
I ever saw any one change so much.
From Gordonsville Temp went to
Mr Gordons where I understand he
got a very fine horse. Ned and
Temp were both in Clarkes Co, and
[4]
spent a week there. Frank got a letter
from his beloved the other day, which
he read to me. It was a very fine
letter and I can well understand how
Frank can feel proud of her. I told
Frank that I wished I could find
a pretty young lady who would
love me that hard, provided always
she had enough to support us on
Frank passes himself off in Gordonsville
as a married man.
You see my dear Mother I have written
you a very long letter, but you see
postage has riz and I under the
circumstances cant afford to write
short ones. I hope you and Sisters
will take care to do likewise, and
in writing to me always remember
that it wont pay to write short
letters when long ones cost no more
Tell Sister Hat & Bec to write to
me I have not received a line
from Sister Hat since she left
Mr Gordons I expect to write to
Aunt Fannie in a few days
I wrote to Nina a day or two ago,
Tuesday morning. I wrote yesterday evening until
it was so dark I could not see, so
had to put off the finishing stroke
until morning. I will write to
Father this morning if I have
time. It is raining hard this
morning which will put a stop
I suppose to the fighting near Richmond
Please write soon Your very aff Son
C L Powell
