.MTE4NQ.MjEyNA
15 August 1862
Powell Papers – 65 P875, Box III, Folder 1
[The back of this letter became the outside of the envelope as it was folded, addressed, and stamped to C. L. Powell Esq, Box 45, Richmond, Va. Two five cents stamps affixed.]
- - - - -
Camp between Gordonsville & Orange C.H.
Aug 13th 1862
My Dear Father
This is the first day since
the battle that I have been able to
sit long enough to write you a word
I wrote you from Charlottesville enclosing
Drafts for 250 $ and have not heard
since whether you received it, but
suppose, and also told you that
I had made up my mind to
join Braxtons Artillery which I
did and am very glad that I
made so good a selection, I am
perfectly well, and well satisfied
On the third day after joining the
Battery we started on our march
to Culpeper and after a very tedious
and hungry march caught up with
Popes Army and on the same evening
gave them a sound whipping. Our
Battery was ordered to the field near
the beginning of the fight but did
not fire for more than two hours
after I saw Genl Winder as he was
being brought off the field he died
very soon after. I have not heard
[2]
of any one that I knew being killed
or wounded. The first Brigade lost
very few. Our loss in all was
about five hundred in all The
Yankees acknowledged a loss
of over fifteen hundred.
The fighting was kept up the greater part
of the night and I think in time that
the Yankees lost most heavily We were firing
until twelve oclock at night and were
the last to leave the field the next
day but had not a single man in
our Company killed or wounded
We took one Brig Gen'l, one Adjutant
Genl and about five hundred others
besides one piece of Artillery.
None of us understand why Gen'l
Jackson fell back to this position
but hear that Genl Burnside is
on his way from Fred ksburg with
Twenty Thousand troops.
In writing to me direct to Braxtons Battery
AP Hills Division and I reckon you
had better sent them to Gordonsville
where they will be sent to where we are
I will not be able to write to Mother
or Sister so please tell them
that you heard from me
Very affectionately
Your Son
C. L. Powell Jr
