.MTI1NA.MjE5OQ
5 June 1863
65 P875 – Box III, Folder 4
- - - - -
Hd.Qrs. Jones Cavalry Brigade
near Culpeper Co.Ho. June 5th 1863
Dear cousin Nina
I expect you begin to despair
of ever making a good correspondent out of me, but
my irregular life in the service must be my apology
for my lack of punctuality in letter writing. I found
your last good long letter in camp when I returned on
the 23d May after being absent for 32 days on our
Western Virginia trip. I am sorry that we had not the
honor and great pleasure of expelling Milroy from
your old home in Winchester or leading him out in bondage
but the General seemed satisfied to let Milroy possess
the lower Valley if he would only let him stay in the
Upper Valley. His troops, mostly Valley men, were
exceedingly anxious to get hold of Milroy and I
believe would have forced him from Winchester at
anytime if they had only been allowed to try it. But now
our opportunity is gone. We left the Valley on Monday
last arrived at our present camp on Wednesday and
today General Stuart is having a grand review of
his Division. I should like to have witnessed it but I
had officer duties to perform. I hope we will soon
be moving forward now that is the only thing that could
reconcile one to leaving the Valley and joining the large body
[2]
of the Army. I always like to be with them when they are
advancing. We were all in Western Virginia during the
battles of Chancellorsville and could hear no news of
the battle except through Northern papers. Our loss was
great indeed, in Genl Jacksons death, but I do not find that it is irreparable.
His Corps has great confidence in General Ewell
and if he is well enough to take command I think
his appointment would give general satisfaction. –
I hope a glorious campaign is now about to open for us.
We had a very hard time on our W. Va. raid and did not
accomplish much. I think we failed signally in the object
of the expedition viz the destruction of the trestle work on
the B & O R.R. near Rowlesburg. We were out of
camp 32 days, marched about 700 miles or more
passed through 23 or 24 counties all this without any
wagons so that frequently we were without rations. For
seven consecutive nights we were in the saddle nearly all
night, and the night we crossed the Alleghany (April 25th)
the ground was frozen hard. Before reaching Rowles
burg we traveled 36 hours without calling a halt
except for a few hours at Greenland, a narrow mountain
pass where the enemy about 80 strong sheltered in a
log church gave obstinate resistance for several
hours killing four & wounding 22 of our men. Col.
R. H. Dulany and Major Brown among the wounded.
We had to march up to the church (this was about
10 o'clock at night) under heavy fire, break open the
doors & windows and throw in burning straw to set
[3]
the house on fire before the enemy would surrender.
We then pursued the even _____ of our way to Rowles
burg after an unsuccessful attack we drew off
toward Evansville and struck the railroad again
at Independence and passed on to Morgantown a
vile abolition hole which provides seven companies
to the Federal Army. We then passed on to Fairmont
co here after 3 or 4 hours fighting without much loss
on either side we captured 270 or 300 Yankees
and destroyed a magnificent new railroad bridge over
the River 900 feet long of which the original cost
was $450,000 - We had a job of it that night
paroling the prisoners – we had a parole to write for
each man and there were very few of us writing.
From Fairmont we marched toward Clarksburg and
crossing the railroad at Bridgeport within 4 miles
of Clarksburg where the enemy had a large force
So the General said, we moved on to Phillipa, hence
to Buckhamm – hence to Weston and after two day
rest moved on to the Parkersburg railroad &
struck it at Cairo Station we then moved onto
the oil wells where we destroyed millions of dollars
worth of oil and burnt all the engine houses and
all the appliances for pumping up and manufacturing
the oil. We burnt a large number of boats con-
taining about 1000 barrels of oil each besides
a great many large tanks of oil. Here we eclipsed
the sun and set on fire the Kanawha River and thus
[4]
ended our work. The dense columns of balck smoke that
rose from the burning oil completely threw Oiltown in
the shade and gave it soon the appearance of an eclipse
and the oil would run out of the boats upon the water
and catch fire so that the river was converted into a
sheet of fire. After this our whole aim was to get
back to the Valley again and the men were all relieved
when we again turned our faces toward the arising sun
and every body prepared on as eagerly as if they expected
to find their home and family in the Valley – they always
spoke of it as home. I never saw such a country in my life
and never want to see it again. After toiling to the Gap
of one mountain the only thing we could see was a higher
mountain in front of us and mountains all around us.
I shall never say any thing against an army that has
to operate in that country however unsuccessful it may be
or rather however inactive. You have very little idea of
the extent of the disloyalty in that country. The southern
Confederacy has its bitterest enemies there – After we
returned to the Valley there were a good many wounded
children sent out of Western Va. from Weston and the vicinity
that was the best town we were in after leaving Moorefield
until we got back to Lewisburg. This is a very pretty place
and has in it a great many nice people. I made the acquan-
tence of a very pleasant family there, they were refugees
from Wheeling, Judge Fry's family - the old folks were very
pleasant & kind and the young ladies pretty & intelligent. I got
a letter from Ma dated April 29th enclosing one from Frank
dated Fort Delaware April 10th 1863. He had been very sick with
Pneumonia but said he was much better I was anxious
to hear from him – It is time he was making his appearance
He does not say a word about Addie the only letter I have
seen from him for three years that was not taken up with
her. I had seen a beautiful girl in Mornson [?] bring dresses and
goods exactly like that of which you sent me a sample before
that came & admired it very much – I have reference to Miss Lizzie May
she is as sweet as she is pretty – Give much love to all the family in ___ & believe me
ever yr. devoted cousin C Powell Grady
Direct care Brig Genl.W. E. Jones Cavalry Brigade near Culpeper CH
