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Letter # 1

Mai the 9 1863

Dear sister it is with

the gratis pleasure that I seat

my self this eavening to

drafe you a few lines to

let you know that I am

still alive and in good

helth and hope that when

thies few lines comes to hand

tha may finde you all well.

Well sis wee hav had a harde

fight and wee have drivin

the yankeys a crost the river

tha loste a grate many men

and so did wee but wee did

not lose as many as tha did

tha had the best persition

but wee whip them out of

their breste works and took

them ourselves where our

bregade charged threm on

Sunday morning was the

hardest plase that ever you

saw in your life it was in

the woods and there is not

a tree or a twige but is not

cut with a shell or a miney

ball wee took 18 pieces

of Artilery the yankeys

had ther hospitle at chanelers

vill and in the fight it

was set on fire and burnt

to the ground with all

the wounded yankeys in

it it burned a grate meny

of them and I wish it

had burded all of them

I hirde that Mack was

wounded but did not get to

see him for I hadent time

to see eny thing John

was not herte he is down

further on the river wee

are camped near the

planke road about 24

miles from Arrenge courte House

in a place called the wil

derness near catherine

Furnis.  wee loste some of

the beste men that was

in our Ridgemente Cournl

T. G. Yarnet was killed

the bravis man that ever

did live lieutenent Cournl

Dunken was bad ley won

did and a grate many

others that I cante men

chen at the presant

Generl Jackson loste one

arm and was wonded

in the other hand that

was one of our one men

that wonded him but

he did not no it was

him he was so close to

the enemy that he

thought it was a yan

key sis I wish that you

could onley see the batle

fielde it is a grate curosity

but I donte wante to

see a nother one if it is

as offel a night as this one

is it is harable I donte think

that olde Fiting Jo will

try the wilderness again

tha came very near fixing me

this time there was a

shell past a bout a foot

over my head if it had hit

mee it woulde of lade mee

coulde on the sod of the

wilderness but a mis is

as good as a mill sis as

soon as youe get this leter

I want you to anser it

and tell mee all the

news giving love to all

and a large potion for your

self nothing more at presante

Moley E Hatfielde to Ginney

Direct your leters to Jones

Bregade 48 VA ridgement

in care of Mager Whie

Comanding

 Letter # 2

A Dispatch from Hiley to Ginnie April the 27 163

[Drawing of Confederate Flag] Proudly she waves oer the soldiers grave

Dear Ginnie,

Yours came to hand the 25 and I

was very glad to here from you

all your letter was a longe

time a coming to [bundle?] but

I ges ya though I was not in

a herrey to here from you

will I would like to here

from you all as of ten as

posable for it is a graite plesure

to mee and when I know

that you are all well and geting

a longe finley I am well at

this time and hope that when

thies few lines comes to hande tha

will finde you all in the beste

of helth and prosterity I

was a playing ball laste weak

and like to got my arm broke

but it is a geting well a gain

it ws not as bad as I thought

it was and so I hav git pla[ssing?]

sis ther canons are cracking

very faste this morning up

towards fredericks burge I donte

know what it means but it sounds

like tha was a going to fite

and if tha are I think I

will see them out my selfe

I in tende to take a parte

my self in it and there I

will till you how wee come

out in the fite  John is

down at Corte wit the laste

I herde of him he was oute

of harte he sed he had not

got a leter from home for

a longe time and he was

very anxious to here from

his little wife  Mack is well

I and him wer to liberty chirch

to meeting a Sunday and

wee had a fine time a

looking at the prety girls

I impore you well hav a

fine time at your exibation

I woulde like to bee there

to see it but there is no

chance of it I dont know

when I will get there I want

to get home this summer

some time when the flowers

are all out in full bloom

sis the nexte leter you sende

mee sende mee some flowers

so I can see some of the nice

flowers that you hav there

donte foregt it sis write to

mee as soon as you can and

tell mee where are forces are

at in the valley hav tha

pulling back or not you

stated that lews balrey

was be lo harrison burge

and what are the doing

there tell bob kurrer to rite

to mee and let mee no

the hole of the news that

is in the valley armey

I would like to see the olde

town once more take good

care of your self till I get

back again I donte know

when that will bee I

hope that it will bee not

longe tell pap to sende

mee some to baco with

john smals if he cante come

him selfe there is not much

to eat here but wee can giv him

as much as he can eat of meat

and bread and that is all

wee hav everything is very sears

at this time well I will hav

to close for this time my love

to all and seiv a large potion

for your selfe write soon and

till me all the news Hiley to Ginnie

Letter # 3

Monday, June the 8 1863

Dear Sister I received your

leter satterday it found me

well I was glad to her from

you we ar ane a march now

we ar near culpepper cort

house to nite we ar marching

in the direction of Winchester

but I donte noe whear we will

goe I wod of rate when I got

your leter But I had no

chance to rite tell now you

rote that my wife sed the

had not got a leter from

me for 2 monts I hav riten

every weak I sent her 30

Dollars with William

Mesenley he livs in mannt

craf end tel my wife to let

me noe if she got it or not

I cante rite much this time

it is darke now I will write

soon agane from your

Brother John Hatfield rite sune

Letter # 4

Camp Near Brandy Station

Culpeper County Va July the 10 1863

Miss Giny

It affords me the greatest

pleasure in riting to you as I haveint any employment

this eavening I thought I would rite you a few lines

informing you that I am well hoping when these few

imperfect lines come to hand they may find you well and

enjoying your self.  I must inform you that I got to the regiment

last thursday morning and found them below Culpeper

we were drawn up in line of battle directly I got there but it

dident amount to any thing we expected them to come but

they did not.  Our boys had a fite with them last saturday and

also on monday we whipped them both times and drove them

back.  But we have a hard time over here we dont get near

enough to eat and feed and what we do get is not fit to eat

for it’s a little Sour corn meal and leaf but we must put

up with it and hope for the better if we do die in dispair

I started to the regiment on friday but I dident get further

than the river the company I was to gow with had orders

to stay untill monday and of course that sooted me of course

and we made up a crowd to gow to the cave on saturday

and we went and had a fine time of it they were

forty five of us together and if I would have a new what

I now now I would certainly have stayed another week

for they wasent looking for me yet I should have liked

very much to have ben at home to went along with the

croud that was to gow to the cave last saturday but its

too late to grieve after spilt milk I reckon you went of

course if the crowd went but I am in hopes the war

will soon end and then we will enjoy our selves as we once

did.  I though the people dident enjoy themselves at home but

I was pointily disappointed for I saw more pleasure on saturday

and sunday than I ever saw in my life.  I thought this

youngsters was more lively than I ever saw thim.  I dident [struckthrough]

dont see wether I just thought so or whether they really were

I must soon bring my letter to a close for I expect we will soon

leave here I am not with the company now I have ben

detailed for provost guard for the brigade and we will

soon have to leave here for the brigade is about to leave I

suppose they are gowing on picket and I must be brief.

But write as soon as you get this letter for its a great satisfaction

to me to read letters from friends or acquaintances.

Excuse my bad riting spelling and all mistakes, for I have

a bad chace to rite and am in a hurry. So no more

at present but give my love to all enquiring friends if

there any such be.  Yours Respectfully

George D. Ritchie

If you rite Direct your letter to Culpepe in care

of Captain G. Sipe Company No. 12 Va Cavalry

And if you those few lines refuse

burn my paper and me excuse.  Remember well

well and bear in mind a constant friend is hard to find.

Letter # 5 [Note: Bottom right of paper is damaged, partially missing, and mostly illegible]

Richmond, VA, Aug the 7 1863

Miss Virginia Hatfield

Kind Miss

Knowing myself an

Entire stranger to you I hope you will pardon

me for taking to liberty to address you

after first sight.  Probly you will think me

quite bold in giving you my Name by

way of mail in a Strangger like manner

nevertheless if you do.  I ask all pardon

that a Strangger could.  But taking into

consideration my dependdency upon the

kind people of Va When Serving my Country

[missing] on as painful & wearisome a journey as was

to me when on my way to this place

from Pennsylvania I think would be

doing you great injustice to pass on the

journey of life with out offering you my best

wishes for your future prosperity Extending

to you my due thanks for your amiableness

& kindness you shown me at your

sisters [missing] Mrs. Borviens whare I saw you

[missing] to all trouble in prepairing

[missing] [?]ast for I & my friend of the [?]N.C.

Regt

when I was almost exhasted from fatiguem[ent?]

& wounds & it is a natural consequence with

me to try to cultivate an acquaintance

with all who [strikethrough] treat me with

sympathetic love & Kindness let me be

ever so mulch a Strangger to those that

treat me with Such as is above discribed

[strikethrough] They are no Strangger to me for Oh!

what do I value a kind friend persuit me

to Say that next to a kind Sister

& Mother & my kind Miss pray accept of[missing]

my humble Thanks to [illegible]

for the promortion of your [illegible] happiness

as well as hoping that you may long be

Spared as the advocate [illegible]tal Christianity

as a blessing & ornament to Your Country

& as [?]ealous Instructor of those who are

destinied to promore its best in[terests?]

&that you may Enjoy with[out inter-?]

-ruption the pleasures [illegible]

consciousness of the Esteemd [illegible]

the wise & pious is the [illegible]

of your mutch Oblige[illegible]

I Subscribe my [illegible]

& member of company [illegible]

Letter # 6

August the 12.

Camp, Near Orange, Ch.

Dear sister I

reseived your kinde ande affectionte

leter this morning and was mutc

pleas to here from you. for it

is the firste time I have herde

from you for some time your

leter found mee well with

the exception of the New ralsey in

my teath but that is nothing

Sis I was at New Market

laste Sunday this day one weak

a go but could not get home

I wanted to come but I was

be hinde the Ridge ment wee

got out of at Frunte Boil

I cought the  ridgement a

sunday eavning I thought

at the time that the

Bande had broke up and I was

a going to get my pay and then

goin caverly but all the

boys had came up and wee are

still in the band and every thing

is a going on smoove and nice now

yes sis I herd of Miners deth

I was in a bout a half a mile

of him when he was killed

wee loste a meny a god fellow

in that fight I recond Mat

takes it very harde what has be

come of her I hav not herde a

thing from her for a longe

time you wanted to know what

had become of John I donte know

he was with the wagons the last

time I herd from him I reckon

he is at home at this time

I will go over to the 10 ridgement

this eavning and if he is there I

will make him rite to you and

let you know where he is sis

where is little henry you dident

say one wourd about him in your

leter tell him to dry mee some

apils and peaches and chury

and blackberys till I come home

tell him to bee a good boy and

When I come home I will bring

him something nice sis I sente

a black Cloth Cote and over Cote

and 2. Too likeness home by

Jamey Deannes there was some

leters in the side pocket I

want you to pot them a way

till I come home sis that

likeness that is in the

case I wante you to hav it

moved and send it to mee

the firste chance you get if

you pleas tell pap to fix it

sis I expect our ridgement

will go to the South weste

be fore long then wee will

hav a fine time but it will

bee a longe ways from home

but I will try and get

home be fore wee go if I can

sis I want you to write to mee as

soon as you can and let mee know

whether tha hav come home or not

I want you to poot the black cote

in your drawer and keepe it there

till I come home there was a sper but

that a way and donte let it get

loste  I want you to sende mee

some posage stamps or I cante

rite to you eny more and

rite to mee and let mee know

how you are getting along at home

giv my love to pap and mother and

sister Jane tell her I will attend

to that money as soon as I can

well I must close for the pres

ant     my love to all your tr[eu?] Brother Hiley to Ginnie

A Few words to friend pollie it has bin a lon

ge time since I hav had the ples

ure of seeing you or herd

from you but I hope it will

bee but a shorte time till wee

will have peas again and the

wee can go when wee pleas

and where wee pleas I recon

you hav plenty of Apils and

good things to eat I wish I was

there to eat dinner with you to

day well polley you muste

excuse this shorte leter my love to

to you and all the rest rite to mee

[written along the right side] Hiley to poley