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(Created page with "<p>Letter from Selina L. Powell to ???                               post July 31, 1861</p><br /><p>Powell Papers – 65 P875, Box II, Folder 6</...")
 
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Latest revision as of 14:04, 28 July 2017

Letter from Selina L. Powell to ???                               post July 31, 1861


Powell Papers – 65 P875, Box II, Folder 6


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[no opening page with salutation . . . no closing page with signature . . . ]


Lloyd left here on Thursday at 2 - Marched to Paris rested there 4 hours & put to Piedmont at 7 on Friday morning - wrote me from there that he was well, but foot sore - got to the Junction that night - water & food scarce & bad - & he was quite sick on Saturday - Mr Clarke wished him to rest at the Junction so he was better, but he preferred going on with the rest - They are rested at the Junction on Saturday - at night Mr. C. sent for him to his tent & invited him to sup with him, which he did very heartily & seemed to enjoy it very much.  On Sunday Mr C asked him how he was & told him they would probably be in position for several hours or all day & might be in battle but he thought they would not be & asked him if he had not better remain where he was - He said oh no - that he never felt better in his life and smilingly "that supper has quite set me up."  They were under a falling fire for three hours & a half - in a pine thicket about 4 feet high - bullets & shell falling thick as hail - owing to the inefficiency of Allen who was not at the head of his regt as orders thought  they were at last ordered to fire


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back - they were expecting an order to charge with the bayonet - & a part of the company fell back very unwillingly.  P. Burwell said Lloyd said to him - "The men ought not to fall back" & when Mr C gave the order to form in line Lloyd was the first to step forward saying, John B says, "Come on boys" & just as he had his place a bullet struck him to the heart - As he fell R B & J B - caught him & carried him off the field & as soon as the the charge was over & Ed cd get off he ran & caught a______  & took him to Dr Hunter - but Johnny said he thought he was killed instantly & Robert so he did not think he even knew what struck him - Ed said he stood during the morning at Lloyd's side & that he & [Strother?] Barton were engaged in prayer for some considerable time Marshall Jones said Lloyd sd to him encouragingly [?] - "Let us show them what Virginians can do."  He remarked to [Strotter?] & I suppose it was after being engaged in prayer as Ed sd he & Strotter were for some time / "Strotter & I are ready now for every emergency" -


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He observed to some of the young men “You ought not to make light of a battle – It is a very serious thing.”?  To Mr. Sherard he said that if it were possible, in the event of his falling, he should like his body to be carried to his friends & not buried, unless necessary, on the field.  He & R. B[urwell?] agreed if either fell, the other should take charge of his remains – Robert brought him home – he could not get here until Tuesday, too late for us to look at him – tried to bring him on Sunday night, but no cars were permitted to run till Monday – When he first came from the West in conversation with his Father he sd he had had no military education & wd not be willing to take any command even if he could get it- a  ____  I know I am not fit for it & I would not have the lives of men depending on me – His Father suggested to him that a place in the Quartermaster department would suit him, as he had business habits & his course of life had fitted him for it – He said, “No, he had rather enlist as a private – no he did not wish to have any pecuniary compensation – he had rather not make any thing by it.”?  He never doubted, for a moment what his course should be.  He came from the West where he had been living 10 years on purpose to join the army & he said one day, speaking of some one who had been turned [?] from a like[?] cause by advice of lady friends – that he could not conceive of a man’s asking advice as to the course he ought to pursue – He


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never showed the slightest vindictive spirit – He entered the war from a sense of duty, but he earnestly hoped for an honorable peace – Despising what he esteemed the hypocrisy & fanaticism & dishonesty of the Northern people, he yet never seemed to have any feeling of personal hatred or desire for revenge – He thought the war was most unjust & must be resisted / that there was nothing else to be done & it was his duty to do his part –


 


[letter written in pencil, but below later addition written in ink]


In conversation one day I mentioned it as showing the resolution with which he pursued every thing he thought worth pursuing at all, he said you and he [amazed?] to see us all at the [store?] in Henry [Illinois] at night - We bring out always an English, French & Classical dictionary & a map - and any word which I meet with in reading, if I have not so clear an idea of its meaning as to be able to express it to myself in words, I look for it in the Dic - & often night after night I look for the same word if I do not recollect perfectly, so even if I am reading a book from which I do not expect to devise any other improvement I am sure of getting some in this way.