Item No. 8748541

This early-war letter was written July 18, 1861, by Lieutenant Colonel William H. Ward of the 12th New York. Confident of victory, he discusses the movements of General Robert Patterson’s Army of the Shenandoah toward Winchester days before the Union army’s disaster at the First Battle of Bull Run.

That July, while Union General Irvin McDowell advanced his army toward Manassas Junction, it had been Patterson’s job to occupy the lower Shenandoah Valley and demonstrate before Winchester, thereby preventing the rebels at Manassas from receiving reinforcements from the Valley. Careful not to bring on an attack, Patterson had waited at Martinsburg for two weeks before timidly advancing south toward Winchester on July 15, stopping at Bunker Hill. Scouts would report rebels still holding Winchester, and Patterson, considering his demonstration complete, would begin a withdrawal toward Harpers Ferry via Charles Town.

Ward’s letter was written to his wife on July 18 from Charles Town. Suspecting she is ill, he opens by urging her to “watch every little symptom and be well when I come back, for nothing distresses me so much as that you should be ill and I absent.” He then discusses his regiment’s movements and the strategy of General Patterson:

We left Martinsburg on the day that you wrote, and reached Bunker Hill that afternoon, encamped, and remained until yesterday morning at daylight, when we broke camp and started for this place. General Patterson deceived the enemy as to his intentions, they supposing that he intended to march on Winchester. But after marching a certain distance in that direction, we turned off to the left at Smithfield, drew up in position, and let our train pass us. We remained in line of battle until the train had gone by, and then followed, arriving here at eight o’clock. We had several streams to cross and the bridges consisting of single planks, [and] were much delayed on our march. Our wagons, too, had taken up a wrong position, and so we did not pitch our camp, but bivouacked, holding ourselves in readiness against a night attack. Nothing occurred, however, and after breakfast this morning we pitched our tents and made ourselves comfortable. We are now under orders to move at an hour’s notice with two day’s rations and no baggage, so perhaps before you receive this we shall have met the enemy. They must be demoralized by McClellan’s victories, and his pressing upon them so hard on their left. We have now outflanked them on the right, and if McDowell’s column is to move in connection with ours & McClellan’s, it looks to me as if we should rout them completely.

Ward then mentions Confederate General Robert S. Garnett, who had been killed at the Corrick’s Ford the previous week, and who Ward incorrectly believes had been married to his wife’s acquaintance:

Is General Garnett who was killed Mary Stevens’s husband? If so, I must say that I am both glad & sorry for our friend Mary. Glad because he is gone, and sorry because she was attached to him.

In the closing paragraph Ward writes hopefully:

Our boys are in fine fighting trim, & I have no doubt that the Twelfth will do its duty handsomely. We made a better march yesterday than any other regiment in our brigade, always carrying knapsacks, for which the others had transportation, and came in in better order. I was very proud of them and am still. If I can only keep them steady for their first fire, we shall do all that can be expected of us.

On July 18, perhaps as Ward was writing this letter, the rebels in the Valley, unencumbered by Patterson’s presence near Winchester, had begun to travel by rail to Manassas. Their arrival would tip the balance in the rebels’ favor in the fighting of July 21, resulting in the rout of McDowell’s army and the end of any hopes for a quick resolution to the conflict. Its enlistment term expired, the 12th New York would return home and muster out on August 5. They would again be called to service under Ward in 1862 and 1863.

The letter was written on four pages of a letter sheet measuring about 5 1/4” x 8”. Excellent condition with light toning. Creased at the original folds. Included is the original transmittal cover. The full transcript appears below.

Charlestown, Va. 18 July / 61
Camp McClellan

My own darling little wife
I have just received your precious letter dated (this time) 15th. I need hardly tell you the pleasure it gives me. It was entirely unexpected, but non the less welcome on that account. You do not say that you have been ill, but from the tone of your letter I am afraid that you have been a little under the weather. Do take care of your precious health my own baby. Watch every little symptom and be well when I come back, for nothing distresses me so much as that you should be ill and I absent. I send this by the Rev’d Mr. Tracy, who returns this afternoon on business to Washington, and who has promoted to call upon you there.

We left Martinsburg on the day that you wrote, and reached Bunker Hill that afternoon, encamped, and remained until yesterday morning at daylight, when we broke camp and started for this place. General Patterson deceived the enemy as to his intentions, they supposing that he intended to march on Winchester. But after marching a certain distance in that direction, we turned off to the left at Smithfield, drew up in position, and let our train pass us. We remained in line of battle until the train had gone by, and then followed, arriving here at eight o’clock. We had several streams to cross and the bridges consisting of single planks, [and] were much delayed on our march. Our wagons, too, had taken up a wrong position, and so we did not pitch our camp, but bivouacked, holding ourselves in readiness against a night attack. Nothing occurred, however, and after breakfast this morning we pitched our tents and made ourselves comfortable. We are now under orders to move at an hour’s notice with two day’s rations and no baggage, so perhaps before you receive this we shall have met the enemy. They must be demoralized by McClellan’s victories, and his pressing upon them so hard on their left. We have now outflanked them on the right, and if McDowell’s column is to move in connection with ours & McClellan’s, it looks to me as if we should rout them completely.

Is General Garnett who was killed Mary Stevens’s husband? If so, I must say that I am both glad & sorry for our friend Mary. Glad because he is gone, and sorry because she was attached to him.

Our boys are in fine fighting trim, & I have no doubt that the Twelfth will do its duty handsomely. We made a better march yesterday than any other regiment in our brigade, always carrying knapsacks, for which the others had transportation, and came in in better order. I was very proud of them and am still. If I can only keep them steady for their first fire, we shall do all that can be expected of us.

And now goodbye my own little darling. I send you a kiss X and my love from the bottom of my heart, yes all over.
Your own
Willie