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Near Warrenton Va July 26th 1963
Dear Mother
Have not had any mail since the middle of June but will write a little
just to keep up appearances. This is the Forty Sixth day that we have
been on the march. I think we have marched nearly five hundred miles.
After leaving Snickers Gap we kept down the mountains to Ashbys Gap, and
from there we went to Manassas Gap where we found the rebels in pretty
good force. There had been a cavalry fight there the day we got there
and our cavalry had been whipped and driven back. We laid down at night
without any supper and got up and started in the morning without any
breakfast marched about two miles, stopped and made a little coffee and
then went out and began skirmishing. Our whole regiment was deployed as
skirmishers and it made a pretty long line. We found the Enemy posted in
a high hill with a stone wall in front of them. We were a little afraid
to fight them there so we laid down out of sight but we soon got orders
to drive them away from the wall. So at it we went with a pretty good
will. We had to fire about half an hour before we could start them, but
when they did start they went like sheep and we after them and got
possession of the wall. We drove them more than a mile taking quite a
number of prisoners. They finally got lodged behind another fence and
our amunition being used up we had to stop another regiment taking our
place. That night we captured a large number of hogs and sheep and quite
a number of bee hives. So you see we have something good to eat once in
a while. We have all the blackberries that we want. The lots are full of
them and I eat my cap full twice a day. We have been verry short of
rations for the last week so we are partly obliged to pick berries for a
living. They are so thick here that a person could pick a bushel in less
than a half a day. I think you had better come down here and get your
berries this year it will not take you long. We have stopped to day
between Warrenton and White Sulphur Springs. I think we will bring up at
Culpepper pretty soon. The army never was in better health and spirits,
but they are mighty ragged and dirty and I think some Louzy, but that
can't be helped when we have ben on the march so long. I guess I am
telling some things that should not be mentioned so I will stop.
Your Affectionate Son
Cyrus J Hardaway
Historical Notes
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