The following letter was only signed “B. B.” so it is difficult to say with certainly who he was. He addressed the letter to “Doctor” who seems to have been from the same area of Virginia as “Capt. F” of his regiment. Since the author describes the recent action known as the Battle of Haulover Cut on James Island and the only Virginia troops participating in the fight were from the 26th Virginia Infantry, my hunch is that the author served in that regiment. The only “Captain F.” in the 26th Virginia was Capt. Patrick H. Fitzhugh (1818-1864) of Co. B who would later be mortally wounded in the 17th June 1864 Battle of Petersburg. Additionally, the 26th Virginia was assigned to the 1st Military Sub District which is how this letter was datelined.

I could not find a “B. B.” serving in Co. B of the 26th Virginia but it isn’t clear from the letter that the author was necessarily from the same company as the captain mentioned. In fact, there were several companies recruited from the same general area of Virginia. Three possible candidates Are Benjamin Boughton of Co. C who was later killed at the Battle of Nottoway Bridge; Benjamin Booker of Co. H who was captured on 17 June 1864 and died at Elmira in October 1864; and Benjamin Broach of Co. H who was captured at High Bridge on 14 April 1865 and died on 2 May 1865. I can’t be certain that it was any one of these three; they are only possibilities. Whomever he was, he had excellent handwriting which would indicate an advanced education and suggest a position of higher rank. None of the possibilities mentioned above fit that description.

[Note: This letter is from the private collection of Greg Herr and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Transcription

Headquarters,
1st [Military] Sub. District
February 12, 1864

Dear Doctor,

It has been a long time since I have heard from you and I feel real anxious to get a letter from you. Captain F got a letter from your father a few weeks ago. I frequently make inquiries whether or not the Yankees occupy your part of the country but no one seems to know anything about it. I have experienced some pretty hard times during the past Spring & Summer. When we returned to Yorktown, our tents were sent to Petersburg. We have no wall tents. The only tents we have here are fly tents. And they only issue 5 to a company. We have had very poor rations. Fatty meat to eat the most of the time and nothing other but crackers.

The fight at Richmond I was the only one in the battle, our regiment not being called into action till the last day of the fight. The Captain acted very bravely and came out of the fight without a scratch. I got a slight wound in my head. The ball struck me on top of the head, cutting through the skin. I fear that many of my friends have been killed in the later fighting in Virginia. You have a better opportunity of hearing from the army that I have. We have no other than river water to drink. The gnats & horseflies are already great pests. There is a great many alligators visible every day. We captured one yesterday and had his tail for supper. I understand we are to commence on hardtack in a few days. They look like all jawbones.

I used to think I could see some end to the war. I don’t see any chance now for it to close at all. I know the Yankees cannot, nor ever will, whip us. I do think it depends entirely on the election of the next President of Yankeedom whether we will have any peace for the next 5 years to come.

In our latest skirmish, I am happy to say that the Yankees retreated in great haste, leaving their dead on the field. They had burned the houses at Haulover and retreated to their gunboats. Our losses were 10 from Jenkin’s Cavalry and 1 wounded from the 59th North Carolina. I must close right now. I pray God for the success of our righteous cause and that He protect our brave men. Your friend, — B. B.