The following letter was written by Pvt. Joseph A. Nicholls (1843-1899) of the Washington Cavalry, Pennsylvania. This unit was organized in August 1861 and was attached to the Army of Occupation, West Virginia, until November 1861. Later in the war, they were merged into the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry along with the Ringgold Battalion and the LaFayette Cavalry Company.

Joseph was the son of William and Rebecca (Smith) Nichols of West Bethlehem, Washington county, Pennsylvania. He served in the cavalry with several of his brothers during the Civil War.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Washington County, Pa.
October 11, 1861

Dear sir,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present. I have never been sick one day since I been in the service. I am going to tell you some war news. I was over at Cheat Mountain one day last week and then come back to camp and then the orders came that we would have to go to Cheat Mountain that same day. Our company got ready and started and when we got there, they was fighting. The secesh had six thousand and we had ten thousand. Two thousands of their men come out about two miles from camp and formed themselves into a battle line, shot one of our men. Our artillery fired and killed one hundred men and they ran and we followed up after them till we was only about three hundred yards from their battery. The come out and shot for one hour and then went in and our men and artillery kept it us for four hours. But they would not come out. Firing was ceased and then the 3rd Ohio and the 9th Indiana Regiment countermarched up and down before their battery only three hundred yards from their battery. They got two thousand in reinforcement. We got some of their horses and cattle and sheep and hogs. Their loss was five hundred. Our loss was ten men. We heard the cannon balls singing over our heads. I got one that lit in the bank right above me. It was a six pounder. It was metal. Another one cut a limb of a tree about 15 feet above our Captain’s head.

We are going back to start them in a few days or else they will start us. My horse died this morning with the glanders. The Captain said that he was the best horse in the company. He was a jet black about 14 hands high. I am clear of duty till I get another one. I have been out on duty for two weeks hand running. I have gained ten pounds since I left Washington County. The Governor of Virginia wanted the Ringgold and this company to go into a Virginia regiment but we hain’t going into one. The Governor wrote to our Captain that if he didn’t send his muster roll to him in a few days, that he would send a man to take charge of the company. Captain wrote to him to go to hell—that henever would get it because he had sent the muster roll to[Gov.] Curtin and was taken into a Pennsylvania regiment. Our company is not quite full.

I am in Camp Elkwater now. Nothing more at present. I would like for you to write to me and let me know how all the folks are. Tell Lib that I hope that her and Lime will get along all right. Direct your letter to Beverly, Randolph county, Virginia

— Joseph A. Nicholls

[to] George Taylor