The following letter was written by Richard J. Norris (1831-1863) who enlisted as a private in Co. D, 9th Virginia Cavalry in mid-September 1861. He was wounded in the Battle of Brandy Station on 9 June 1863 and died at Richmond on 2 July 1863.

Richard addressed the letter to Mary C. Hinton (1843-1917), the daughter of George Crowther Hinton (a house carpenter) and Margaret A. Brown of Stony Hill, Richmond county, Va. Mary never married. In the 1860 US Census, 29 year-old Richard Norris was employed as a laborer on the adjacent farm of Joseph R. Haynie. Joseph was married to Elizabeth Norris (b. 1828), almost certainly Richard’s older sister. Joseph also served the Confederacy, first as a foot soldier in the 37th Virginia Militia, and then later as a member of the 9th Virginia Cavalry, Co. K. Both Joseph and his wife Elizabeth were born in Lancaster, Virginia, as was Richard.

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

Fort Lowry, Essex county, Virginia
October 31, 1861

To Miss M. C. Hinton

As I have a leisure hour to spare, I will employ myself by writing you a few lines. I arrived at the fort yesterday with a few others of our company. We were encamped at Dunnsville when we first came over on this side, but Monday Col. [George E.] Pickett got a dispatch from Richmond stating a fleet would attack him at the fort in the evening at 2 o’clock and our company and the Essex Cavalry ¹ were ordered down here immediately last Tuesday week.

I was taken with a chill and have been confined to the bed ever since until today, I went out about 12 o’clock. I was carried to a private house when I was first taken where I remained until yesterday when I was removed down here to Mr. Warren’s where I expect to stay until I get fit for service which I hope I will be soon. Dr. [Thaddeus Constantine] Montague pronounced my sickness to be the bilious fever. Several of our company over here is sick and six in Lancaster, making thirteen in all on the sick list. The sick are treated very well over here. They have no right to complain.

I hope this may find you and all the family well and I hope also you may continue so. Give my respects to the people in the neighborhood—especially to Betsy and all the children and sister and her children Frances and Margaret, and everybody. But don’t forget to retain a portion for yourself. I cannot tell when I shall be over. It may be long or it may be short.

Since I have been writing, Capt. [Meriweather] Lewis received orders not to let a man leave the camp. The enemy is expected every minute. There has been a steamer in sight this evening. If there is no fleet up here in a week or so, we will be sent to Yorktown. It has already been rumored if we go down there, there we will stay until next spring. Nearly every man in our company are wishing for the fleet to come in sight. Capt. Lewis is quite a big man over here. He has command of two companies of 80 each.

Though we are separated by the deep waters, yet I think of thee and hope you have not forgotten me. If you feel disposed to answer this, I shall be very glad to receive the answer. I would be very glad to hear from you and everybody in the neighborhood. I intend to write to sister Betsy and Fanny. If you write, direct your letter to Dunnsville, Essex county, Va. in the care of Capt. Lewis. You can send a letter from Heathville or the church in ten or twelve hours to Dunnsville which is only two miles from here.

I must now close by asking you to excuse my pencil as pen and ink is hard to come at. I still remain your devoted admirer and hope the same from you. — Richard J. Norris

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¹ The “Essex Cavalry” refers to the Essex Light Dragoons ( or Co. F of the 9th Virginia Cavalry). They were located at Camp Bryon near Dunnsville until October 1861 when they were ordered to Fort Lowry to assist in the fort’s defense and to conduct scouting missions.