The following well-written letter was penned on a cold, wintery, January night in 1864 by John R. Bowles of Co. F, 6th Virginia Cavalry. He wrote the letter while on detached duty “recruiting horses for service” in Nelson and Botetourt counties of Virginia. According to muster records, Bowles enlisted as a private on 15 January 1863 at Mount Crawford. In November and December, 1863, his records state that he was “detailed to attend to horses of Cavalry Division near Ivy Depot.” By the summer of 1864 he had been promoted to a corporal, and by war’s end he was a sergeant. A note on his muster record informs us that he was formerly a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, and that he intended to return there after the war.

What makes this letter unusual is that it was addressed to his friend Ned who was clearly living in the North—probably in Maryland, and the letter had to be smuggled through enemy lines with little or no expectation of a response. Ned isn’t identified but my hunch is that he was a former schoolmate.

Transcription

Rockfish Valley, Nelson county, Va.
January 6th 1864

My Dearest Friend Ned,

By the dim and uncertain glare of my campfire to night, I will attempt to write you a few lines as I have just heard of a good opportunity of forwarding a letter through the lines. Have you thought of me often, old friend? And have you ever wondered whether I reverted to you in my retrospections? If you have, you may case for the future from such uncertain speculations for you are my companion yet—present in mind though absent a long ways and separated by distance and armies.

Just imagine yourself with me tonight in my winter hut of logs and mud with a glowing fire cracking and popping like shrapnel shells around you and three messmates reclining upon beds of the “softest chestnut boards” we could find and a lively conversation upon foxes and fox hunting with rich imaginative embellishments annexed and a pot of rice and boiled rabbit upon the floor and you have our introductory appearance exactly. Well, having made your bow, as I am done my supper, I will monopolize your company so just seat [yourself] by my side upon my blanket and we will talk of old times and present circumstances.

How are you and how are you getting along? Are you in business for George W. H. yet? How do you like your location now and what profits do you realize? What do you think of things in general? When were you in Baltimore? How are the people there and who’s married and who ain’t? Have you read Jeff’s Message and what do you think of it? Uncle Abe seems to be a little weak or very impudent, I don’t know which.

If you could see my jowls and hear our mischief, you wouldn’t conclude my apprehensions of starvation were felt nor suppose that the spirit of our army was broken. I have had a splendid time lately, Ned. I am now and have been for two months upon detached duty recruiting horses for service in this and Botetourt counties. I get good fare, have light duties, not much restricted and plenty of friends, both make and female. Invitations to dinner and evening candy-stews are frequent and our soldier boys stand in high repute. I have some fine lady friends—the first feminines I have conversed with since I have been in the army—and you may suppose that I am “making hay, &c.” quite rapidly in strict accordance with the ancient adage. How I wish often times that you could share their company with me.

We will rejoin our regiment early next spring in ample time for fighting. Well, Old fellow, I have smelt gunpowder very often since we parted and do not care if I never offend my nose again by the scent. I have been in twenty odd engagements during last year and witnessed spectacles such as the battlefield only presents. But such descriptions are woefully frequent in the newspapers so I will not attempt any superfluous representations. I spent a fifteen day furlough in Lynchburg, New Glasgow, & Amherst county recently amongst my relatives and had an old fashioned time of fatness and plenty. Miss Helen Christian is well and spoke kindly of you. We correspond regularly. She writes a good letter and is a fast friend of mine, I believe. I wish I could send you a letter she wrote me a few days since.

I stayed all night at Cousin Martha Staples’ last month, but Cousin Mary is still in Missouri. Do you ever hear from John Trowbridge? What are his sentiments? How is honest Old Zane? I would like to see him. Send him my love. How is John Black? I presume your acquaintance has considerably increased in Zanesville by this time. How do you like them?

I wrote a long letter to Mother & Sisters today ¹ which I hope they will get. Your journals still contain accounts of prospective sufferings and ultimate starvation for us, but I will take the privilege of a freeman and contradict any such assertions most unqualifiedly if you please. We laugh at misrepresentation and consider it an evidence of their longing for such results as they cannot obtain upon the battlefield. I was at Gettysburg and much wanted to get home, but our artillery ammunition was exhausted and we had to lose the advantage of success and a gloriously planned campaign, worthy our incomparable commander in chief.

As to our “homespun,” it is very serviceable and does not interfere with a clean sight along a gun barrel at all. The times seem to indicate a prolonged struggle, Ned, but Providence still rules the universe though Lincoln sits in the chair.

The weather has been excessively cold and the New Year came blustering into power like a young giant. May he have good things in store for us. The snow is falling heavily now and rests upon the everlasting mountains around us like locks of hoary-age. The boys are snoring around now and as the fire is going out and the ink too, I must prepare to bid you good night with a hope that you will visit me in my slumbers. I wish you could answer this. Goodbye, Ned. Your sincere friend, — John R. Bowles

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¹ A photocopy of the 4-page letter Bowles wrote to his mother and sisters in Baltimore, Maryland, on 6 January 1864 can be found in the Library of Virginia. Accession No. 38884. In that letter Bowles states that he had been given a furlough to acquire horses for the company and regiment, that he had been able to visit relatives in Botetourt County, Virginia, and sending news of them home. Bowles comments on the battle of Gettysburg. He also asks how his family and friends in Baltimore are doing and describes some aspects of life as a soldier.