Letter to Katherine Snodgrass-Boyd

Scope and content:

Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards general news about the war and family matters.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

Virginia Military Institute
June 8th 1862

My dear sister
I recd a letter yesterday from Bose. Whilst Genl. Jackson was in Winchester he succeeded in getting down home. He said all were well, and everything going on right. Grandma has gotten home. She looks remarkably well. Ma and Cousin Fannie have both been to Maryland. Our darkies behaved remarkably well. None of them left. The Yankees tried to persuade them to run away, they would not go. They told Bose he need not be uneasy, they did not intend to go. Ma has let Nancy live to herself, on account of her good conduct. Mr. Thornburg has rented our farm. So you see Katy everything seems to be going on well – hope it will be so this time. I am sorry you and Nannie could not get home. You are both much better where you are. You won't catch me going home when the Yankees are about there. The New York Herald says Genl. Jackson has been reinforced by 2000 well drilled cadets. They are slightly mistaken in the number, we were not 200 strong. They would arrest me if I were at home. I tried to get Genl. Smith to give me a furlough when the way home was open. He told me to wait until I got a letter. I have not recd any letter - think they might have written to us at any rate. Will got a very short letter from his Pa. Said the Yankees ran by our house like dogs in full run. You had better both stay at the Institute when the session is up. Do you graduate this year? Our school will close about the first of July. I don't know what I shall do yet! I will try and get down to see you when the session closes. Ma told Bose to tell me to stay at the V. M. I. said Uncle John had given her plenty of money. So you see you had better stay at your school when it closes. Bose says his regt. was the first to enter Winchester. He captured 2 new suits of clothes, and eat so many captured sweet meats that it made him sick. He [Jess] and Sam McM. have joined a new company. They are now in Staunton. George Murphy is also there. I suppose Cousin Fannie and Ma were rejoiced when they saw the Yankees running so fast by the house. I should have been. Grandma is delighted I know to get home. I would like to see her. You must not be uneasy about home. All depends upon the fight at Richmond. If the Yankees are whipped there they must leave the Valley. Of course they will be. Give my love to Nannie. I will write to her soon. Write me by return mail.
Your brother, John.

Subjects:

Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1860-1869
Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1864
Virginia Military Institute—Civil War, 1861-1865
Correspondence

Names:

Snodgrass family
Snodgrass family
Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863
Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863

Access and use