...made us wake up, tho we were not afraid of being hurt.
Father and mother, Jaspper and Joel, both, get along finely. They both do their duty cheerfully, all the way through.
Father, there is a great fight expected in a few days, I cannot tell if we will be in it or not. We are close to the enemy, and close to where the fight is expected.
We are all getting along very wel under the circumstances.
The weather is very cool today, I heare some of the buoys saw frost this morning, but I did not.
Now, father and mother, I want you to see my little family and tell them I am well, and I want you, both, tel those little ones, and Josephine, too, all of them, "howdy" for me. The distance is to great for me to tell them "howdy".
Father and mother, youre buoys desiree for youre sincere prayers, all the while.

Your…(Loving)..Son,

W.W.E.

….family connections were wel.
Josephine, you complain that you do not get any letters from me. I have written one to you every weeke since I saw you, and wil continue to do so, if I have the chance, and I want you to wright to me once a weeke, anyhow, tel all the buoys to wright to us. Tel all of your people "howdy" for me.
This letter that I received of yours is the third from you since we left.
We believe that we wil get through the war by Christmas, anyhow, I will wright to you in a few days. Give my respects to enquiring friends, if any.

To Mrs. W. W. English

W. W. English

MRs. W. W. English

Dear Love,
There are many rivers between us, tho one protector, do not grieve, we are all wel at this time. I hope these lines may finde you, and those little ones, all enjoying the same blessings of God, put your trust in Him and feare no evil.
I am wel satisfied, as you could expect under the circumstances, there are ten thousand soldiers at this place. There is some sickenes in the camp, tho our company is wel.
Jo, there are sites all over this country, everybody that is able to bare arms is drilling. Everything looks warlike heare.
We had preaching, in our camp, this morning, by Mr. Robinson, one of our company.
We have been put to considerable trouble to get our meals regular, since we arrived heare Tuesday last, but weare doing very, very, wel now, plenty to eat that is good, tho, we have to buy things to cooke in ourselves, at very hy rates at that, double what they are at home. We are compeled to hire our washin done, five cents per garment. Everything about Richmond is very hy.
We have intimations that we wil be sent to Mannasses Junction in about two weeks, tho there are no certainties, in that, there is no reliable news from the war.
I have been to the capitol, tho I did not see (President) Davis, he wil visit our camp in a few days. Mr. Toombs was in our camp Fryday evening.
Richmond is a very large, and very wealthy, city. There are so many soldiers, that it looks like, they wil have sufficient force, heare, to do any thing they want to do. The buoys are all in good spirits, they thinke we shal have a lively time with the yankeys, soon.
The oppinion of the people here, is that there wil be a hard fighting heare, soon.
We have been here, this is the fifth day, it has rained copious three of them. It was cold enough this morning to weare overcoats. The weather heare varies very much, the nights are cool, from 8 o'clock in the morning til 3 o'clock in the evening it is very hot.
The corn in this state is very fine, though it is small. There are no corn tassels. In this part of the country, the corn is about neehy to waisthy, in fact, there is some corn that is not halfe leghy. Some planting. Yet there is very little cotton in this country, I have not seen a single gin house since we left North Carolina.
There is nothing to make fires with, only as we buy it. There are one dozen boats hauling wood to the soldiers. Though the Government pays for the wood, "every company its portion of the wood", same as everything else, "according to size of the company".
The most Beautiful site in town is (a statue of General) Washington, on a horse, on top of the capitol, his natural size.
There is a place here, within a halfe a mile of our camp, that we can walk under the river. We were down there the other day and some of the buoys were bathing, while some of us were under them, on dry land.
There wil be time enough for you to wright to me before we wil leave here.
Direct youre letters thus:
W. W. English
Flying Sumpter Artillery
c/o Capt. Cutts
Richmond, Va.

Youres as ever.

W. W.

I am Chief of our mess, consisting of 13 men.

Dear Mother,
I take my pen in hand, to drop you a line, to let you now that I am well and, more cheerfully, hope those few lines may find you enjoying the same portion of Gods blessings.
Mom, I am very well satisfied here now, if I could top thinking about home and what is there. Mom, I wish you had sent me your ambrotype, you wrote me word you had gone to town to have it taken, I received Sallys, and I wish you had sent it to me. Sallys is mighty like her, if it had not been so dark.
I cannot tell you anything about the war, for I don't know anything about it myself, only from the movement of the troops, they are moving everyday.
I would be happy to see you all but I cannot come to see you all before Christmas nohow, and I cannot promise you that I will be there at that time, but if the war stops I will be there before that time, but if it don't stop, if I come, it will be on furlough and I want have the money to bring me there.
I want you to kiss that dear sweet babe of mine for me and tell Sally "howdy" for me and tell her that I want her to dry a "heep" of them peaches for I shall want a great, big, peach pye when I get there.
I must close.
I remain as ever,

An affectionate son
and shall until death.

W. H. H. Edge

To his mother
G. Edge

Mrs. W. W. English,

My Deare Friend and Affectionate Wife.
I again take my pen in hand to wright you a few lines. Jo, I am not well, though I am up and about. I received your letter, that is, I received two letters from you. Jo, I want you to go and stay at my fathers some, the next time you wright to me I want you to be at my fathers, when you wright. Josephine, all of the buoys want to read the letters that you wright.
Tell your mother that we are all doing well, though we have all been pestered with bowel disease, all of us.
You requested me to state what was wrong with Henry at Richmond. He was not satisfied with the officers, he has become satisfied now.
I was very much grieved when I received your letter stating that Robert Simpson had hurt his arm so badly and yet was glad it was not worse.
Josephine, I wrought to brother Joseph English yesterday, stating that, there was a rumor, that we would not be allowed to wright to you anymore, that report is not true, we shall continue to wright.
Jo, if you read the papers, you can get the war news better than we can wright it to you.
My deare madam, you requested me to let you know how we were prepared for sleep, we have plenty to sleep on at present.
Josephine, we received those cakes yesterday. Yo do not know anything, about being proud, by receiving a present, without you being heare and seen us!! That bottle of hard sauce, that you sent, did not get heare.
Mr. Bruce says he wil come out in about a month. We wil try to wright to you in that time what we want. We will want heavy wool, in yards, for winter clothing, if we have to stay through the winter, (thought I hope that we wil get home before the weather gets very cold).
You must wright to me what the people thinke of the war.
Tel Dick and Liz "howdy" for me.
and …….????………are you to the war.
Let your mother read this letter and all that you get from me.
Tel all the connections, on both sides, "howdy" for me.
kis all of the children for me.

W. W. E.

My Deare Mother,
I drop you a few lines that wil inform you that we have all been sicke with bowel disease, though the boys have all got wel, but myself, and I am mending, I thing that I shall be well in a few days, I am up now.
Mother, your buoys are amoung the living yet and close to the enemy, you must not be uneasy about us for weare getting along very wel.
We are many miles from home, and maybe, 'fore long, that we wil be further.
Josephine wrights that she is on the back ground. You must talk to her and try to cheer her up. You wil please, tel all of my children "howdy" for me and kis all of my children for me, and Josephine, too. Tell her to go to my fathers and stay some, and you must all wright. Tel all of the Christian people to pray for us.

Fairewel,

W. W. English

To Sampson and Fanny English,

Dear Father and Mother,
I have the opportunity of wrighting a few lines, which will inform you that this son is wel and in fine health and ………???…………………
I hope that this wil find you both enjoying good health and all the rest of the family and the connections in good health.
William and Joel are both wel and in good spirits. We are getting along exceedingly wel, thus far, and I hope that we continue to do so.
Father and mother, I have written you several letters and I have not received but one from you, but I hope that will change, I look for letters from home everyday, but I look in vain. Almost, it will be, two weeks next Sunday since I received a letter, from any of you, and I am getting "want to heare from home" might bad. So, Father, I should like that you would wright to me once a weeke anyhow, and I want you to remember me in your prayers, for God says that He will heare the prayers of the righteous.
Father, we have got some, right smart, sickness in our camp, there are eight or ten cases of measles, in our camp and, right smart, diseases, tho I hope that it will quit when we get a little…(break in the weather).
The climate heare, for it is quite different from……the climate in Macon County, it is cool here, this morning…(some of the men) said that they saw frost……..I don't think so, for I looked and I never say any tho…………………….
Father, I have nothing that would interest you. There was a fight yesterday morning at Leesburg, ….(we were)…not in the fight but we were in hearing of the fight. I tel you that the cannons thundered. You…(should have heard the noise they)…made….(sounded like a great storm)….maybe,..(the buoys and) me feare, soon, that we would be in a battle, which it would not surprise me if we have a chance, before many days, and , if we do, I shall go into it as (fight)ing a soul as you ever saw, for if any man should stay in camp as long as we have, they will (be ready) to do something, you better believe! I don't know how long we will stay here, but I have an idea that we wil stay here more than a few days. I don't know where we wil go, but I expect that we wil go towards the city of Washington. Father, I don't think that the war wil last long, though, I don't know thought.
There are about one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers fed from the same house. That we are, by this you might guess, a "right smart" of men about here. The crops are, pretty wel, all destroyed in this neighborhood, there is a little patch, once in a while, and they are good.
We have plenty of rain heare, in this country.
I have nothing more to wright to you that would interest you at this time.
I want you to wright to me, soon!
Direct your letters to Mannassas Juction, Virginia, til further ordered.

Nothing more at present, but remain,

your loving son,
til death,

Jasper N. English

To Sampson and Fanny English

Mrs. W. W. English
I received your letter, of the fifth instant, and was glad to learn from it that yourselfe, and the little ones were wel enough to be traveling about.
Henry received a letter, from his wife, yesterday, that gave me more satisfaction than I had in some time. She said that you and all of the children, were out at Bethal on the 10th. I thought, by that, you had at least enjoyed yourself a little. I was more than glad you were out there. You must go to preachin, and take the children, everytime you go.
Josephine, I wrought you a letter, last Saturday, and asked you to send me some of those knit shirts, and I want you to send me a scarf, to tie around my neck, and get two or three pounds of soda, is that I believe that the bread, that we have to eat, wil agree with us better, we got nothing but flour bread to eat, that is no kind of bread, but flour! If you can send those things it will be a favor to your unworthy husband, we can not get such things heare.
I wil not attempt to write anything about the war as you wil know more about it than I know, if you wil read the paper.
We buoys are all wel this rainy morning, though there is a lot of sickness in the camps. The soldiers are suffering, powerfully, from diseases of various kindes. There are twenty odd cases of measles in our camp, some are very bad, while others get along very wel. I have been wel all of the time, except about five days, when I was down with diarrea, all the buoys have been sicke with that disease tho, we are all wel, now.
Josephine, my love, Cary does our washing though you know its not done in "the style", but as good as I expected.
Jo, I don't know if I can wright you any thing that wil do you any good, you wil only know that your umble servant wrought it, if that is any satisfaction to you, it wil do me good.
Also, you wil wright every weeke!
Jasper, Joel and Henry say give their best respects to all and reserve a full portion yourselfe, and you wil, please, remember me to your Christian mother. You, and each of you, please pray for us.
Tel father and mother to pray for us.

Your Unworthy Husband,

W. W. English

Mrs. W. W. English

My Deare Wife
There has been another opportunity, granted me, to wright to you, a few lines, for which, I hope, I feel a thousand times thankful to the ruler of allthings and to Whom I try to direct my steps, if I am not deceived, and I hope you will have an eye to that same good ruler.
Josephine, I received your letters of the 17th and 18th, both last night, with great pleasure. Thos, that of the 17th was not as pleasant as that of the 18th. You seem to be somewhat "interrupted", by what I said about you spending money if you wanted to. My deare, you are greatly mistaken, I want you to give yourself, and the little ones, all the comforts you can, with all the means at your command, at the same time, you may be sure, that I wil be satisfied with anything, that you may do.
Excuse everything that is wrong, in any letter, that you may get from me. Pardon me, my deare Josephine, if I have written anything that was not agreeable with youre best feelings.
Josephine, we buoys are all wel, thanke God, this Sunday morning. Praying that this "scribble" may reach you and all those deare little ones wel.
Jo, There is a lot of sickness in our camps.
Josephine, it pains me in my heard to wright you that Thomas Dyes is dangerously sicke and I have but little hope of his recovery. The Doctor says that his disease is "brain fever".
Josephine, we received a letter from Mother that was pleasing to me because it says that you were at her house and wer lively and pert. Go again and stay a day or two, for my sake.
Josephine, I hope you wil not thinke hard of your unworthy husband to say, to you , that it does me good to heare that you are getting along good with everybody.
Deare Josephine, you say that you are preparing me some clothing, bless you, body and soul both, for the sympathy you have for your unworthy lover, yes, prepare them and send them to me if you can. Two pairs of pants and my coat.
Cary wants one or two pare of pants. Tel Samuel to see to Carys clothing.
Tel Robert that I am thankeful for the wool, that you state, that he gave you.
You state that Mrs. Peeke was at fathers when you were wrighting and said that she had not forgotten the request that I made of her before we left, return my best respects to her, and ask a continuance of supplication for us, and all others that feel interest in our welfaire.
Tel Miss Peeke we went over to see her buoys, yesterday evening, and found them wel. They said they were coming over to see us today, but they have not yet come.
Tel father and mother "howdy" and give my, upbeat, respects to all that might chance to enquire after us, especially to all our connections, both yours and mine.
Jasper and Joel send their love to you and the children.
Henry wil wright to you hisselfe. Tel Henrys wife "howdy" for me.
Samuel requested me to state how Cary was getting along, tel Samuel that Cary has done very wel, tho he is lazy, yet, he has not been sicke, thought we are expecting he and Joel to have the measles.
Cary has got so he can cooke pretty wel, when the weather is drye, but it is very wet weather heare. It has rained about like they say it has where you are.
Cary can wash "tolerable" wel. he does our cooking and washing, both, and washes for several of the company besides.
My deare wife, send things that I stated in those last letters, when you can get the chance. We have got paper, ink and envelopes a plenty.
My loving wife, it appears that you believe that I do not want to come home, but you are greatly mistaken in that, for your presence would be the greatest pleasure that this world could give. It is not worth while to try to come home yet, as I could not stay any time at all. I trust that it wil not be long before we wil get the chance to come home and stay, (the few remaining days of our time), with our families.
I will not attempt to scribe the scene that has passed through my minde this weeke, caused by walking over the ground where the great battle was fought, as I hope to tel you of soon, verbally.
Josephine, if I should, through mistake, wright one word that wil touch the tendered heart within your bosom, pardon me, praye.
My deare and loving wife, read this letter to your mother. Tel her that I thinke of her everyday and praye for her welfaire as yours.
Correct all mistakes and looke over all bad spelling. We receive your letters regularly, with great satisfaction, please, keep wrighting. I wil continue to wright you once a weeke, if I can.

Your Unworthy Husband,

W. W. English

My Deare Brother and Friend,
Again, I am permitted to drop you a few lines, which leaves us all up, though we are not well. The whole company is under, or nearly all of them. It is occationed by the wet weather, I believe. There is nothing very serious in our camp, but Thomas Dyes and he is mending, we believe he will recover now, if he is taken care of, thought he is mighty low.
I am up but very .(little). All of the corps are grunting, except Joel, he says he is wel. Beef does not agree with us, we get but little bacon to eat, we get beef five times a weeke, porke twice. We have been getting cornmeal for a few days, that we like very wel.
Samuel, we cannot tel much about the war, only, there were 30,000 ordered from this place in the last two days. They have gone to Falls Church, between Fairfax and Alexandria.
We received your letter, by Mr. Stewart last evening, with great pleasure, as everything that comes from home gives us great comfort, it matters not what it is.
I wrought you a letter a few days ago telling you my theories of your visiting us. You have to get the papers, as I stated in that letter, but, I was mistaken as you getting to this place, therefore, hope some of you boys wil come to see us in the fall, (if we do not get home in the course of two month longer). You cannot tel how we would appreciate a visit of that kinde. Come if you can and tel Robert to come with you, we wil receive you with open hearts, you may be sure.
Samuel, we have been getting letters from you and the rest of the family every three or four days and writing as often to you. I believe, I have written a letter every weeke since I left home.
Youre faces appeare as fresh in my mind now as when you told me goodbye, on the steps of the cars, at Oglethorpe the 6th of July.
Samuel, tel Josephine you heard from me and that I wil wright to her tomorrow.
Tel father and mother "howdy" for me and that we desire an interest in theire prayers.
Give our warmest love to all the family connections, not one excepted, olde or young.
I was gratified to learn, by your letter, that your corn crop was "tolerable good" and that youre prospects of making porke were good, for I hope to be there to helpe you eat it. You must keep eating watermelons and fruit for us for there are no chances for us to get any…………… days ago.
Samuel, I have never said anything about our money holding out, we four buoys brought seventy-four dollars with us and we have got sixty of that left.
Yourselfe and parents, wil please, pray for us.

Your Unworthy Brother,

W. H. E.

Deare Mother,
I take my seat to answer your letter, which I received day before yesterday, which Mr. Stewart brought. I was happy to heare from you.
They found me (sicke at) 6 a.m. this morning and I have not got wel yet. I have mighty bad headache this morning but I keep going. There is a great deal of sickness in our camps at this time.
Thomas Dyes died last nite at 11 o'clock, he sure suffered a lot.
Mom, Sally wrought me a letter and stated that everybody was talking about me and against me and she said that it was reported there that I ran away from this company and they brought me back hand cuffed, and carried me back?!
Everyone who says that says a ly and they wil get punished for it someday or another.
I recon you got the (other) letter, I wrought to you what things I wanted to.
Tel Sally, I wrought to her yesterday, that I am better this morning that I was then, and tel her, I wil wright again, in a few days. Tel Jo, Ann..(and others to re)alize they must all wright to me. I send my love and respects to all relations and enquiring friends.
I remain as ever,

Your Unworthy Son
and shall until death

W. W. Edge

Wright soon and often.

Mrs. W. W. E.

Deare Josephine,

I am again permitted to wright you a few lines, that wil inform you, that we are at the "home" place and are doing very wel, though not wel, but are able to get about and do light work.
There has nothing of importance occurred since I wrought last, only what you will read on the map I send you this morning. You can, after you read this wrighting I put on the map, you can, if you wish put it out, you had better cut off the wrighting that I put on the bottom of the map. I thought that I would wright you no letter but that today, b t then, after wrighting a few lines, I thought that it was as little as you could expect of me, to wright one letter every weeke, and I do not send that as we agreed.
Josephine, there is a lot of sickness in the army, tho we are getting better in our company, there are lots of measles amoung us yet. Jasper has been sicke this weeke, with fever, but he has got up and about. Henry had a speck of fever and he has got about wel, they nary one of them had but a lite attack. Joel had been hardy. I have been pestered with diarrea, some time. I am nearly wel at this time, and I trust may be blessed with health the balance of the time, that is allotted to us, to be in the army, for I tel you , this is a bad place to be sicke. I ask for your prayers on our behalfe.
Josephine, I get (youre) letters about five days after you wright them. They appeare to feel warm with your hearts blood when I get them in my hands. They come to your umble servant like a shower of rain was received last year, you know how glad we were we could get a little shower, those letters are received with the same applause.
Deare Josephine, tel your mother that my best wishes are for her and her children. Tel her that Henry writes to her every weeke and that is for me and him, both, but you need let her read all of the letters that you get from me.
Deare Josephine, if I should wright any word that is calculated to hurt the tenderest and warmest place in your affectionate heart, you wil, please, charge it to my head, and not my heart, for, if there is any truth in your correspondant, it is the desiree of his heart, to hurt no persons feelings on earth. (I have not heard any thing of the kind from you).
You must excuse everything that is wrong in my letters and answer every one of them, I know you wil, Deare Josephine.
Deare Josephine, do not have any word of despute with any person on this earth, make friends with everybody is the desiree of youre faire lover.
Tel father and mother "howdy" for me. Tel them to remember us.

Fairewel Josephine
and all of the children,

W. W. E.

To Josephine E.

Mrs. W. W. E.

My Deare Loving Mate,
It is again I am permitted to address you in this "scribbly" sort of way.
My Deare and Loving Dove,
You wil, please, accept my heart felt thankes for the hope that you manifest in my future welfaire, as manisfested in your letter received a few days ago.
Deare Josephine, I have abundant evidence that if I shall ever reach that "happy place", if not there when I get there, you wil be, someday.
Josephine, Jasper got a letter from mother this weeke that was a pleasure to me to read because she says that you are such a good woman. That was joyous news for me to see my deare, tho, it was not surprising to me, for I did not expect to heare anything else of you.
My deare Josephine, these lines leave us all wel.
I wrought you that Cary had the measles, I took him in the tent with me and have nursed him myselfe about two weekes and he has done wel. He has gotten so that I let him cooke dinner but I do not let him stay our late of an evening, or soon a morning, yet.
The health of the company is improving, the buoys are all wel and send their love to you and the children.
There is nothing that wil interest you, that I can get hold of, at present.
We are Living easy and wel, plenty to eat and that is good enough.
I feel greatly obliged to you for wrighting that you would get and send to me everything that I would need. (My deare Josephine, everytime that you get a chance to send me anything, send it along, for it wil be thankefully received, whether I need it or not). Those things that you sent by the recruits have not gotten heare yet, tho, they wil be heare, this evening, I thinke.
Josephine, read this letter to your precious mother and tel her that all the letters that you get from me are yours and hers, too.
Tel all the people that enquire after us how we are getting along.
There is very little excitement here about the war. As we would as about as soon be in a fight, as any other way. When me have been in camp as long as we have, they do not care much which way the wind blows.
Tel father and mother that you have gotten a letter from me and that we want them, and your mother, and all the Christian people, to praye for us, and you must, yourselfe.
My deare Josephine, tel all the buoys wives and children "howdy" for me, both your people and mine.
Josephine, kis all of the children for me and tel them that I wrought to you to kis them for me. I wil continue to wright to you, a letter a weeke, and shall looke for one from you as often.

Your Affectionate Husband
until death.

W. W. E.

XXX Here is a locke of my haire.

Mrs. Josephine English,

Deare Madam,
Two weekes ago our company was ordered from this place, near Fairfax Courthouse. We had to leave our sicke at the camp. We left Dr.Thomas H. Stewart and Dr. Baily with suitable nurses to attend the sicke. Your husband, William W. English, was left and also Jasper English, to nurse and attend Joel English, as he had the measles. For a few days I passed back, to see to the welfaire of the sicke. Three or four days after we left, your husband was taken quite sicke with dysentery, I saw him and rendered all the assistance I could for a few days. Then, our company was ordered to cooke three days rations and to be ready to march at a minutes warning, without tents, which placed it our of my hands to see him anymore, until today, and I am sorry and pained to inform you that his case has terminated in Typhoid Dysentery and now is very low and dangerous, so much so, that I have no hope of him being alive tomorrow morning. This is sad to us, but to you and the little children and relatives, it is grievous, painful and afflicting.
You are one amoung many who are called to mourn the loss of a soldier, a patriot, a lover of his country, kinde and affectionate husband and father who had fallen in the defense of all our rights.
I can assure you he has had all the medical treatment and attention possible. He has not suffered for either. His brother and your brother and Mrs Wayne, from Americus, have, constantly and kindly, rendered every attention. (Also several of) the way(side) nurses and four physicians have attended him.
Hoping you wil beare youre afflictions with fortitude.

I subscribe myselfe,
truly, youre friend,

B. J. Head

P. S. Josephine, since Doctor Head wrought you the above, I am grieved, to have, to inform you of the death of my deare brother, William W. English, but he will of the Lord must be done, so nothing more at present.

Jasper N. English

My Deare and Affectionate and Beloved Sister,
It is with greate trouble that I seat myself tonight to drop you these few lines to inform you that your deare husband is dead.
He died last night about 9 o'clock. He has paid the debt that we all have to pay and he is now a bright and shining angel in heaven. He never said anything about dying, only three or four days before he died, he told Jasper that he 'would soon be "happy".
When our company was ordered from this place Joel had the measles and William stayed to wait on him, and Thursday after, he was taken with Typhoid Dysyntery and Jasper and me started to wait on him. I had to go go back and I never heard from him, until Wednesday, and then I went to see him compeled to go to the camp, then, I went right straight back to him and never left him no more, until this evening and then left him.
I left him buried very nice, as nice as a man can. Could be, me and Jasper buried him so that he might be taken up and brought to you, as soon as possible. We paid twenty five dollars for his coffin and we would have brought him right straight home, but we never had the money to bring him.
I want you to put your trust in Him who has taken your husband from this vail of sorrow.
And so, we have packed up all his things and we wil take care of them.
I got your letter that your wrote and sent a braid of your hair, I gave it to him, but he was so low, that, he paid no attention to it. I have got all of his things I put up right.
There was Jasper and myself and Floyd and Mr. Finch to witness his death. He never struggled, I never had anything to hurt as bad in my life for he has been a brother, indeed, to me, since we have (been) here.
I must come to a close.
I praye you to bear it with patience for the Lords will be done and not our own.
I remain, as ever,
Your Affectionate Brother.
(I do wish I could see you.)

No more, at present.

W. H. H. Edge
I am, at this time, in Floyds tent and he is well, and so am I. I want you to wright to me, just as soon as you get this.
W. H. H. Edge.

My Deare Sister,
I againe seat myself to drop you a few lines, which leaves me well and I hope they will finde you, and your children, enjoying the same greate blessings.
I have not gotton any news worth wrighting to you, that will interest you, but I feel it my duty to wright to you againe. I have wrought you one letter since your deare husband died.
Me and Jasper concluded tonight (to leave it up) to you, to know, what you wanted me to do with his clothing, I have put them in a box, his overcoat, that you sent him, I do not know if he ever had it on or not. We cannot take care of them as we ought, and as we would wish to, but, we will do our best to take care of them.
I want to heare from you, if you want me to send them home, I can keep them until I come and bring them with me. I thinke I will be down there to see you in a month or two and, if I can, I will bring William W. English with me, (if I don't happen to the same luck that he did), but the Lords will must be done and I wish I could be as wel satisified at the will of God as your husband was on his death bed, he fell off a greate deal but he looked very natural after he washed out, as he is gone, we will have to give him up and put our trust in God for He knows what is best and works all things after his own glory, and blessed be the name of the Lord.
I must come to a close, I remain,

Your Affectionate Brother
and shall until death.

William H. H. Edge

I am anxious to heare from you.

Please, hand this to Mrs. Josephine English.
By obliging yours, I am,
W. H. H. Edge

Mrs. Josephine English,

My Deare Sister,
I seat myselfe, this evening, to drop you a few lines, which leaves us both wel and I hope they may finde you, and family, enjoying the same portion of Gods greate blessings.
We are getting along tolerable well.
We had to move the sixteenth of September. We got orders the yanks was right on us and we had to retreat eight miles and struck camp. We started about half after two in the night, we did…(send word)…back for the yankes to get out so we could get at them, I do expect to have a (….) battle here in a few days.
My dear sister, we received a letter from Samuel last night, requesting of us to wright to you of Williams death. It is with us, like it is with you all, it hurts us (something) bad. He suffered a great deal while he was sick but he stayed as well as you ever saw anybody, and he never said anything about dying, only, he said that he would be happy, and weare satisfied that he is, in our own minds. You also wrought to us to take care of his clothing and send them to you just as soon as we could get the chance, which will be a pleasure.
We buried him in his uniform that he got in Americus. We put a white shirt on him, we buried him nice as we could.
He never said anything about how he wanted you to handle his business.
We have sent some of his clothes to Manassas where they will be taken care of, for we are on marching orders, (we have to be ready at all times to start in minutes). The knit shirts we want to keep. If we can get a furlough, we are going to bring him to you.
He was, or appeared to be, reconciled to the will of God. He was in his right minde all of the time, until the breathe left him.
I have written several letters to you since we happened to come to the bad luck to lose him.
We must come to a close, as ever,

Your Unworthy Brother
and shall until death,

William Henry H. Edge

Jasper N. English

We expect an answer as soon as you get this.

Mr. S. H. and Mrs. S. A. English,

Dear Brother and Sister,
I take my pen in hand to drop you a few lines, through the help of an all wise God, these few lines leave me intolerable health, tho, not very well. I have got the worst cold I ever saw. I hope these lines find you and your family well.
I have not got any war new to wright. At this time, we are looking here, for a big fight, daily, here, and I do wish it would come off, for I think that when the fight takes place here, we will all go in to winter quarters.
Deare brother Jasper wrought, too, concerning Cary, we did what we thought best.
I have not heard from Joel, but once or twice, since he left. Then he was up, going about. We have not heard from R. H. English since the twenty-sixth of last month, he had not found Joel then, but Jasper telegraphed to him, so I recon he has found him, he is at Culpepper (that is the reason he did not find him at first).
I must close, I remain, as ever,

Your Obedient Brother,

W. H. H. Edge

Wright soon.

Mrs. Josephine English

Dear Sister,
I set myself, to drop you a few lines, which leaves me well, and I hope they find you, and your children, enjoying the same greate blessings.
You may think hard of me Jos, for not writing to you oftener than I do. I wright as often as I can my deare sister.
I will send Williams things the first good chance and, if, I don't get that chance I will keep them until I can get a furlough and then I will bring them myself and also I will bring him, if I have enough money to bring him.
You wrought me word that I could keep one pair of his pants I am very much obliged to you for them, and also, one of his knit shirts.
I want you to wright to me as often as you can and I will do the same.
This is a cold country, here, at this time, but not half so cold as it will be in a month.
I must come to a close.
I remain, as ever,

Your Very Obedient Brother
and shall until death,

W. H. H. Edge

Wright soon.

Mrs. Josephine English

Dear Sister,
I seat myselfe, this morning, to drop you a few lines, which leaves me not very well, but I am up, going about, but not well. I hope they will find you, and your children, well, and doing well.
My deare sister, it is horribile for me to think that I could not get Williams clothing to send you but I could not find them. We had to send them to Mannassas. To take of them, that was our orders, to send our own things, (except) what we could tote. Of what I had, two shirts, two pairs of drawers, one pair of pants, it is got me, my shoes were there, so, if I never find them, I am in a bad fix about pants, for I have not got but one pair that is fit to wear, but I am going to do what I can, and, if I ever find them I will take of them, and when I come on a furlough I will bring them with me.
There is no war news here at this time, tho, they are looking for a battle here, now, any day, but I never look for a fight here at this place.
Floyd is well at this time. He is here with me, at this time, he told me to give you his best respects. His company is out on picket, at this time.
We are living here, finely, we get plenty to eat, here, at this time, we get flour, beef, ham, sugar and coffee.
I want you to give my best respects to all the relations and receive the same for yourselfe.
I remain, as ever,

Your Affectionate Brother,
and shall until death.

W. H. H. Edge

Josephine English

Dear Sister,
I seat myselfe, to night, to drop you a few lines, to answer yours, I received this evening. Yours found me well and I hope these few lines may find you, and children, enjoying the same portion of Gods greate blessings.
I was truly happy to receive a letter from you for I wanted to hear from you. I wrought to you, sometime ago, and wrought that I had heard that you and Sam had fell out. I wanted to know what (I) was to say but you wrought in yours of the twentieth that you could not wright. But, if you could see me, you could tell me a good many things. I am in hope that I will come home before long, for there are three of our men who have furloughs this week, and I am in hope that I will come before long, so much so, that I have not got any heart to wright a long letter. So I will come to a close.
As ever, I remain,

Your Brother,
and shall until death,

(Give my love to all and receive the same for yourselfe, kiss my baby for me when you see her, wright soon).

Your Obliged Brother,

W. H. H. Edge

Josephine English

Mrs. Josephine English,

Dear Sister,
I wright you, a few lines, in answer to your letter, that I received a few days ago. These few lines leave me well, and I hope, that these few lines, find you, and your family, sharing in these same greate blessings.
I have no news to wright, that will interest you, tho, I thought, you might be like me, (interested) to hear from you, and (my) interest, you might want not to hear from me.
My dear sister, times is pretty tight here. At this time, there are more wounded men, here, than you ever heard of. Richmond is crowded with wounded and sick.
But, I just go and look at the recent battlefield, the dead are lying there, (stench) almost as you ever saw, blood was lying on the ground, it was a (desprit) desperate place for a man to look at, more especially, when he don't know how long it might be, before he is lying that way himselfe. We are all liable to get caught in the same fix, at any time.
Dear sister Josephine, I came up on a (wounded yankey) and he begged me to help him, I could not help but feel sorry for him, but then to think that I am here, away from home on their account, and I just say to myself, "you might, too, be killed" and go on, I did, when I gazed one, that had been shot through the head and his brains running out and it raining and him, in the water, I took him out and (put him in) my blanket and (wrapped) him up and (he said that he was hungry)….(…I had)…nothing to eat, to give him something to eat.
My dear sister we have …(whipped them)… (and gathered in)…Richmond with a large camp on both sides… (their army is almost as)…many as (ours). We have got a greate many prisoners here.
Now, I must come to a close,
I remain, as ever,

Your Brother and shall,
until death

W. H. H. Edge

Please, excuse my (late) letters and wright as often as you can.
I received a letter from…….Edge he had been discharged and is at home but he says that he (wants to come back to the company and I wish he would).
Yours,
W. H. H. E.

Josephine Easterlin is the daughter of William Oscar Easterlin & Bertha Rose (Johnson) Easterlin. Granddaughter of George Mathew Johnson & Sarah Elizabeth (English) Johnson . Great Granddaughter of and William Wallace English & Josephine (Edge) English.

The daunting task of transcribing these letters was undertaken by Daniel Davis English, Sr. Thank you Daniel!

Thank You! Sandra Perry Wellons for your efforts to preserve our family history.