| Charles W. DeLay 2nd Lt. Company E. 25th Virginia Infantry Born: 1835 Luneys Creek Enlisted: 6/2/1861 Present: Private 7/1/1861, Carpenter, age 26. 8/10/1861: Attached to the Franklin Guards by order of Major Reger 5/1/1862: Elected 5th Sgt. 8/1/1862: Elected 2nd Lt. 9/1/1862: Commanding Co. 9/17/1862: Killed in action, Sharpsburg, MD. (Antietam) Brother to James E., John W., and William T. DeLay Parents: William and Mary Ann McBee DeLay ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Camp Allegheny Pocahontas Co., VA. December 19, 1861 Dear Parents: Having no opportunity of writing to you, with an assurance that you would get my letter, I will now write and send by Capt. Mullin. I am happy to inform you that I am well, with the exception of a bad cold. We are getting along very well at present, and are having a very pleasant time of it. The weather has been very agreeable ever since have been here. We still remain in our cotton tents. We have built chimneys to them which render them very comfortable. Our division of the North Western VA Army expected to leave this place or about this time, for some direction, no privates did not nor will not know until we reach our destination. Since we had our fight here with the yankees, we have gone to making breast-works and building batteries- making all necessary preparations to receive the "yankees" when they come to pay us another visit. They met with a warm reception when they visited us on the 13th inst., and if they should come again I imagine that they will met with a warmer one. We had a tremedous hard fight here on the 13th of the present month but the Lord being our helper, we came off more then Conquorer, with a loss of about one hundred and fourty men killed and wounded. I understand that the yankees acknowledge that they had killed, wounded and missing, in the battle, seven hundred men. I guess they are not overly anxious to try us again. Those of the yankees that we have taken prisoners, say that they had, in the fight, from three to five thousand men, while we had, in the engagement, only from twelve to fifteen hundred men. Our company has suffered considerable from the effects of the fight. Our 2nd Lieutenant, Zebulon Dyre, was mortally wounded, and died last night. Our Orderly Sargeant, Ed Boggs, was shot in the arm, causing amputation. Another man of the company was slightly wounded. No other mishaps to us. I received a muskut ball in my over coat, and a buck shot in my coat sleeve, but did not tough the hide anywhere, although I was in the hottest of the fight and had the pleasure of running and seeing the yankees run, instead of them running me. I thank God that I was neither killed or wounded, and am still in the land and among the living. I have understood that the Rifleman have been mustered out of service. I would like to know whether such is the fact or not, and if so, to get me and Hill off, Capt. Everly will have to notify my Regor or Col. Johnston, at this post, of the fact, before we will get out of the service. Nothing more, write soon and give me all the news. I remain your affectionate son, Chas W. DeLay P.S. Bud Hill is well Give my love to all the ladies- my respect to every body. Camp Allegheny Pocahontas Co., VA December 28, 1861 Dear Parents: After having received your of the 12th & 24th inst., I will attempt to drop you a few lines in answer to the same. I am happy to inform you that I am well at present with the exception of a severe cold, and that is the severest I have ever had though I am able to perfom duty. I am on camp guard for tonight, only to stand two hours, and sleep four. The rest of the company have to guard the trenches and batteries tonight, of which I am exempt for this once. I, with the rest of the company had to guard the ditches on night this week, and it rained and sleeted the whole night, and I never heard the wind blow harder in my life. You may well imagine that I was glad to hear from you all and that you were all well, and having a pleasant time of it. You also state that Jim Keller and John was coming out to see us, and bring us something to eat, which we would thankfully receive, and also, overjoyed at their presence in this section of the country. I doubt, very much, whether or not either of them would know the place at this time, as it does not look as it did when they were over it last. Our fortifications add very much to the safety and appearance of the place, it would be worth the trip for them to come out here and see our improvements. Besides our fortifications, we have alarge number of cabbins. I do not know exactly how many, but there is enough to make the place appear more like a town than anything else. If we stay here any length of time, (which is doubtful) we will move into our cabbins, which are now about being completed. We at the present, are in our tents, which seem to be very comfortable, rendered so by having chimneys to them. We have had some very severe weather since I have been here, but I cannot say that any of us has suffered any from the effects of the weather. The health of our army here is very good at present. I hear no one complaining of being sick - nothing more then severe colds, and the mumps. Such complaints as is only incident to a winter campaign. I would like to tell you the strength of our forces here, but deem it prudent to keep our strength a secret. We had enough of men on the 13th inst to give the yankees a complete thrashing, they killed and wounded a few of our number, but I think we have enough men remaining here to thrash them again, if they should attempt to make another attack at this point. We are much stronger fortified now then we were then, and can whip the same number of yankees with half the force we had in the other engagement. It is true, that we are, at last, mustered out of service, and I think that Captain Everly has neglected me and Bud in not having notified Maj. Reger or Col. Johnson of the fact. Before we can get our discharge from this post, the Colonel will have to have the same order by which the company war was mustered out. I write Everly a note to that effect, inclosed in this letter, which you will hand to him immediately. You must send someone out here with the order as soon as you can get the consent of the Captain - John or Jim or anyone of the company will answer the purpose. We desire to be discharged, as we are tired of this country. Bud Hill has been working 12 days on our cabbins including Christmas. He sends his kindest wishes to you and says that he has not time to write. Nothing more, write soon. Your Respectfully, C.W.D. Camp Allegheny Pocahontas Co., VA January 10, 1862 Dear Parents: After my love to you and to everybody else; I will write you a few lines informing you of matters and things in general. As for myself, I am well and hearty, with the exception of a severe cold; which I have had ever since the fight here. As a general thing, the army here is in good health, with the exception of severe colds. We have had some very cold weather during the past eight or ten days, but it has moderated within the last two days: not so cold, but rainy, sleety and rendering it very disagreeable under foot, and not very agreeable over head, we now have a muddy time of it. We had another grand alarm the other night, since I wrote to you last, caused by a party of the yankees advancing as far as Greenbrier River, and there they raised a large smoke to make us belive, (as was reported) that they had a large force, and would scare us away from our stronghold. The most of our men were up all night on the look out for the yankees, but none made their appearance, consequently, the alarm proved to be almost a false one, and was, with the exception that there was, when we found the truth of the matter, only some twenty-five or thirty yankees had come down to Greenbrier River and set something on fire, we have never found out what, but I supposed that they had only destroyed our batteries there. To day, we will move into our cabbins, but I belive, taking all things into consideration, I would rather remain in our tents, if I have to stay here, then move into our cabbins, as they are not put up in very good order. No one would have an idea how comfortable our tents are, and how comfortable they can be made by building a chimney to them, that is, one that will not smoke; some of them smoke so severly that it is impossible to remain in them any length of time. I suppose that you have heard that our Col.E. Johnson, has been promoted to Brigadier General Johnson, and a better man, that is , a braver man, & a man to manage the affairs of this post, is not to be found every day, and every where. I wote to you about ten days agao, and also to Capt. Everly, concerning Bud and I being mustered out of service. You may imagine that we want to get out of this place the worst kind and that as soon as possible. I also wrote to Capt. Everly, that we could not get away from here unless we can give to Gen. Johnson, an official notice of the fact, either the order by which the Company was mustered out, or an official notice from the Secretary of War. Major Reger has been notified by Capt. Everly; but that is not sufficient. Gen. Johnson has been apprived of the fact. I went to him myself and enquired about the matter, and he told me that he must have an offical notice before we could get a discharge. Nothing more, write soon or send some of the boys out to see us. Bud Hill is well and sends his respect to you all. Your afec. C.W. DeLay Camp Allegheny Pocahontas Co., VA January 19, 1862 Dear Parents: After my love to you and my enquiring friends, I will attempt to write you a few lines, though news is very scarce. I am happy to inform you that I am well at present and hope that when you receive this it may find you enjoying good health, and living in peace and quietness. Bud Hill is well and hearty, and sends his best respect to you and everybody else. I received yours of the 14th inst., as was very glad to hear from you that the yankees have been run out of Romney, and that the Swamp-Dragons have left the County. I hope the people of Hardy will rest in peace, and that the "Devils" will not have the pleasure of tormenting honest people, or destroying property or anything of the kind, and that peace and quitness may once more reign, over the once desolate County of Hardy. For the past week we have had some of the worst kind of weather; it has been raining or snowing every day, and the mush now is shoe-top deep, but it is probable that it will freeze as hard as the mountain rock before twenty-four hours will have expired as the weather is very changeable in this section of the country. We are living here in quietness and have comfortable quarters. The majority of our men seem to be very well satisfied. We have plenty to eat such as fresh beef and flat cake. A change of diet, if we could get it, would be very agreeable, but we must do the best we can. If "Bud" and I cannot get away from here you must try and send us something good to eat. We are thankful to you for what you sent us by John & Jim, which tasted good by the side of what we have to eat every day. Our butter lasted us sometime and tasted excellent on our soda flat cakes. Our other eatables did not last very long. As to our getting away from here I am not certian, as we have never heared from the Secretary of War as yet. Lieut. VanMeter wrote to Secretary Benjamin more then a week ago, stating that Hill and I were mustered out of service, and that we desired a discharge, and that the Secretary should notify Gen. Johnson of the fact, I have not heared that the Secretary has notified that Genl. but am looking every day for the discharge to come. Unless the Genl. at this post is notified, by Secretary Benjamin, we cannot get our discharge. I know such to be the case, as I saw the Genl. conserning the matter, myself. If I knew that Mr. Barble was still in Richmond I could write to him to attend to the matter for us, but as I do not know that he is there it would not be worth while writing. If we cannot get away from here I suppose that we will have to stay. One thing I know, and that is, "Bud" and I have acted as honest persons should act, but Aron Welton has acted the part of a "coward and a scamp", in promising us to come, and then staying at home himself, after us leaving. I have no respect or sympathy for such a man. P.S. Write soon and give me the particulars. Yours respectfully, C.W. DeLay Camp Allegheny Pocahontas Co., VA February 4, 1862 Dear Parents: After my respects to you and all my enquiring friends, I will endeavor to write you a few lines informing you of matters and things in general. I am happy to inform you that I am well and hearty at present, have a tremendous appetite, never in better health in my life, and hope that when you receive this it may find you enjoying good health, and in the enjoyment of a home life, which is preferable to a camp-life. I received your of the 27th ult., and was very glad to hear from you; that you were all well and living in peace once more, and I hope that you may remain so; that the yankees may not trouble us any more, and that the army of the South may never be able to compete with the army of the North, and I hope by the assistance of the "God of battles: , we may be able to drive the invaders from our soil, our land of liberty, and that we may once more be a free and independent people. We have promised to us in the Bible, that the Northern Army, shall be moved far from us. You will find the Bible quotation in the 2nd chapter and verse of Joel, where it says: "But I will remove far off from you the Northern Army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east Sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up , and his ill savoren shall come up, because he hath done great things. I have no news of interest concerning our division of the Army. Everything has been quiet here since the battle. The yankees seem to rest satisfied with the warm reception they met with when they pitched into us at this place. I am happy to inform you that I nor any of the Rigors Battallion have to perform picket duty. The only duty we have to perform is, to guard the batteries and magazine. Our cabbins are within the enclosure of our trenches therefore we have but a short distance to go to get to our posts. We are having quite a nice time of it at the present, but I do not know how long it will last. I hope that we will not have to move before our time of service shall have expired. Well, I will now tell you something about the arrangements of our mess. Yesterday one of our messmates set some salt-risen, it raised and run over and last night I made up and baked three loaves of the best salt-risen bread you ever saw. Part of our mess carry wood, part carry water, and three of us are appointed as cooks; myself, Car Gable and Jackson Wilson. We have to cook twice a day only for sixteen men. We have plenty to eat, plenty of flour, beef, pork, sugar, coffee, and rice, and for the first time we drew molasses the other day. P.S. You must write to me soon, and give me all the news. You must try to send me a part of "half-soles" for my boots. Capt. Hill talked of coming out to see us. I wish that Papa would come with him it would pay you well to come out to see us and our fortifications. Nothing more. Your respectfully, C.W. DeLay February 27th, 1862 Dear Parents: After my love to you and my enquiring friends, I will write you a few lines, as this is the first opportunity that I have had for some time. I am happy to inform you that I am well at present and have been since I left home, with the exception of bad colds. I hope, that, when you receive this , it may find you all well, and that the health of the people of the neighborhood is good. The health of our army at this place, is very good. We had an alarm on the morning of the 22nd inst., calling us to the trenches in double-quick, at two o'clock in the morning. We remained in our trenches untill 8 o'clock, awaiting the approach of the enemy, but they did not come. Evening before last, I was put on guard,-- stood guard all night and all day yesterday, one hour at night and two in the day-time, in the snow and rain. There is more weather here than in any place I ever was at. It is raining or snowing almost every day at least four or five days in a week. Sometimes the mud will be shoe-top dee, and in less then twenty four hours it will be frozen twelve or fifteen inches deep, so sudden is and has been the change of the weather on the top of the Allegheny Mountain. I am still acting as assistance cook, can make as good salt-risen bread as any cook. My week for cooking has expired, (two of us cook week about) and the chief cook has taken my place for another week. Lieut. Vanmeter has a leave of absence for seven days, in order to transact some business at home. I send this letter by him to some convenient place so that you can get it. I will send by him in this letter and other package, to you, presents of a laurel breastpin and finger-rings. Laurel rings, from the battle ground has become very fashionable here, and as we have but little to do during the cold winter days, we got to making fancy rings, breast-pins, &c. I thought I might as well make something in that way too, so I went to work and made four or five rings and a breast-pin. The one with a diamond in is Susies; the one with a long set in is Sallies; the smallest is Mats, the one with a silver star is Jane Morrisons. Mother ! I have made, for you, a breast-pin of laurel, in which you have a lock of my hair. If I had had tools to work with, having nthing but a pen-knife, I would have to put a pin in it. I send this letter & jewelry by Liet. I would like very much to see you, and hope that before long I will be abl to do so, provided I do not get hit by yankee bullet. I trust in God that my life may be spared from the bullets of the enemy, and that we may once more strike glad hands together, at our once happy, but not discontented home. May God save and protect you, our Army and all true southern people is my prayer. May the time soon come when we shall have driven the enemy from our land, and have peace to reign instead of war. Write soon Your affectionate son, C.W. D. Camp near Port Republic Augusta Co., VA June 15th 1862 Dear Parents: I thank God that I am once more permitted to write to you, though it has been some time since I have had the opportunity of doing so. I am happy to inform you that I have my usual health, and have been well and hearty since I left Allegheny Mountain. For the past five weeks I have been on a constant march, and have been exposed to, all sorts of weather, lying on piles of brush and rails, and that in the rain, without tents, for several nights. We left Camp Valley-Mills on the 6th of May, and camped half way between said place and Shenandoah Mountain on the 7th, my birthday, which doubtless occurred in your minds at the time, we neared our camp, on the east die of the mountain, where a portion of the enemy were encamped, and had their pickets stationed. We drove in their pickets and sent a flanking party of the enemys creating a panic amongst them, they left their strong hold in more then double quick, burning their Commissary stores and leaving a number of tents, guns and other valuble property behind them, that now belongs to Jeff Davis. We followed them in close persuit, the same day, three miles west of the Shenandoah, when they attempted to cover their retreat by firing five or six rounds from their cannon at us. We then fell back to the top of the mountain and put up for the night. Next day, the 8th, we resumed our march and came upon the enemy at McDowell - there they stood us a fight, and a hard fight it was, but we succeeded in whipping them. I was not in the fight but would have been had I not been detailed as one of the cooks for the company. We followed the enemy to within one mile of Franklin, reconoitered a few hours, rested half a day, and then started on the backtrack. I was sure Jackson, to whom Jackson's brigade was then attached, would march down through Pendleton & Hardy, but I was sadly disappointed at the time, but am now satisfied that Jackson has done all things right. However, we turned our course, marched down the valley, a beautiful country, and on Friday the 23rd of May we pitched into a division of Bank's Army, at Front Royal, and captured the 1st MD., Regt, several trains of cars loaded with provisions of all kinds. On the 24th between Front Royal and Winchester, by way of New Town and Kernstown, we came in contact with Bank's main Army, cutting it in two, part of it going west and part going north east, toward Harpers Ferry, leaving behind them wagons, clothing, etc. the enemy burned a large number of their wagons and commissiaries, along the road. We captured a great many wagons well loaded of them. On the 25th the enemy, Gen. Banks, command made a stand at Winchester. We attached them early in the morning and fought them some 2 to 4 hours - - whipped them and got them on the trot again, hoping to destroy what stores they had in Winchester, they set fire to it and burned several fine building to ashes, but the fire was soon extinguished. We succeeded in driving them as far as the MD. Heights. There we left them & came up the Valley. We captured near three million dollars worth of property. Eight thousand improved guns and several car-loads of ammunition. On the 1st of June we had a skirmish with Fremont on the road between Strasburg and Moorefild, kept him back until our trains got passed. We then resumed our march up the Valley, through Harrisonburg to Port Republic, here, on the 8th, Fremont, with twenty thousand men over-took us; we stood him a fight, a hard fight, and drove them from the battle ground, with considerable loss on both sides. On the morning of the 9th we crossed the river at Port Republic, and burned the bridge. There we met with Gen. Shields, of the Federal Army, with fifteen thousand men waiting for us. We pitched into him with renewed energy, trusting in the God of Battles for the success of our gallant little army. Our men fought manfully, put Shield's fifteen thousand men to flight, pursuing them some five or six miles. In the mean time Fremont had come to the opposite side of the river, had a good position, commanding the valley that we were in, some four or five miles. Fremont was sure he had our noble Jackson in a trap, but we fell back throught the woods, out of sight of the enemy, and of range of their guns. Fremont has gone beyond Harrisonburg, and Stonewall is ready for him again. In the battle of the 9th we charged a battery and took seven pieces of Artillary, the best they had in their army. I could write more, but I have not the time to spare. Our Company has been in but one fight in the Valley, I was with them in the fight, under a heavy fire of the enemys artillery and musketry, and escaped unhurt. Ten of our company was wounded. (We captured 3000 "Yankees" in the valley). P.S. I am sorry to say that Bud Hill is missing. He went with us, to within four miles of Harpers Ferry, left the company there and has not been heard from since. As soon as our army countermarched I judge the enemy followed us, and I think that they have taken him, as they did many other straglers from our Army. Give my love to all enquiring friends, & if I should meet you no more on earth may I meet you in Heaven. C.W. Delay |
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