July 23, 1861

Dear Will,

It’s July 23, 1861, three days after First Mansanas. Spirits are high in the camp because of our victory at Mansanas. At first our loss seemed imminent, the Yankees greatly outnumbered us and were pushing us back. They were firing at our left flank over Bull Run and making ground. We were pushed all the way back to Henry House Hill, but then Johnston and Beauregard arrived with reinforcements and we held them there. At one point it looked like we were going to be overrun but then there he was, Thomas J. Jackson standing there like a stonewall. He turned up just in time to hold Henry House Hill. At around four in the evening General Beauregard had us line up and charge the Yankees’ front lines. We screamed our heads off and slammed into their front lines. We broke through and sent them reeling. As they rushed over Bull Run something insane happened, they ran into the picnickers from the north. Unfortunately, we couldn’t give them the chase but we were able to win the first major battle of the war. I saw many people fall that day, my friends, as well as many Union soldiers.

Life’s rough at the camp, worse than you can imagine. Even though we won there were many wounded and dead. Around 1600 were injured and they said that around 380 were killed, one of those killed was John Arnold. I first met John on my first day. He was kind to me, offered to share some of his lunch when I said mine was stolen and helped me set up my tent. I sat by his bed before he died and he told me to send a letter to his wife, Mary, which I will do after I have finished this one. Luckily I wasn’t wounded too badly, just got scratches and bruises, but my other friend Alex got shot in the leg. The doctors couldn’t do anything so they had to chop of his leg. Fortunately, he was able to go back to his house in Mississippi where I hear his wife is expecting a baby. The war has been changing everyone for the worse. Many people have been getting more depressed, and some in our camp have decided to desert. But we have been having fun at camp. I have won some tobacco from card games and have played some games of baseball. Although the mood has been good the food is dreadful. It’s hard rations and whatever you can find. The meat is always gamey and the beans, don’t get me started on the beans. We have hard beans and the ones that we don’t eat we save for another meal, if there are leftovers we save them for soup the next day. After that we dry them to crush and add to our coffee. Anyway, it would be nice if you would send me some letters, Sarah too. Tell her I love her.

With love,

Jebrin