WE CAN SEE THE BATTLEFIELD OF BULL RUN AND THE BLUE RIGE BEYOND. IT ABOUT 10 MILES. THIS MORNING THE MOUNTAINS WAS COVERED WITH SNOW BUT IT WAS PLEASANT WHERE WE WAS ENCAMPED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A LITTLE RAIN YESTERDAY. TODAY I WENT IN COMPANY WITH ORDERLY SAMPLE AND SERGT LOCKWOOD AS FAR AS THE BULL RUN BRIDGE THAT IS AS FAR AS OUR PICKETS RUN OUT. WE WOULD HAVE WENT FARTHER BUT WE WAS A LITTLE AFRAID OF GETTING PICKED UP BY THE REBS. WE SAW ON OUR JOURNEY OUT TO THE BRIDGE LARGE PILES OF GUN BARRELS AND IRONS OFF WAGGONS AND SHELL THAT HAD NOT EXPLODED AND A GREAT MANY OTHER SPOILS OF THE WAR. WE ARE IN THE 3RD BRIGADE OF CASEY'S DIVISION UNDER THE COMMAND OF GEN HAYS, WHEN WE WAS ORDERED HERE WE WAS TO REPORT TO COL DE ------- HE HAD COMMAND OF THE BRIGADE THEN BUT WAS SUPERCEDED THE NIGHT WE GOT ORDERED TO GO TO CENTERVILL.  AS WE ARE THE FARTHEREST BRIGADE OUT WE HAVE HAD A GOOD DEAL OF PICKET DUTY TO DO BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY SKIRMISH YET, BUT WE EXPECTED TO HAVE ONE LAST NIGHT BUT EVERYTHING PASSED OFF QUIET AND TODAY WE HAVE BEEN REINFORCED BY 2,000 CAVELERY SO THAT WE CAN CLEAN OUT ALL THE REBS THAT WILL COME AGAINST US , BEFORE THEY CAME WE HAD ONLY ONE REGT AND ONE BATTREY OF 6 GUNS BESIDES US HERE AND WE FELT A LITTLE AFFRAID. TODAY OUR LT COL HAS BEEN GIVING US A THROUGH DRILL IN LOADING AND FIREING. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM ELIZZA TODAY THE FIRST RECEIVED FROM HOME SINCE I GOT MY BOX, I AM VERY THANKFULL FOR WHAT YOU SENT ME AND YOU MUST AXCEPT MY THANKS FOR IT AND YOU MUST THANK THE OTHERS THAT SENT ME ANYTHING. I SHALL WRITE AGAIN AS SOON AS I GET TIME. I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ALL WELL AS IT LEAVES ME AT PRESENT.

FROM YOUR MOST AFF SON             RICHARD WARREN

ELIZABETH SAYS THAT YOU HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ME IN 2 WEEKS TILL SHE RECEIVED MY LETTER. I HAVE WROTE EVERY WEEK AND SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK TILL WE MOVED THIS LAST TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN AWAY. YOU MUST WRITE OFTEN ONCE A WEEK FOR CERTAIN. I HAVE GOT MOST OF MY BUTTER YET           RICHARD

LETTER FROM RICHARD WARREN TO HIS MOTHER AND FAMILY
JUNE 27, 1863  TRANSCRIBED AS WRITTEN


                                                EDWARDS FERRY, MD JUNE 27 1863

DEAR MOTHER SISTERS AND BROTHERS

KNOWING THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM ME I WILL SPEND A FEW MOMENTS IN WRITING A FEW LINES TO YOU. WELL THURSDAY MORNING WE RECEIVED ORDERS TO MARCH WE WAS READY TO MARCH BY 10 O=CLOCK TO GO TO THOUGHROFARE GAP BUT THE ORDER WAS COUNTERMANDED WE WAS THEN ORDERED TO GO TO JOIN THE SECOND ARMY CORPS . WE LEFT CENTERVILLE ABOUT 3 P.M. AND WENT TO GUNN SPRINGS WHERE WE JOINED THE 3RD DIVISION OF THE SECOND CORPS. THEN WE PITCHED OUR SHELTER TENTS AND STOPPED ALL NIGHT (FOR WE DREW THE SHELTER TENT BEFORE WE STARTED) EACH MAN CARRIES ONE HALF OF THEM, THEY ARE MADE OUT OF DRILLING AND ARE ABOUT 6  FEET SQUARE. IT COMMENCED TO RAIN BEFORE WE LEFT CENTERVILLE AND BY THE TIME WE STOPED IT BEGAN TO GET SLIPPERY AND IT RAINED ALL NIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING WE GOT UP RATHER COLD FOR WE HAD LEFT OUR WOLEN BLANKETS BEHIND BECAUSE WE COULD NOT CARRY THEM AND A GREAT MANY HAVE THROWN AWAY THEIR OVERCOATS. WE GOT OUR COFFEE AND STARTED AGAIN FOR EDWARDS FERRY AND WE MARCHED ALL DAY AND NIGHT BEFORE WE GOT ACROSS THE RIVER. AND IT RAINED ALL THE TIME AND THE MUD WAS 6 INCHES DEEP AND CLAY AT THAT SO THAT IT WOULD NEARLY PULL OFF OUR BOOTS. I HAVE GOT MY BOOT JUST IN TIME FOR THIS MARCH THEY HAVE PAID FOR THEMSELVES ALL READY. I CAN TELL YOU WE WAS ALL TIRED AND FOOT SORE WHEN WE HALTED SO THAT THE BOYS ARE ALL LYING SLEEPING ON THE GROUND WITHOUT ANYTHING OVER THEM AND ALL WET TO THE SKIN. WE ARE HALTING NOW FOR A REST AND THEN WE ARE AGOING TO FREDERICK CITY, MD. BUT IT IS SUNDAY TOMORROW AND IT IS THE FIGHTING DAY SO THAT WE MAY HAVE A BRUSH BEFORE WE GET THEIR. WE LOST ONE MAN OUT OF OUR COMPANY BY BEING TAKEN PRISONER HIS NAME WAS STIVERS HE WAS AN AMBULANCE DRIVER AND HE BROKE HIS WAGON DOWN SO HE WAS LEFT BEHIND
AND THE GERRILLAS PICKED HIM UP AND TOOK BOTH HIM AND THE TEAM PRISONER. I FEEL FIRST RATE BUT AM TIRED AND FOOT SORE BUT I AM WELL THANK GOD FOR IT. SOME OF OUR COMPANY WAS LEFT AT CENTERVILLE AND SOME SENT TO WASHINGTON AND WE HAVE SINCE HEARD THAT THOSE LEFT AT CENTERVILLE HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY SOME REBEL CAVELERY. I AM GLAD OF IT FOR THEY NEVER WAS ANY GOOD TO THE GOVERNMENT NOW NEVER WILL BE. I CAN=T TELL YOU HOW MANY TROOPS THERE IS HERE BUT THE GROUND IS COVERED WITH MEN AND WAGONS, CANNONS AND HORSES THERE IS MORE TROOPS  HERE THAN I EVER SAW BEFORE TOGETHER. BUT I MUST CLOSE NOW FOR I AM AGOING TO TRY AND GET THIS OUT TODAY, GIVE MY LOVE TO ALL                                                      I REMAIN YOUR AFFECTIONATE SON.
                                                                                          R. WARREN

BE SURE AND WRITE SOON AND DIRECT TO
CORPL R WARREN
CO F. 111TH N.Y.VOL.
SECOND (2ND) CORPS
WASHINGTON D.C.

"WE HAVE SINCE HEARD THAT THOSE LEFT AT CENTERVILLE HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY SOME REBEL  CAVELERY, I AM GLAD OF IT FOR THEY NEVER WAS ANY GOOD TO THE GOVERNMENT AND NOW NEVER WILL BE."

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