Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Brigadier General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Meade, November 1, 1862

CAMP NEAR WATERFORD, VA., November 1, 1862.

I intended to have written you a long letter to-day, but just as I was getting ready, the orders for us to move on arrived. We crossed the river day before yesterday, and reached this camp. Yesterday I was busy exploring the country. I also had to go with Reynolds to see Burnside, who is near us. Among his officers I met young Pell, son of Duncan Pell, of New York, about whom I think I wrote to you during the Pope campaign. At any rate, Burnside sent him to Reynolds when we left Fredericksburg. On returning he was captured and fell into the hands of A. P. Hill, who knowing Burnside very intimately, treated Pell with much kindness and distinction. Soon after his capture the battle of Bull Run began. Pell says he told Hill he would like to see the fun, whereupon Hill mounted him and took him on the field, where he (Pell) saw the whole battle. He says they were whipped the first day, and if we had only pressed them the second day they would have retreated.

We are in a beautiful country, the valley of the Catoctin Creek, between Leesburg and Winchester. We do not hear much about the enemy. Tell Sergeant1 to get you Lord's map of the state of Virginia, it gives a fair description and idea of localities. For instance, we are not far from Waterford now, and we expect to be near Hamilton to-night.
__________

1 Son of General Meade.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 322-3

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