Our Army…Is Twice As Strong As It Was Before The Sharpburg Fight.

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War-date Confederate officer's letter, 3 1/2pp. 4to., written by Lieut. Mann Page [WIA Cedar Mountain, Va., Aug. 9, 62], 21st Virginia Infantry, "Camp near Bunker Hill, Headquarters Jackson's," Oct. 10, 1862, to his uncle, David Copeland Randolph, reading, in part: "William [my slave] wishes to go home for a short time as he is a very good servant. I have no objections…John had come up to see cousin Archy [Capt. Archer C. Page WIA/amputated leg, Antietam]…he has been in a very bad way…I have not been able to get off to see him since I came to this place…I have sent by someone going to Winchester…to find out how he is and was glad to hear that he was better. I do hope he will recover…he has been a faithful officer…he stands today as the best Capt. in his Regt…I am very glad his wife is with him. She is devoted to him and he to her…a private in Co. H…said to an officer…that God must have been looking at the other end of our line of battle (our division was on the left of our line of Battle) when Capt. page was struck. All speak in the highest terms of him and should he live he will have reason to be proud…I will William go to see him when he goes to Winchester…the horse you sent me did not suit me and as Major John Seddon [1st Battalion Virginia Infantry] wants him I sold him to him for two hundred and fifty dollars. He has since resigned and gone to Richmond…the horse cost me $200 and the bridle & saddle $54. They valued my horse at $275. & saddle & bridle at $40…I gave $225 for the [?] mare I got yesterday. She is almost too young for service but seems to be a very tough animal, rides well. I was offered three hundred for her…after I got her. Don't you think that when the war is over I had better go to horse trading? The army has been encamped here for the past ten days. It is the first time we have remained so long in any one place…i've received orders to hold ourselves ready ot march at a moments notice and carried out two Regts on picket on the Martinsburg and Charleston Roads. It was reported the Yanks were advancing. Let them come if they want to get a [?] thrashing. Our army is very much benefited by the rest and is twice as strong as it was before the Sharpsburg fight. We have had some hard fighting since I let you…sometimes I began to think that it never would stop. I see no prospect for peace, but…hope that a kind providence will put a stop to this unreasonable war…and that our people will be duely [?] by his blessings for it will be a very long time before this country can forget the many brave & noble ones that have gone before us…Mann Page…I send by William my daguerreotype." Minor soiling, else VG

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