Letter from Bolling Hall, Jr., near Fairfax Station in Virginia, to his father in Alabama.
From May 1861 to early 1862 Bolling Hall, Jr., served in the 6th Alabama Infantry. In the letter he discusses activities in camp ("while not on guard have been throwing up dirt batteries...I came to the conclusion that I would prefer giving the Yankees a fair open fight"); sickness among...
| Format: | Electronic |
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Alabama Department of Archives and History
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| Online Access: | http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/voices/id/4325 |
| Summary: | From May 1861 to early 1862 Bolling Hall, Jr., served in the 6th Alabama Infantry. In the letter he discusses activities in camp ("while not on guard have been throwing up dirt batteries...I came to the conclusion that I would prefer giving the Yankees a fair open fight"); sickness among the soldiers; a recent raid on a Union picket positioned on the road to Alexandria; clothing and supplies he needs from home, as well as some he has already received; and inaccurate reports received on the home front ("All the reports you hear of the enemy's having outflanked us are ridiculous for we have made them constantly draw in their pickets"). He also explains the purpose of his company's current location: "The object in putting us here is simply as a decoy to the enemy - every one knows this to be so. We are on the extreme outpost & in fact but for the cowardice of Lincoln's merceneries [sic] we would have been surprised & cut to pieces long ago. Through want of men we are totally unable to picket guard one side of our camp consequently are exposed on that side & an enemy could get right on our camp guard before we had notice of them." In a postscript he gives a map showing the roads leading to Alexandria and the activities of the men during the raid. A transcription is included. |
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