Today at Brandy Station: June 1, 1863
Today we have another letter from Jacob Kent Langhorne -- this one to his father.
A portion of it: "...I had my mare valued at 650$. My arms have not cost me a cent. One of the men gave me a rifle captured at Chancellorsville and I drew a pair of pistols from ordnance wagon which I will return as soon as I can capture one. I bought a sabre for 3$, the best one I have seen..."
There are a few interesting items in this letter. The mare is valued at $650. Inflation has begun to take hold in the south. At the start of the war, good horses were sold (if you didn't already have one) for between $200 - $400. By the end of the war, horses would be valued at over $1000. Now Kent didn't buy his horse, it was appraised, but you can see the effects the war was having on the economy.
His weapons. Kent received a captured rifle from a trooper, his pistols were a temporary issue and he purchased the sabre for $3. In June 1863, the Confederacy is having difficulty supplying arms to its' forces. New recruits are receiving battlefield plunder, loaned weapons until he can they can capture their own and have to pay for sabres.
The impact of the blockade, and the inability of the southern industry to produce war material is effects a new recruit. He discusses it with his father as if it is routine. Unfortunately, it is.
The letter as well as a wealth of other terrific material can be found on the University of Virgina's Valley of the Shadow website.
Showing posts with label Jacob Kent Langhorne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jacob Kent Langhorne. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Jacob Kent Langhorne
Today at Brandy Station: May 18, 1863
There is a terrific website titled "Valley of the Shadow" (http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/VoS/sitemap.html)
Among other documents, newspapers and photos, the site contains letters and diaries from soldiers from Augusta County, Virginia and Franklin County, Pennsylvania. If you haven't visited this site, I highly recommend it.
The letters of Jacob Kent Langhorne are part of the collection. Kent is an 18 year old trooper who recently joined the Wise Cavalry Troop of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry. He would take part in his first fight at Brandy Station on June 9. It would also be his last fight.
On May 18, he penned a letter to his sister from Culpeper Court House. It read in part:
Culpeper CH
May 18th, 1863 Dear Sister
I received Mamas letter two or three days ago and received yours and cousin Kate's yesterday. I have had quite a nice time since I have been in camp. I have made the acquaintance of a good many nice officers. Capt Steptoe is one of the nicest gentleman I ever saw and is so kind to me. I understand that Floods & Pickets divisions are camped near here & Jones, Imboden, Hampton, Jenkins and W.H. Lee are and in fact all our cavalry forces are here. We expect to leave here for some unknown point in a day or two…. Love to all. I am your Bro, Kent.
It is almost a typical letter. Kent had received letters from home and was getting along well. He didn't mention his health, and his camp gossip was wrong, as no infantry had arrived and the cavalry was just beginning to gather in the county. And the cavalry would of course remain in Brandy until mid-June.
There is a terrific website titled "Valley of the Shadow" (http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/VoS/sitemap.html)
Among other documents, newspapers and photos, the site contains letters and diaries from soldiers from Augusta County, Virginia and Franklin County, Pennsylvania. If you haven't visited this site, I highly recommend it.
The letters of Jacob Kent Langhorne are part of the collection. Kent is an 18 year old trooper who recently joined the Wise Cavalry Troop of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry. He would take part in his first fight at Brandy Station on June 9. It would also be his last fight.
On May 18, he penned a letter to his sister from Culpeper Court House. It read in part:
Culpeper CH
May 18th, 1863 Dear Sister
I received Mamas letter two or three days ago and received yours and cousin Kate's yesterday. I have had quite a nice time since I have been in camp. I have made the acquaintance of a good many nice officers. Capt Steptoe is one of the nicest gentleman I ever saw and is so kind to me. I understand that Floods & Pickets divisions are camped near here & Jones, Imboden, Hampton, Jenkins and W.H. Lee are and in fact all our cavalry forces are here. We expect to leave here for some unknown point in a day or two…. Love to all. I am your Bro, Kent.
It is almost a typical letter. Kent had received letters from home and was getting along well. He didn't mention his health, and his camp gossip was wrong, as no infantry had arrived and the cavalry was just beginning to gather in the county. And the cavalry would of course remain in Brandy until mid-June.
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