Letter from William Hardy to his wife, Sallie Hardy; 27 April 1862

              At Doctor Jones, 3 miles from 
Gordonsville, Virginia April 27th, 1862

My Dear Devoted Sallie,

I have not received a letter from you since yours of the 3rd of April. I can't imagine what's the matter. I am very anxious to hear from you. The last letter I wrote you was the 23rd which I sent by Jasper Boykin, a discharged member of my company, in which I had given you a short account of our forced march of thirty-one miles in a day through the rain and sleet, on raw meat and parched corn. I told you too that I was sick. I was very sick. My fever lasted about five days, that with a drastic diarrhea, has made me so weak that I can't do duty now for sometime. Our company yesterday reorganized for the two years (which they have been impressed by Congress). I was unanimously selected captain. Lieutenant G. did not run. Lieutenant Swittenberg was elected first lieutenant and Tom second lieutenant and Corporal Cowart second [illegible] lieutenant.

The election for field officers was to have occurred this morning, but instead the regiment had to leave at daylight in quick time to reinforce Stonewall Jackson who was hotly pursued by the enemy. So you see the boys will likely get into a fight, which I regret very much as I can't be with them. I am at a private house out here in the mountains, at a Doctor Jones' who is a man of wealth, large and respectable family. Three pretty, accomplished