Shenendoah County Va
August the 9th

Dear Wife

After geting off one of the hardest expeditions of the war I take my pen in hand to let you know I am still alive but badly broken down.

I walked day before yesterday 40 miles from Moorfield to Mt. Jackson. I ran 4 miles early that morning, with the yanks right at our asses, cutting and slashing with sabers right and left.

[?] Elliott for one got three licks, none fatal, when the yanks surprised our camp early on the morning of the 7th. They charged right into camp cutting and slashing everything before them. They captured our artillery & lots men and horses. I dont know the number yet nor no other person, as they are coming in in little squads every day.

All our company are safe but havent come in yet, we have heard from them, they are out of danger. The way I came to be afoot in the stampeede Fickle mounted my horse where it was standing close with the saddle on. He left the saddle (?) his and run off with mine. He never (---) until he reached the valley, just come into camp today. He felt very mean, I know. I call it a d--d mean trick of any man. Some of our regt was killed that we know of, Maj Nownan was wounded & made his escape by going to the ? He has since made his way out to Winchester.

Col Peelers was severely hacked & captured, besides several other officers of the 2 Brigades. Gen. Johnson charged right through them. Johnson is in command of Joneses Old Brigade. I will give you some idea of our raid on the 29th of July. We crossed the Potomac into M.D. marching hard all that day and night, reaching Chambersburg at daylight on the morning of the 30th, only remaining long enough to burn the city into ashes & leave. Went into camp over the 31st.

Then into Hancock, drive the enemy from the place, demand -0,000 in greenbacks as a levy, they pay the money and we leave at 4 o'clock p.m. for Cumberland City.

March all night August the 1st. 1 o'clock in sight of the city, commence cannonading. Fight till dark find the enemy too strong for us, draw off, leave the place after dark for the river at Oldtown M.D. below Cumberland City and march all night.

Daylight the 2nd in sight of the ford, find the enemy had been fast enough, had run down from Cumberland on an iron clad train & had it ready for us. But one well directed shot from the Baltimore Battery struck the boiler and drove the enemy into their block house which was soon surrendered to us with 81 prisoners.

This included their iron clad steamers, and we crossed over into N.W. Va, cooked eat & remained hear till 3 o clock P.M. Marched for Romny and camped at Romny. 3rd in camp. 4th, march for New Creek Station on the Balt ' Ohio R.R. 3 oclock, arrive at the above named place, commence fighting, find the place a strong fort & that it well garrisoned with negroes & whites, fight on until night. Find it too strongly fortifyed to be taken by 2 Brigades of cavalry. Leave the place under cover of darkness, haul off our wounded in buggys picked up in the country for that purpose.

We had ten wounded in the l6th Regt, Co (A) escaped unhurt. Marched 10 miles that night, in camp until morning the 5th. Took up line of march in the direction of Moorfield encamped in 2 miles of Moorfield, 6th remained in camp cooking & eating & resting.

7th, just at dawn of day, enemy surprised the camp, stampeded the command, captured our artillery, lots of men & horses driving us in wild confusion in the direction of the Vally. Reached the Vally near Mt. Jackson and all quiet in camp. 9th, in camp at Mt. Jackson, lots of the boys not come in as yet.

This is only a hasty idea of our travails in Pennsylvania & MD., and part of West Va. I could give a more sensible description of the raid had I more paper & time, but this will suffice. My nerves are very trembly today, so much so I can hardly wright. I haven't gotten over my race yet. I am stiff all over only where I ought to be stiff.

I dont expect to get over this trip in 2 weeks steady resting, but I dont think we will get much rest, as they want us to draw more ammunition, that a bad since of rest. I have rode down 2 or 3 horses this summer, a horse dont last the cavalry the way we have been riding more than 3 or 4 weeks, he has to be a good one at that. I have two horses besides old Mor-gen. I will give all three of them for one good fresh one.

We all have more or less yankee tricks on hand now, but we cant get them home. We will get them all spoiled before we can get an opportunity to send them home. I havent much myself, my horse was too near give out to pack with booty. Some of them broke their horses down packin and lost all, thats the fruits of greediness.

I will quit now, as I am very tired & sore. Write as soon as you get this and let me hear from home, as I havent heard but once this summer. Thomas Vermillion says to send his folks word he is well and harty.

Bill Fuller is still with us yet, he has been courier for Gen. McCausland on this trip. He is a very good one. Gens Early and Breckinridge are below us in the vally. Write as soon as you get this, I want to hear from you the worst way. Nothing more only remain,

Yours,

I. V. Reynolds.