Posted on: Greenwood Co. SC Biographies Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/SC/GreenwoodBios?read=3 Surname: Aiken ------------------------- Colonel David W. Aiken of Greenwood, SC, 7th South Carolina Infantry, Kershaw's Brigade, wrote home late on the evening of June 22, 1863, regarding a clash with Federal forces at the summit of Ashby's Gap in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains: Shenadoah River - "I wrote to you a few days ago, my darling wife, from my tent then on the top of a mountain beyond the river. I told you some little of the beautiful scenery, which should have been seen to have been appreciated. That night there came up a very hard rain and the next morning until noon we were enveloped in the clouds, though we heard that the view was clearing in the valley... The next morning (Sunday, yesterday) we were about proceeding on our march, when a courier arrived from the rear saying Stuarts cavalry was heavily pressed by the enemy. We were put under arms and by 3 PM ordered hurriedly back across this river, marched three miles, drew up in line of battle across the turn pike, each flank (reaching) up on the mountain. Here we allowed the cavalry to pass to our rear, and we waited for the enemy who had been pressing him with overwhelming numbers. The wounded were passing by us for some time. The fight had progressed all day and was very severe. Our men stood there trembling wet, up to their arms, and the wind blowing from the mountains as cold as October. Poor fellows, how I sympathetized with them. After all we could see the thousands of Yankee camp fires in the valley about 3 miles in our front. We watch them with (?) until morning and then advanced upon them, when lo they had gone. As soon as they discovered we had infantry they turned towards Manassas. That night on the mountain was one of the severest I ever (saw), I wrapt up in my overcoat and cape and laid down to sleep, which I did for about two hours, when I awoke almost freezing, I got up and walked up and down the mountain to get warm, and then laid down again, but it was only in chattering of teeth until morning. The men were allowed, this morning to build fires and dry the wet clothes in which they had shivered all night. At about 3 PM we again received orders to cross the river again and all the drying of clothes had to be done again this evening. Strange to say, all this exposure has not made half dozen sick men that I can hear of in all the division numbering about 7000... It is now after 10 PM and we have not yet rec'd any orders about moving tomorrow. So I can tell you nothing of our future movements... Where we go none of us knows, but must certainly meet the foe before many more days, and when we do we intend to whip certain, regardless of what he intends to do with us. I may be among the number to be sacrificed. God grant I may not be, but if I should I believe I'll die with a full assurance of some day meeting you in Heaven. I will fall too in a noble cause, and leave to my beloved wife and dear little children the future consolation, that I fell battling for the liberty they may live to enjoy. We can only hope for the best, but it is the part of prudence to look sometimes on the dark side of things, not however with despondent feelings, but with the firm conviction that all will be well at last, May God protect and preserve us and ours, and give us both the strength and fortitude necessary to correctly endure whatever future awaits us. Kiss our dear little pets often for me. Oh for a short sojourn with you and them. But for this dreadful war how happy would we be! Give much love to everybody at home for me."