Below is a letter written by Lorenzo Dow Fletcher, of Co. I, to his wife Mary, concerning the fight at Moorefield, West Virginia on August 7, 1864. In this letter he details the loss of Cpl. Hiram Robbins and two other men.

There are two copies of this letter. First, I have included the letter as Fletcher wrote it. To make this missive easier to read, the second is a copy in which I have corrected the spelling, added punctuation , and filled in some things that I believe he meant.

L.R.

Lorenzo D. Fletcher To Mary M. Fletcher

Shanadore County August the 16th, 1864

"Dear Wife after my best respects to you I am well at presant hoping that when those few lines comes to your hands they will find you all enjoying the same like blessings I have not heard a word from home since I left I would be glad to here from you and to know how you are getting a long and from the rest of the people in Newgarden I understand that there is fine prospec of corn crops in South western virginia and everything loks prospeoris corn crops looks bad where we have bin there has bin a serious drouth ther hes bin a liddle rain lately here we have bin constantly marching some times day and night we have made two raids into maryland and pencilvania the last wone was not virry successful and we went through Pencilvania we captured a good many store goods and horse and cattle and a good many yankeys and got back in to virginia to a place cald moorefield there the yankeys followed us and captered our pocketts and run in to Johnsons Camp shooting at them before some of them waked up they all brok and run through our brigade yankeys and all mixt up to gether they all scatterd and got out the best way they could there was ten of our men kild and seventy six wounden and three hundred and fifty taken prisners and they got a good many horses or owers Charles Riley is said to have bin kild he belong to the Sixteenth Redgment

there is three of our company gone that we have not herd of we dont now what has become of them Hyram Robins Elie Kindrick George Spergeon Kindrick and Robins wet of to a horse that morning to git wash and we have not herd of them since they may have fot out there is a grate many that got our went home I was not in the stampeed I started before day and went up to the mill after flour I got my flour and started back I met them coming and I turned back and brout all our safe unto the valey of virginia near strawsburg where we are now stationed we are cloce to a yanky army they have a very large force and so has General Early they will have a fight shortly Milbern Barrett and James Barrett are both wounded James in the thigh a flesh wound and Milbern through the ankle the ball interd the frount of his ankle and out at his heel I have wrote three or fore letters to you and I have not recived non yet I want you to right to me as soon as you recive this letter with out fail dirrect your letter to Augusta County Stanton Va McCoslins Brigade 22 Redgmet Co I I can not tell when I can come home I will come the first opportunity I dont think we will stay in the valley verry long When we leave here I think we will beat back to wards home so I must bring my letter to a cose. "

L. D. Fletcher to Mary M. Fletcher

Lorenzo D. Fletcher To Mary M. Fletcher

Shenandoah County, (Virginia) August the 16th, 1864

Dear Wife,

After my best respects to you, I am well at present hoping that when these few lines come to your hands, they will find you all enjoying the same like blessings.

I have not heard a word from home since I left. I would be glad to hear from you, and to know how you are getting along, and from the rest of the people in New Garden.

I understand that there is fine prospect of corn crops in southwestern Virginia, and everything looks prosperous.

Corn crops look bad where we have been. There has been a serious drought. There has been a little rain. Lately here, we have been constantly marching, sometimes day and night. We have made two raids into Maryland and Pennsylvania. The last one was not very successful, and we went through Pennsylvania. We captured a good many store goods, horses, cattle and a good many Yankees, and got back in to (West)Virginia to a place called Moorefield. There the Yankees followed us and captured our pickets and ran in to Johnson’s Camp shooting at them before some of them waked up.

They all broke and ran through our brigade. Yankees and (our men) all, mixed up together. They all scattered ,and got out the best way they could. There were ten of our men killed, seventy six wounded, three hundred and fifty taken prisoners, and they got a good many horses of ours. Charles Riley is said to have been killed. He belonged to the Sixteenth(VA Cavalry) Regiment.

There are three of our company gone that we have not heard of. We don’t know what has become of them. Hiram Robbins, Ely Kendrick, and George Spergeon.(This line is confusing as Robbins was not in Fletcher's company, but was a Cpl. in Co. D. I can find no record of an Ely Kendrick or George Spergeon on the rolls of the 22nd Va. Cavalry. Apparently, these two men were not carried on paper, even though they were present. There WAS however, a Thomas P. Kendrick who was captured at Moorefield. It is quite possible this was the man mentioned in fletcher's letter)

Kendrick and Robbins went off to a horse(house?) that morning to get wash(ed?) and we have not heard of them since. They may have fought (their way??) out. There are a great many that got out and went home. I was not in the stampede. I started before day and went up to the mill after flour. I got my flour and started back. I met them coming and I turned back, and brought all our safe unto the valley of Virginia near Strasburg, where we are now stationed. We are close to a Yankee army. They have a very large force and so has General Early. They will have a fight shortly.

Millburn Barrett and James Barrett are both wounded. James in the thigh, a flesh wound, and Millburn through the ankle. The ball entered the front of his ankle and out at his heel. I wrote three or four letters to you and I have received none yet. I want you to write to me as soon as you receive this letter, without fail.

Direct your letter to Augusta County, Stanton, Va., McCausland’s Brigade, 22 Regiment ,Co I. I cannot tell when I can come home. I will come the first opportunity. I don’t think we will stay in the valley very long. When we leave here, I think we will beat back towards home so I must bring my letter to a close.

L. D. Fletcher to Mary M. Fletcher