Staunton, June 8, 1864.
Dearest: — We reached the beautiful Valley of Virginia yesterday over North Mountain and entered this town this morning. General Hunter took the place after a very successful fight on the 6th. We seem to be clear of West Virginia for good. We shall probably move on soon.
Our march here over the mountains was very exciting. We visited all the favorite resorts of the chivalry on our route, White Sulphur, Blue Sulphur, Warm, and Hot Springs, etc., etc. Lovely places, some of them. I hope to visit some of them with you after the war is over.
We know nothing of Grant but conjecture that he must be doing well. We are now in Crook’s division, Hunter’s Army, I suppose. General Crook is the man of all others. I wish you could have seen the camps the night we got our last mail from home. It brought me two letters from you, one of [the] 26th. I told General Crook, Webb sent his love. “Yes,” said he, “Webb is a fine boy; he will make a soldier.”
We have enjoyed this campaign very much. I have no time to write particulars. It is said that the prisoners will be sent to Beverly tomorrow and that the men and officers of [the] Twenty-third whose time expires will go as guard. I shall perhaps send my sorrel horse by Carrington and if he can’t sell him for two hundred dollars to take him to Uncle Moses to do just what he pleases with him. If he can’t keep him he may give him away or shoot him. He is a fine horse and behaved admirably at Cloyd’s Mountain, but he is too fussy and noisy.
I feel the greatest sympathy for you during these long periods of entire ignorance of my whereabouts. I trust it will soon be so that I can hear from you and send news to you often.
[R. B. Hayes.]
Mrs. Hayes.
