In the skirmish
at Piedmont Station, Arch apparently led the cavalry attack and a
report of his aggressiveness apparently got to his father in Pittsburgh,
probably in a letter from his brother, Captain Weston Rowand, Arch’s
commander.
Piedmont
Station was a key location on the Manassas Gap Railroad and a
frequent site of skirmishes.
June 3, 1863.
Winchester – Piedmont Station Fight.
To Father.
Winchester
June
3d/63
Dear Father
I
received your kind letter in due time I was sorry to hear that Mother
had again taken sick. I hope soon to receive a letter from her
saying she is entirely well. How is your Buffer doing now are
you making anything on it. Ace told me in his letter that Davis
was very sick has he got well yet? I hope to hear soon that you
and him are making money. When you make two or three million
let me know as I want to borrow two thousand to go to Europe when the
war is over. You will pardon my seeming rashness in the fight
at Piedmont Station as I did not look behind me to see if any more
of the men were following us. Our Company is out today. All
of “Co. K.” that was not captured last January are back
with us they have not been furnished with arms yet but will be in the
course of a few days. Lieutenant Dawson was riding around on
horseback today for the first time since rejoining the Company, he
being sick since returning.
Uncle
West has taken a notion to get sick. I understand that he has
got the Typhoid Fever. I intend to go up to see him in the morning.
I
received a letter from a friend in Wheeling today telling me that “my
Mollie” was to be married in two or three weeks and to a preacher
at that “bully for Mollie.”
Can
you tell me what has become of Nancy Reed as I have not heard from
her for four weeks. Mrs. Long has been kind enough not to answer
my letter.
From
indications here I should say that there is to be a move in a few days
in this place which I do not pretend to know if Hooker soon do something
there will be a force sent to take this place. Let them come
with twenty thousand if they want to get licked. My love to Mrs.
Callow and the family.
Your
affectionate son
Archie
H. Rowand
P.S. Please send me some postage envelopes.
Related
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies Reports