William R. Ferris had been a private in Captain John Fish’s company out of Pittston, PA since April 1861.

By July 4th, the 20-year-old was writing to the Pittston Gazette from Williamsport, Maryland with something none of the previous letter writers in this series on the first year of the Civil War had yet reported: he had been in combat face-to-face with Confederate soldiers.

Two days earlier, on July 2, 1861, General Robert Patterson’s Army of the Shenandoah crossed the Potomac River and pushed toward Martinsburg, Virginia. The 11th Pennsylvania – serving in a brigade under General J.J. Abercrombie, one of the oldest field officers in the US Army and Patterson’s own son-in-law – ran headlong into Confederate forces near Hoke’s Run in Berkeley County, Virginia.

The engagement was small by the standards of what was coming. It was a sharp clash between Patterson’s advance and a Confederate rear guard under Colonel Thomas Jackson, not yet known as “Stonewall,” falling back toward Winchester.

US forces carried the field, driving the Confederates back two miles in what stands as the first Federal victory in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. For the men of the 11th Pennsylvania, it was their introduction to combat even if it was to be classified as a skirmish.

Ferris described crossing the Potomac in the pre-dawn darkness, already hearing musket fire ahead. When the shooting intensified and the regiment pushed into the woods and formed a line of battle, the reality of the battlefield became clear.

“The balls flew like hail stones over our heads,” Ferris wrote, “but we thought but little about it.” As they fought, word came down the line that two of their own Company E – James Morgan and Daniel Stiles – had fallen wounded and sadness swept through the ranks.

The 11th Pennsylvania lost one man killed and several wounded. Ferris came through it unharmed, and by July 3rd the army was in Martinsburg.

From the Pittston Gazette, July 11, 1861:

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Letter from a Volunteer. 

WILLIAMSPORT, Md., 

July 4th, 1861. 

Last Saturday we left Hagerstown for a place three miles below Williamsport. Stayed there till Monday and marched to Williamsport. During the day I visited the battery on the Potomac, and talked with several men who had left Virginia to keep out of the Rebel army.

I had to go on guard in the fore part of the evening. The next morning we were called up before light, and formed into line to cross the river. Just as we were formed we were somewhat excited by the report of two or three volleys of musket balls, between our guard and the Rebels. We quickened our step and were soon fording the river. On our way we met two or three guards who had crossed, and they reported some of their number dead.

After we crossed we fell in with the main body of our scouts, who had driven the enemy about a mile. We marched on towards Martinsburg. Saw nothing of the enemy for about six miles. As we were stopping to rest and as I was talking with a couple of citizens who had fled to avoid being impressed into the Rebel service, we were startled by the report of fire arms. We clenched our arms and started on a quick march.

The firing increased, and we soon came in sight of the 1st Wisconsin Regiment. We took to the woods at the right, formed in line of battle and advanced on a quick step. The balls began to strike over our heads in the trees. About that time the artillery of the two forces commenced exchanging shots. We continued to advance and the enemy fell back into the woods. We came up behind a fence and fired, and then laid down to load.

We loaded and fired as fast as we could. The balls few like hail stones over our heads, but we thought but little about it until we heard that Morgan and Stiles bad fallen. This made us feel somewhat sad, but about this time our artillery gave them a sharp fire, the left of our Regiment gave them a round, and they left. 

We drove them two miles. Before they fled we had two regiments and two pieces of artillery, but a number of Regiments came up after the battle was over.

It is said the enemy had four or five thousand engaged in the battle. There was only one of our Regiment killed, but a number are wounded. One of the Wisconsin Regiment was killed, one is supposed to be mortally wounded, and one missing. The 15th Pennsylvania Regiment had 41 scouts taken prisoners. Mr. Morgan is badly wounded in the leg. Mr. Stiles has a bad flesh wound, but is not considered dangerous. 

I do not know how many of the enemy were killed, but it must be a large number. I should think the battle lasted two hours.

Yesterday we marched to Martinsburg without opposition. They say there are 25,000 Rebels and 26 pieces of artillery within six miles of our camp. 

We came here to-day to guard a train of provisions that is to go to camp to-morrow. We expect a hard battle in a few days. 

Through the mercy of God I am well, and my desire is to put my trust in him and rely upon his all powerful arm while I live.

W. R. FERRIS.

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Read the previous letter from the Letters from War: 1861 series.

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This is part of an ongoing series called “Letters from War: 1861” that will share correspondence written on the front lines during the turbulent first year of the Civil War.

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