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Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 18:10:59 -0500
From: "John Huddleston" <huddlest@intrstar.net>
To: Huddleston-L@rootsweb.com
Subject: Byron Huddleston Files
My name is John Huddleston. Earlier this year I learned of a Byron Huddleston of Hot Springs AR and visited him in Aug 98 and again in Nov 98. Byron has been collecting his family data for a number of years and had a great deal of information on the descendants of John Huddleston, sixth son of David and Sarah Easley Huddleston of Halifax Co VA. On my last visit to Byron I took along a copier and made about
100 copies of his documents. One of the papers Byron handed me to copy was a total surprise & shock. This was a typed version of a letter purported to have been written by Daniel Huddleston to his brother John from MORRIS HEIGHTS CAMP, N.Y. while Daniel was serving as a Captain in the Reveloutionary Army and dated Sept 18, 1776.
The paper had yellowed with age and the staple holding the three pages together was totally rusted. Byron, 78, did not know where he got the letter from nor how long it had been in his files. The wording and spelling have not been changed. Double spacing
has been removed.
Morris Heights Camp, N.Y. Gov'ment.
Sep. 18th 1776
Dear Brother:
I embrace the opportunity to write to you by Ser'gt Burd of my Company, whose place John Adams has taken. My epistle will be incorhent, scarcely to be understood but your partiality in my favor I know will many any thing from me pleasing, where the news it contains is not too bad. I have nothing but the news of the camp to give you and that which I have myself seen, there being so many Generals and Field officers here that a Cap't is only of consequence in his own Company or Reg'mt at post. I will endeavor to state plain matters of fact, as they have appeared to me. On Tuesday last the enemy's cannon played the greater part of the day from their forts and shipping. Friday night we discovered a body of the enemy were landing on a small island in the East River. Our Reg'mt was ordered to march at 5'oclock in the morning after marching and counter marching till about 7. We returned to our camps. Saturday about midnight we were ordered out and paraded as the day before. Returning to Camp. Sunday we had scarcely time to get our breakfast (after returning) being informed of the enemy's having taken possession of N. York and our Troops, who were chiefly from Conneticut, having shamefully abandoned their posts below us without having exchanged a fire. Our soldiers were greatly ex-asperated and being drawn up for battle it was very discoverable that they were determined to fight to the last for their Country, every sol- dier encouraging and animating his fellow. This night our Reg'mt was on guard posted on an eminence over against the enemy. Monday morning we marched down toward them and posted ourselves near a meadow having that in our front, North River, to our right and a body of woods in our rear and on our left. We discovered the enemy peeping from their
Heights over their fencing and rocks and running backwards and forwards. We did not alter our positions. I believe they expected we should have accorded the hill to them, but finding us still they imputed it to fear and came down skipping towards us in snall parties, at the distance of 250 or 300 yards they began their fire. Our orders were not to fire till they came near but a young officer (of whom we have too many) on the right fired and it was taken up from right to left; we made about four fires, I had fired twice and loaded again determined to keep for a better chance but Col. Heedon calling to keep up our fire (he meant for us to reserve it but we misunderstood him) I fired once more; we then all wiped and loaded, sat down again in our ranks and let the enemy fire on
us nearly an hour. Our men observed the best order not quitting their rank though exposed to a constant, warm fire. I can't say enough in their favor. They behaved like soldiers who fought for principle alone, during this, 3 companies of Riflemen from ourt Reg'mt, West, Ashby and Thornton's with other companies of Riflemen where flanking the enemy and began a brisk fire on the right of them. On this they began a retreat
up the hill carrying off their dead and wounded, for we had galled them a little. And then let me not forget the brave Marylanders who were below us sustained the hottest of the fight and must have fone the greatest execution as they kept a constant fire after we were ordered to reserve ours. The enemy retreated above a quarter and a half when they were re-inforced by men and cannon. We had but one field place in the battle and they had several. The battle began between 8 and 9 in the morning and lasted until 2; it was rather a skirmish than a battle. However, it has taught our enemy that we are not all Conneticut
men, they seem more peaceably inclined than before, their task was to have marched through our Camp to Kings Bridge 4 miles above us, the day of the battle but they are deceived for once and I hope will ever be so when they design themselves such tasks. We had 3 killed and wounded in our Reg'mt, you don't know any of them; Major Leitch was also wounded badly, he received 3 balls, one just above the groin, the other 2 just
at the groin in the side of his belly. He is a man of spirit and bears it as such. It is very dangerous but I hope not fatal. There about us many more in other regiments killed and wounded - we lost a colonel - I don't know his name, and Wolsar a fine man, one of the
New England man. It is said we killed a Field officer of theirs and about 50 privates. From the blood, and the bustle they made in carrying off their killed and wounded they certainly had more killed than we had. You will see a better acct. in the papers. Tell the old Planters in Halifax their sons are fine fellows and good soldiers. Joseph and David joins in our sincerest wishes for your family and all friends, we are yours and each of yours most aff. and humble serve.
(Signed Daniel Huddleston,
Addressed to Capt. John Huddleston, by favor of Sergt. Burd.
Letter of Captain Daniel Huddleston, great, great, great grandfather of (Mrs. I.H.) Lockie Ball Barnett, written during the war of the Revolution, addressed to his brother Captain John Huddleston, who was killed in the Battle of Brandywine. The original letter is in the possession of Miss Mary E. Huddleston, of "River View," Norfolk County, Virginia, a great great grand-daughter of the said Captain John Huddleston
This letter is a faithful copy of original letter now in the possession of Miss Mary E. Huddleston. J. A. Gilmore.
I searched for years for the source of this letter. I found in the book called Rebels and Redcoats by George F Scheer and Hugh F Rankin. 1957. The World Publishing Co.
The library of the Virginia Historical Society. Page 185. I contact the Library of Va. and payed for a copy of the letter
Mss K2694 a 8 Letter of John Chilton to [Martin
Pickett], dated Sept. 17, 1776, (4 exposures)
Original 1776 Letter
Major Martin---, Mr.Thomas Ir---,or Mr.Charles Ch---,by favor Sergeant
Beavers to be sent to the Red House and Forwarded by Mr. Tyler
Morris Height Camp New York Sept 17th 1776.
My Dear Friends.
I embrace the opportunity of writing to you by Sergeant Beavers of
Captain West’s Company whose place Jacob Jessop has taken My epistle
will be incoherent scarcely to be understood, but your partiality in
my favor. I know will make anything from me read pleasing, where the
news it contains is not bad. I have nothing but the news of camp to
give you and that which I have myself seen, there being so many
Generals and Field Officers here that a Captain is only a man of
consequence in his own Company or Regiment at most, I will endeavor
to state plain matter of facts as they have appeared to me. On Friday
last the enemy's Cannon played the greater part of the day from their
Forts and Shipping. Friday night we discovered a body of the enemy
were landing on a small Island in the East River, our Regiment were ordered to march at 3 o’clock in the morning, after marching and countermarching till about 7,there returned to our camps. Saturday about midnight we were ordered out and paraded as the day before, returned to camp. Friday we had scarcely time to get our breakfast being informed of
the enemy's having taken possession of New York and our troops who
were chiefly from Connecticut had shamefully abandoned their post,
below us without exchanging a fire. Our soldiers were greatly exasperated
and being drawn up for battle it was very discoverable that they
were determined to fight to the last for their country, every soldier
encouraging and animating his fellow. This night our Regiment were
on guard posted on an eminence over against the enemy. Monday morning
we marched down towards their men and posted ourselves near a meadow
having that in our front, North River to our right, a body of woods
in our rear and on our left, we discovered the enemy peeping from
their heights over the fencings and rocks and running backwards and
forwards, we did not alter our position. I believe they expected we
should have ascended the hill to them, but finding us still they imputed
it to fear and came skipping down towards us in small parties, at the
distance of about 250 or 300 yards they began their fire, our orders
were not to fire till they came near, but a young Officer (of whom we
have to many) on the right fired and it was taken from right to left
we made about 4 fires. I had fired twice and loaded again determined
to keep for a better chance but Colonel Weedon calling to keep up our
fire (he meant for us to reserve it but we misunderstood him) I fired
once more. We then all wiped and loaded and sat down in our ranks and
let the enemy fire on us near an hour. Our men observed the best order,
not quitting their ranks though exposed to a constant and warm fire.
I can't say enough in their praise, they behaved like soldiers who fought
from principle alone. During this three Companies of Riflemen from our
Regiments West’s, Thornton’s, and Ashby’s with other Companies of
Riflemen were flanking the enemy and had began a brisk fire on the right
of them, an this they began to retreat up the hill carrying off their
dead and wounded, for we had galled them a little. And then let me not
forget the brave, Marylanders who were below us and sustained the hottest
of the fire and must have done the greatest execution, as they kept a
constant fire after we were ordered to reserve ours. The enemy retreated
about a quarter and half west when they were reinforced with men and
cannon. We had but one field piece in the battle they had several. The
battle began between 8 and 9 in the morning and lasted till about 2,it
was rather a skirmish than a battle, however it has taught our enemy
that we are not all Connecticut troops and they seem more peaceable
inclined than before. Their task was to have marched through our camp
to Kings Bridge four miles above us the day of the battle. But they
are deceived for once and I hope will be ever so, when they assign
themselves such tasks. We had three killed and wounded in our Regiment.
You don't know any of them. Major Leitch was also wounded badly he
received three balls one just above the groin the other two in the
side of his belly just above the one in his groin, he is a man of
spirit and bare it as such it is dangerous but hope not mortal. There
was about as many more killed and wounded in the other Regiments. We
lost a Colonel. I don't know his name--Holson a fine man one of the
New Englandmen. It is said we killed a field Officer of theirs and
about 50 privates, from the blood and bustle they made in carrying
off their killed and wounded they certainly had many more killed
than we had. You will receive a better description in the papers.
Johnny Blackwell joins me in our sincerest wishes for you Families
and all Friends and hope you will esteem us your Loving Friends.
John Chilton.
P.S. Tell the old planter in Fauquier their boys are fine soldiers.
P.S. Since I finished my letter am informed that we had about 20
killed and as many wounded it is said that the enemy consisted of
about 10,000 though suppose they had not above 2 or 3,000 in the
action we had not so many. We have formed a Line from River to
River, which is about a mile and half.
I wrote my part of the Battle this instance to Mr.Blackwell,
which hope will get to his hand.
John Chilton “To my dear friends” Sept.17, 1776 Ms. letter,
Keith papers, Virginia Historical Society.
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