Click image to learn about Stonewall Jackson’s death.
There is a 41 day gap from the previous posted letter and the next one dated on July 4, 1863 from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Shortly after the previous letter was written on May 24th, the Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized from two to three smaller Corps as a result of the death of CSA Lieutenant General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.
In early June, CSA Brigadier General Joseph R. “Joe” Davis was ordered to report to General Robert E. Lee in the vicinity of Fredericksburg, Virginia with the least practicable delay. From there, the Confederacy would take the War into the enemy’s country.
Click image to purchase Steven H. Stubbs’ Duty-Honor-Valor: The Story of the Eleventh Mississippi Infantry Regiment.
Steven H. Stubbs’ Duty-Honor-Valor: The Story of the Eleventh Mississippi Infantry Regiment provides a description of events Parham would have witnessed during the time gap from Southeast Virginia to Gettysburg. Below is a brief summary of what the before mentioned source provides in greater detail.
June 2: Order received to cook 3 days rations and prepare to move
June 3: 3:00 am reveille, marched two hours later, 10:00 am reached Ivor Station, 3:00 pm boarded railcars for Petersburg, arrived around 5:00 pm
June 4: Marched 23 miles through Petersburg toward Richmond
June 6: 4:00 am boarded Virginia Central Railroad cars in Richmond, rode north and changed to Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad cars to Fredericksburg, arrived that evening
June 7: Remained in trenches and breastworks at Fredericksburg
June 13: 11th Mississippi set-up theatrical performance in warehouse
June 14: Departed trenches and breastworks, marched through carnage from six week’s prior at battlefield of Chancellorsville
Click image to listen to “The March of the Southern Men.”
June 16: Up at 2:00 am, departed 11:00 am, halted mid-day beyond Chancellorsville, moved within 11 miles of Culpeper Courthouse
June 17: Marched about 1.5 miles beyond Culpeper Courthouse, stopped for night at 10:00 pm
June 18: Marched, very warm day, several overheated and fell out of ranks, camped on north side of Rappahannock, rained all night
June 19: Continued march at sunrise, passed through Sperryville, moved up east slopes of Blue Ridge mountains near Chester Gap, 27 miles marched
June 20: Early dawn, struggled to top of Chester Gap, rested on summit of mountains, marched down western side of Blue Ridge, camped three miles east of Front Royal
June 21: Moved-out 4:00 am, marched through Front Royal and down Winchester Turnpike, then east to parallel road toward Potomac River, passed through White Post and camped 3 miles from Berryville, 12 miles marched that day
June 22: Rested
June 23: Departed 11:00 am; passed through Berryville and Rippon, West Virginia; moved within three miles of Charleston, West Virginia and camped for night
June 24: Marched within two miles of Shepherdstown, West Virginia on the Potomac
Click image to see period sheet music and lyrics to “Maryland, My Maryland!”
June 25: Marched early dawn, crossed Potomac into Maryland and band played Maryland, My Maryland, camped south of Hagerstown
June 26: Departed about 9:00 am; marched northeast and crossed into Pennsylvania, met by several hundred observing girls as they marched past a school, several of whom demonstrated against Confederate presence; stopped two miles south of Waynesboro
June 27: Moved north at 5:00 am for seven miles through Funkstown and Fayetteville, turned east and marched three miles
June 28: Camp awoke to band playing hymn Safely Through Another Week, Sabbath rest and communion services
June 29: Marched toward Cashtown and within sight of Gettysburg that day
June 30: Some of CSA Brigadier General Joe Davis’ men stayed in camp as rain continued through day while others went on picket duty, camped at Cashtown that night
July 1-3: Battle of Gettysburg
July 4: Date of next letter
Parham's Letters 