A few days later there is another letter:

"Camp at Valley Mountain, August 9, 1861.
"I have been here, dear Mary, three days, coming from Monterey to
Huntersville and thence here. We are on the dividing ridge looking
north down the Tygart's river valley, whose waters flow into the
Monongahela and South towards the Elk River and Greenbriar, flowing
into the Kanawha. In the valley north of us lie Huttonsville and
Beverly, occupied by our invaders, and the Rich Mountains west, the
scene of our former disaster, and the Cheat Mountains east, their
present stronghold, are in full view.

"The mountains are beautiful, fertile to the tops, covered with the
richest sward of bluegrass and white clover, the inclosed fields
waving with the natural growth of timothy. The inhabitants are few
and population sparse. This is a magnificent grazing country, and all
it needs is labour to clear the mountain-sides of its great growth of
timber. There surely is no lack of moisture at this time. It has
rained, I believe, some portion of every day since I left Staunton.
Now it is pouring, and the wind, having veered around to every point
of the compass, has settled down to the northeast. What that portends
in these regions I do not know. Colonel Washington [John Augustin
Washington, great-nephew of General Washington, and Mt. Vernon's last
owner bearing that name], Captain Taylor, and myself are in one tent,
which as yet protects us. I have enjoyed the company of Fitzhugh
since I have been here. He is very well and very active, and as yet
the war has not reduced him much. He dined with me yesterday and
preserves his fine appetite. To-day he is out reconnoitering and has
the full benefit of this rain. I fear he is without his overcoat, as