Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-08-01
Le.ter fron, one s.h ohlo RegIment.

We are permitted to make the following ex-
tracts from letter received by Mrs. Fouke from
her husband, Lieut.. c. NJ. Fouke, of Company
+, 9th Ohio Regiment;
CAMP NEAR HARRIsoN's LAEpISG,
James River, July Goth, 1862.
Another weary week has flown
Adown life's feeting stream:
How short it seems when gone;
'Tis like passing dream
1t is Sunday morning again. A calm and
beautiful morning. The sky half overcast with
light feecy clouds, the sun shining at short in
tervals, reminding one of the lights and shades
in this checkered life. But am growing sem
timenta and that will never do for a soldier
As l have not written you any of the particu-
lars of my experiences since landing here, will
now do SO. We landed at the farm on which
President Harrison was born on the I'd inst and
Immediately marched to the front or rear, rjiich
cver IL might hare been cGlled, ON the Richmond
road, through mud from shoe-top deep to deep
enough TO drown mule, where we stood picket
until ii A. NJ. the next day, when we were
dered to the right of our line where we could
hear the booming OF field pieces, and OCCASION
ally the heavier report of one of "Uncle Sans
persuaders" from the gunboats On arriving at
the place whence the firing from the field pieces
proceeded, we found they had fallen back from
their first position to one better calculated TO
We had proceeded but short distance when
crack, crack went the small arms of the enemy,
who were in ambush, but at too great distance
to do much damage. Our skirmishers were i'm
mediately deployed right and left when the
| rebels fell back to their artillery, which was
posted in road behind point of woods, and as
we came up saluted us with shells. battery
which accompanied us was brought 10 the from
to amuse the rebels while we hanked their ar
tillery, but poured the shell into them so lively
that they beat a retreat There were five meI
wounded in the 4th Ohio and 14th Indiana
Two have since died. We bivouaced on thu
same ground that night and the next day the
| 4th, until 10 A. M, when our pickes were dri-
ven in by the rebels. We were immediately
| formed in line of battle aud advanced into the
woods from whence the firing proceeded, and
were fired upon by the enemy, they falling back
as we advanced. After driving them some dis
tance were halted and ordered to fall back to
the edge of the wood until reconnaissance could
be made. The 9Th had five men wounded
none mortally. Three cavalrymen who were
sent to the front to make observations, lost two
of their horses by having them shot by rebel
skirmishers who lay in swamp our right
within two hundred yards of our line. When
they returned, Gen. Kimball, the "hero of Win
CHESTER" who commands our Brigade, ordered
Lieut.. Col Sawyer to send 100 picked men to
clear out the swamp if it had to be done at the
point of the bayonet. The men were found
without trouble and marched to the swamp and
a quarter of a mile the other side before they
found the enemy, when few shots were ex-
changed. The enemy were seen to carry of
three men. We were ordered to hold our posi-
ton as an advance picket, which we did until
the next day at sundown. We could hear the
rebels talking as they stationed their pickets TO
the night. Our posts were only two hundred
yards apart. The pickets of both sides wer,
firing at each other all the afternoon of the 4tl
and day of the 5th. There was one rebel killet
and three wounded. Two days after the pick
cts met without arms half way between the tive
posts and held long conversation. The rebel
proved to belong to StOnewall Jacl1son's forces
and they remarked: "We knew you as soon a.
you appeared. You belong to Shields Divis
ion. We fought you in the Shenandoah Val
ley" The rebel pickets said there was al
Irishman in their regiment by the name o
| Thomas Moore who used to live in Fremont
Ohio. He enlisted in New Orleans. BY com.
pairing notes we came to the conclusion it was
| brother of Mike Moore of our company
On the morning of the 4th before daylight
the rebels attacked the pickets of the 9th Ohio
killing seven of them, among the number Lieut..
Howe, who formerly lived in Ballville township
and is well known to many of the citizens ol
| Fremont
| We read great deal of rare news in the New
York and Philadelphia papers, written by cor
respondents who get information in the way
they got the following: at was currently re-
ported all over the camp that Shields Division
had killed large number of the rebels, and
captured six pieces of artillery" We have new
er seen any thing of the artillery.
Our Brigade is composed of the 4th and 9th
Ohio, 14th Indiana aud and 7th Virginia, all
good fighting men, and Gen. Kimball is Just the
man TO lead them.
The boys arc all we'll with the exception Of
diarrhua, but nothing serious. There are none
of the Fremont boys unwell, except Rudolph
Ammon.
n NJ EOIyKE