The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-11-01
Correspondence of The Cecil Wing.
Letter from the 5th Md. Regiment
HEADQUARTERS Co A, 9Th Md Rrg..l

HEADQUARTERS Co A, 9th Md Rrg..l
Sd Brigade, Camp on BoLlvEh HEIGHTS,
llarper's Ferry, October ", 90.
Mr.. EpIroR Il take this opportunity to
enclose a few lines to your much va ued and
welcome paper. We receive Tie Uhig rcgu-
larry every Monday morning, much to the
delight OF our boys, who have a good naturcd
scramble as to who shall have the first pc, p
at the first article OF letter which may interest
them either personally or collectively. Since
last wrote You, many and great changes
have taken place in our company. What was
then full company, the embodiment of the
youth, vigor, and in fact tho pride of the
Regiment, is now mere Corporal's Gnard -
A campai On of fourteen months, enduring the
tolls and trials incident to camp life, the
burning heat Of the day, the chilling, cold.
damp dcws of night, unhcalty climate, bad
water, and long marches, have told sadly
upon us. And though last, not least the
battlefield has done its work. 1t was there
that twenty six (2G) of our noble fellows fell
bleeding and wounded in The cause of ibclty
it was there that six (6) more tell slain. And
it gricycs me to add that two are reported to
have died of their wounds, namely, John
Leonard, Of Elkton. and John S. West, Of
North East, thus making in all 8 killed. "a
wounded, and missing. Thus you see, we
have suffered more as compunv, Than ann
other token into action, taking the numerical
strength of each into consideration. The
cause is apparent. Every man went into the
night, and remained there until every round Of
cartridge was exhausted. Many Of them.
after discharging their eighticth round, (and
their asD relieved the wounded of theirs,
and continued, amidst perfect storm of
bullets. to hurl shot iter shot into the rebel
ranks. They remained there until they per-
formed their duty manjuily and nob'y. And
as Cicil countians, won for themselves and
their county name, which will contribute a
bright page to proud old Cecirs future his
tory.
Having thus acquitted themselves, they
rccrossed the Potomac. The doing so, was
the occasion of number of dcseitions.-
This no doubt sounds bad, but allow me to
modify it little, by saying they have only
absenfcd themselves uithout iearc. They crossed
the Potomac to the Maryland side, with their
arms, marched to Baltimore and reported to
headquarters GO for duty in the Statc.'' This
course do not approve Of and am inclined
to believe that the uffcnsc will lie followed by
unpleasant consequences. The history OF
our regiment is curious and complicated
affair, and Tor prudential reasons, l refrain
from further reference to it at present. AT
some more convenient season, l shall refer
more particularly to the assertions from Co.
a, since crossing the Potomac. l can make
but one eXtenuating remark, the good sense
Of the patriotic soldier revolts at crime so
hcnious as dcsertion: the word looks upon
such as miscreants and towards. But the
most, if not all, of those men. stood in the
front rank in the fight, fought the bravcst.
and were the last to quit the field. They
were men who never shirked their duty, and
always stood well in the estimation of thci,
officers, sustaining all the virtues and require
ments necessary to complete the perfect
soldier.
1t gives me much pleasure to state that ouI
Orderly Sergeant, VIM. j. Morris, of North
East, has been, for good conduct on the bat
tlc-fcld promoted to End Lieutenant Of Co.
d, vice, Kirkwood, resgned-a position
which. am satisfied, he will fill with credit
| to himself and 70 the company, to which he is
assigned. IMPARTIAL.