The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-05-30
TH + PILOT
From the Fifth Regiment.

The following letter giving descrip-
ton of the Battle of Williamsburg, wa:
written by Mr. THoMAs WAeEyER, of Mish.
iicott, a member of Co. A.. to his brother
Iin-law, WM. HENRY, of Two Rivers. Il
will be found very interesting:
WILLIAMSBURG, May 8, 1862.
DEAR Henry Il have not written tc
you for a long time, because l heard you
were with Father, and so | thought the
letter | wrote him would answer for you
too. The last wrote him was dated May
lst, and you had better learn its contents
to understand this
commence with the words Of Caesar,
1--WE came, saw and conquered" On
the night Of the 81 our Regiment was Oh
picket guard before the Fort I mentioned
in Fathers letter, the rebel pickets firing
at US all night pretty lively, which was
promptly responded to by US Between
B and 4 o'clock, a bullet passed so near my
nose that inVoluntariIy felt to ascertain
If that precious member was really in its
place. Fancy our surprise when we re-
ceived soon after, intelligence that the en-
emy had left, and presently we heard the
cheers and yells Of the 9th Maine boys,
who were already in possession of the Fort.
The 9th Regiment crossed over about 9
o'clock, but as my legs were sore, could
not follow until about noon.
[ had no idea ftheir stronghold. The
Notifications extend from the York to the
James Rivers, & miles } and are 8 miles
wide; one breastwork succeeds another,
with bitches, rdemea's pits,
&c, situated in dismal swamp. If we
had to have taken it at the point of the
bayonet, it would have cost US dearly
Our shells made terrible work in it there
wss not a single tree within reach Of our
guns which was not torn TO pieces, and
large spots Of blood here and there evinced
that the rebels had lost a considerable
number ot men, and there was such an
odious smell around that was glad to get
out of the place.
The whole peninsula is, literally speak
ing, covered with rifle pits ard breastwoIks
all the inhabitants have fled and in such
haste that in some houses the kitchen fires
were still burning when We passed.
That afternoon our cavalry came up
with the rear Of the enemy, and charged
on a Fort, but we're repuIsed; Judging
from the empty saddles saw, we must
have lost about 80 iD Killed and wounded,
and took 20 Of the enemy prisoners; we
also lost one cannon.
| reached the Regiment about G o'clock,
and our Company was Immediately order
ed to advance as skirmishers. It was
pretty dark in tie woods by this time, and
we were on to herebeI pickets before we
knew it; ana, as Arnold mounted a stump
to get a better view, we received a brisk
fire, but nobody was hurt. The right wing
Of the Company got lost in the woods and
had 10 stay there till morning, The next
morning our Brigade made flank move
men! to get in the rear OF the enemy, while
another Brigade storned the Fort before
mentioned. We took two forts on the
road without firing gun, always at double
quick, and up to our knees in mud. Just
ss we had taken the second fort, we dis
covered anothera short distance in advance
Of US manned. We dix not know whether
they were friends or foes; but as our Co.
again moved forward, shower Of balls
was poured into us from the Fort, killing
one Of our men. We started again on a
double quick to reach fence about 100
yards in front and nearly 500 from the
enemy. where We lay flat on the ground,
the bullets flying around as thick as hail.
We had hardly got in :bat position when
our q Lieutenant said he was shot, but on
examination, We found that the ball had
only penetrated bis blanket
But now the rebel artillery commenced
throwing shells, the fourth one hitting
poor CocHEus, threw him fully ten feet
backwards, killing him instantly. I car
ried him back to the Fort which was in
our possession; he looked as if lie was
asleep-no: single expression pain was
marked on his face. We buried him YES
terday. took So and his watch from
him, which | shall deliver to his Father,
who is in hospita! suffering from rheuma-
tism, and as yet ignorant of his sons fate
All the boys mourn for him, as he was
liked by the whole Company.
| had fence rail thrown in my face bv a
ball, and a shell in exploding besmearsd
me all over with mud Such incidents
were continually occurring until 5 o'clock,
when we were fred upon on our right