Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-08-08
raOm a Cambridge BOY

The following extracts were written nv
Thomas Long of Cambridge, to his wifi.
dated July Sth. Mr.. Long was sol1io,
in the Mexican war =
81 will try to write few more lines
as | am yet alive-thanks be to God f.,
it. L did not expect to be alive W.
had fighting here for four days. The rel.
els commenced the fighting on FRIDAY
(the last Friday in June) The first FIGHT
was at Fair Oaks, the next was at Savaao
Station; there the Vt. brigade fought
hard, aud so did the rebels. The 5tb
regiment was formed in line of battle
and the rebels also; the distance bcinc
40 rods apart, as near as | could guess
The firing lasted three fourths of an hour
During that time many of our men fell
to the earth, and so did the rebels too
The rebels had twice our number-vcs
they had eighty thousand men, and the
Union force only twenty thousand Lieut..
Samuel Sumner fell dead by my sidc-a
ball pierced his heart, which is instant
death. 1t did not affect me any to see
the men fall on each side of me, as was
perfectly calm during the action. | have
been more excited on seeing partridge in
the woods to shoot at fired 30 rounds.
with steady aim at the rebels, but did not
wait to see them fall. Our regiment ncv.
CT moved an inch back out of their line
but took their stand and held it; and
broke the line of the rebels 50 that they
fell back. The battle commenced before
shutdown. We were marched in through
the woods on double quick time and
through swamp where the mud and wa
ter was knee-dccp. | had my knapsack
on, which made it much harder for ne
but that was not the worst of it. We
had to march back that night about s
miles, in retreat from the rebels, for they
were following us up to give us another
trial. I stopped on the waysidc to get
drink of water, being very thirsty. |
was tired and somewhat lame, having had
no rest for some days. Then our rcgl-
ment got ahead of me. The next day
was Monday. | followed up our reg.
mcnt, but was stopped by the Provost
Marshal, and was forced into another fight
which was at hand | tried to avoid it,
but in vain, so had to fight. | did not
expect anything but to die, from one In
slant to another; but God spared my life
while they fell on both sides in thousands
Oh that was an awful fight to behold
There | was-a stranger to all that were
in the fight. Then, and not till then, |
regretted fighting among strangers.
When in line of battle we were ordered
to unsling our knapsacks and leave them
on the line | had no victuals all this
time, and no drink, from Sunday after,
noon until Thursday morning, about 10
o'clock, when an lrishman relieved nc
with some beans, half cooked. They
were welcome repast to me at that time
We were driven back about ID or ~
miles from Richmond, on point of the
Peninsula, which is ON the north side Of
the James River, in large wheat and
corn field, which is about 1000 acres
The corn and wheat looked we'll when We
got there, but it has since been all DIES,
troyed by the troops
There are here, OF to be accounted for
in our regiment, only 25S men in all that
We can muster on pay rolls; so you may
think how we are cat up. we CANNOT ac'
count for more than one.third Of the VT
Brigade. But must tell you that lost
my knapsack with all that was in IT.
though | carried it on my back on Sun
day and into the battle on Monday, when
we we're ordered to leave them on the held
and also our havcrsacks and cantcens
We find that the rebels fight hard, anu
their number is large. Richmond is not
taken yet, and there will be more harG
fighting before it is. have had hard
time to live since | lost my knapsack' &c'
having everything in it. except my mon
ey."
ca The selectmen of the town OF hoen'
| ester have offered bounty of $50 to each