The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1863-05-28
Army Correspondence.
CAXP NEAR FALMOUTH, Va. !
May 18th, 1868. {


Of your sons and brothers who belong to
tie 18th U. s infantry during the seven
days 6gbIing on the RappahsOnOck. By
your permission | will endsavor to give
you description Of bs proceedings thai
are snch which the best Of writer's can-
not do justice. We left our old camp on
the 9Th Of April, ane after long aud
tlresome march Se reached the Rappa-
hammock river about midday Of the a9.b,
which We crossed at Koley's Ford. We
also crossed the Rapijan on the same
day oD whose banks we bivousced for the
night. On the goth we l-ft camp at z
Am. aud matched about four miles in a
south eas, direction; tn q left the m sin
ro'd and went through tho woods to tie
US. Ford for the purpose of opening
the ford for our troops 10 cross. When
we reach,d there the fls. and second di-
visions Of the second corps we're cross
ing. We then returned to the main ,.d
leading to Charlottesville. THIS place
Is comprised of one large brick hou,e re-
Semb'irg some Of tie noble edi6css Of
The West. The only occupants visible
in this place were few members of the
wesker sex. who wsro standing at tho
windows looking with scorn at the Yam
KEGS as the pass d. little dreaming III,
the beautiful meadow in front of their
dwelling was the spot whers thousands OF
brave heroes were TO contend with an
armed horde Of traitors. At The Cross
Roads We took the road leading 10 Fred.
ericksburg, and marched about one ipile
After stationing our .pickels We rested
on our arms for the night. May Ist will
always he remembered by The second ii
vision Of tie 5lh Corps, known as Sykes
Regulars. (being commanded by that no
bic General About 10 o'clock A NJ
we encountered the enemy's pickets.-.
Our skrmishers we're thrown out, and
our boys had The fuu of opening the ball
OF May party in the lofty pines Of the
Old Dominion. We drove 10 tteir pic k.
els, then came their skirmishers sup
ported by battery, but Captain Weed
OF our division soon brought his battery
to play. on them, drove them from Their
position and occupied il himself. We
drove them about mile into their works
when we received orders 10 fall back for
reasons best known to our brave officers
1t would have doue you good to see our
brave boys fall back they done it as
cool as il they were OH brigade drill
Alter We reached The woods the rebels
thought we were on skedatde, so they
followed us up with a yell, tut they
caught J." tartar. Our gallant Sd brigade
happened TO be lying down resting in
close columns when The rebs came up. -
The first column raised and fred which
stopped iheir ballowing The second
made them break, and the third sen them
back in hurry. Everything remained
quiet until 5 O'Clock, when they thought
10 break our centre with large force
here they met the regular plckets and the
artillery OF our division which sent then,
back bowling with a much smaller mum.
Der than they brought for the woods was
covered with their dead and dying. THIS
continued until night drew its sable cur.
tain around The scene of action. With
the exception. of occasiona! picket firing
everything remained quiet until about
o'clock May I'd. when the firing became
very heavy on our right, the point then
held by The llth Corps, formerly com
manded by Gen'l SeigeI. This Corps
after facing the mnsic for about Two hours
broke and scattered through the woods
which | was sorry 10 see. for there wer.
some FIVE or six Ohio regiments in that
corps. did not believe it until seen
some Of the 6lst boys. Our division
and part Of the second corps were order.
ed 10 take their pieces, which our boys
did with q good heart. We then threw
up earthworks and remained in that posi-.
tiou that evening.
Our pickels brought ia a prisoner
which some of the boys had CONVERSE
ton with. Sergeant Fields asked him
how they were of for grub on their side
of The house. He said they had been
short for few days. He thea asked
Fields who had command, when Fields
replied Hooker. He said he thought so,
''for Cd d-mn him he was hooking
them all around" After they had lost
about one fourth of their army in killed.
wounded ard prisoners, and could no,
break our lines, they threw their main
force back 10 recapture the Fredericks-
burg nights which the 9th Corps had ia.
ken few days before, with large number
Of prisoner ard the famous Washington
battery. the flower of the enemy 3 artillery.