The Shasta courier., 1864-07-16
SHASTA COURIER.
Letter from the Army of the Potomac.

Letter from the Army of the Potomac.
S. D. Brastow, Esq. of this place, a few
days ago received the following letter from
his brother, Captain B. Brastow, of the 9th
Maine Volunteers, now with the Army of
the Potomac:
HEADQUARTERS 9rH MAINE Vols,
In the Field, lear Cold Harbpr. Va.
June 5th. 1864. J
Nv DEAR BROTHER Il supppseyou would
like to hear ir1m me occasionally. l am
quite sure | have not written to you for
month. | have been in the Army of the 70
tumac for about nine days. We joined the
rear guard at the White House We are now
% Brigade 81 Division 18th Corps, Baldy
Smith, who was transferred from the lVth
Corps We were in all the battles on tue
james river, ut Bermuda Hundred and Dru,
rvs Bluffs. On the ist IF June we arrived
in front of the enemy and formed line OF bat
tie or at least our diyision of the corps.
Our brigade was marched into wood direct
lv in frt MT of the enemy line OF riTe pts
OF our regiment seven companies were on tue
right of battery in position. ana three
companies on the left. under my comhianh.
General Smith sent his Aid 10 Oenerai De
vines with the order to advance his llne. lie
gave the order along the line. Our brigade.
Col. Drake commanding was first TO advance.
NV command beng near the ueneral, ne
first ordered me forward. My three compa
ries were the first to start on the charge.
gave the command to tix bayonets,' &c, and
we went in. 1t was only ahoat halt a mile
aero S the plain to the enemy's sklrmiSh line
of rife pits We went at the double quick.
The companies on the right If the battery
advanced nearly at the same time. and So
also the whole brigade. We crossed that
field with a perfect ush, and drove the enc
my from their first line and back TO their
work same 200 yards in the woods. We did
not stop here, bur at them we went again,
the Sd and lst Brigades coming up to our
support in the meantime. After desperate
struggle we mounted mis- works, capturing
from 800 to 500 prisoners. 1t was desper
ate affair. | eau assure You. Cur command
er, Col Drake. ll2th \. Y was killed, and
also Col. Conklin, of the l69th n Y. of our
brigade. and several field officers. We have
now but one field officer in the brigade
Iaior do not know the fall loss Of the
brigade Our regiment of 90 men lost -
men and officers. In this campaign we
have lost about 225 men and / officers. We
duty, the senior CAPTAIN commanding the
regiment. One of Horace Greeley's cores
pondents accuses our regiment of cowardice.
AS inferra lie rs was ever told. We
have got a big name in our division; but
these newspaper lies have more or less
weight at home. We will yet come out of it
albright.
This campaign is a most desperate one
the most terrific ighting the world has ever
seen. have escaped thus far, but cannot
say when my time will come Hope | may
escape to meet you, my old fellow. bye and
bye. For day or two there has been little
fighting. What the next move may be can
not say. No one knows anything of the
movements of the army but those high in
command. Everything. however, prnspers.
We have vet much fighting to do before we
get Richmond am now writing
uuler nat very fayqsaie circumstances. The
rebs. have an excellent range on Us. and
pitch Ia tneir mines lively enough. A board
on my kuee makes a FAIR table. Ny health
is quite good and 1 hope | may yet get
Through The array is in good spirits and so
am |. although nearly N0rn out with march
Ing. lighting a..
am. my dear brother,
Fraternally yours.
B. BRAsTow.