North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-05-25

Letter from .Cliat."

w atV PeiHhtttu 10 tahe the -ihIohlhS,
frsm letter writ en- by our occasional cor.
respondent, Clint, to his wife at this place
Though not intended for publication our
readers will be glad to see il, if for no other
reason than the fact it es tabshos, that the
writer is still fright side up with care" aud
in condition to d o gre&s deal mere writ.
ing, as well as fighting.
BlvorAc NEAR SPorsYLrAs1x CoUnT HOUSE,
Monday afternoon, May Is, 1864.
MY DEAR MARTHA This is the 18th day
since we broke camp at winter quarters and
commenced active campaigning. We cross
cd The Rapfdan at Jaoob's Ford TOR mi) the
afternoon Of the flrst day out from camp,
with latle opposition, although the army
were strongly entrenched on this bank of
the river. The rebs made their first serious
opposition in the neghborhood OF nine run.
which point was reached carly in the morn
ing Of the 5ih. Here We had most desperate
fighting for three days and nights, when we
finally succeeded in turning the enemy'S
right and obliged him to fall back to more
tenable position. Since then we have been
constantly han9uveFing and fighting, with
the enemy, in strong force, always in our
front. Thus far, we have made every posi-
ton they have taken up too hot, to hold the
rebs, but they have desperately contested ev-
cry inch of ground, and every advantage that
Ee have gained has cost US heavily. All that
this army has s'lffei ed and endured and the
desperate bravery with which it has met and
overcome equally desperate bravery, viii,
perhaps, never be fully apprecated--has GER
tainly never been equalled, in this or any
other war. Just think of ten days and nights
almost incessant strife !! Imagination cannot
conceive the horrors attending it. SO far,
the tide of battle has been decidedly in our
favor, but the enemy still display bold frcni
and eylnce LITTLE disposition to give up the
fight.
1t has rained every day, with the exec
! ton of to day, since Wednesday morning
and this has added not little to our distress
We have laid in the mud and rain ana slept
os oOuIIulJ d. pi Dtuo VI uCNH, ana as lUO
the din of battle was not all around U.s.
There WAS bat little fighting yesterday and
has been none ofaDy moment thus far 10 day .
but we are in position and expecting an al,
vance every moment, How it will all tcrmi-
nate God alone knows but hope ana trust
that our arms will, in the end prove victo
rious. Our losses have been very hcavy
but the re- rl, rcements constantly c.fuinc
up probably keep the army up TO liz maxi
mum.
My clothes lave been wet ever since it
commenced raining and have never felt 50 un
comfortable in all my life, and yet my bodi
ly health is nol in the least, impaired but
| am stouter and more robust than | ever rec
oect to lave been.
have not the reEn3tcst idea when, or
where or how this letter will reach you; es
we have had no mail running since lha frsr
day after We crossed the Rapidan. ....-
This is a beautiful and well cultivated
country. We are lying in position in a vely
fine apple otchard, where the grass is knee
csop-haVe just been relieved from picket by
another battery and will probably have llttIe
to do until To morrow, except an emergency
should call US 10 some other poias along the
line, Our battery is brass Il FOUNDER guns
extreme range 1880 yards, and effective
! for canister at from 300 to 500 yds. | often
wish we had the rihed IRON guns, when We
could lay off a couple of miles and she'll the
reb lines at our leisure. have been IN some
pretty hot places within the past few days,
but am yet, thank God without a scratch
Whether get safely through the trials vet
TO ccme is, a matIes for the future yet to de
termine butt hope to and trust that this
battle may be decisive one and end the
war. ..- .....t .r CLINT.