The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-01-08
FROM
COL. WHITEHEAD
he Sends Greetings TO Friends
From a Sick Bed.
Wants Surviving Members of 18th N.
]. Reg. to Make Another Trip TO
Fredericksburg.

J. Reg. to Make Another lrip 10
Fredericksburg.
The following letter from Col. A. W.
Whitehead, of East Orange, Nj, will be
read with interest by many of our
readers.
Col. Whitehead has frequently visited
Fredericksburg and has a number OF
friends here and in this section, who
will sympathize with him in his
affliction. Col. Whitehead was a men,
Der Of the committee of arrangements
for the dedication of the monuments to
the memory of New Jersey veterans who
fell in battle-one at Salem church and
the other at Bloody Angle, in Spotsyl-
vania county, and he made an address
during the exercises at each place.
COL. wHITEHEAD's LETTER.
East Orange, n. j., Jan. 4, 1910.
Mr.. A. p. Rowe, fredericksburg, Va.
NV Dear Sir: Now that the real
holidays are past and we have little
time to think of other affairs, my
thoughts have wandered down your
way. Perhaps some of my Confederate
and other Southern friends are think
ing as to what has become of that
Yankee" Whitehead, of the "Old 10Th
N.J.Reg't." My first, and / might say,
fast friend, your brother, Capt. M. b.
Rowe, | am sure, will be anxious to
hear from this "Old Vet" Then there
are Comrades T. McCracken, r. t. Chinn
and K. +. Dignum, of the A. Of N. ",
and number of others whose names
do not recall just now, who might be IN
the same boat.
Well, not knowing of any easier way
of wishing you all happy and a pros
porous New Year, | take the liberty of
writing you, as another one OF my
Down in Dixie friends, thinking that
YOU might have vacant space in your
valuable paper TO publish at least part
Of this epistle.
| note with sadness that many of the
bows who wore the Gray as well as
they who wore the "Blue" are passing
over the river to that eternal camping
ground. They have reached their al
lotted time three score and ten years
and it is TO be hoped that they, like the
great "StonewalP' Jackson said, have
crossed over TO "rest under the shade
Of the trees" Last Thursday we laid
away one of our boys, aged 76 years,
who had served "Uncle Sam 40 con-
secutive years. Was all through our
great Civil War" and never had
bullet mark. A wonderful record. he
was in among the Irish" in that aw-
full charge in front Of your brothers
house, Dec. 13, 1862. And with all the
leaden hail from "Cobb's Georgia Le-
gion," not one piece ever touched him:
Is it not wonderful what charmed
life some have?
Comrade Thos. n. Stout, who bad
charge of the grading, &c, at the
monuments Of the 18th N. j. Reg't,
Salem church and Spotsylvania, died
shortly after the dedication. Mr.. l..
w. Landram, near the church, and Mr..
Geo. w. Perry, near the "Bloody An
gle," will remember him well. The
balance of the monument committee
are still moving around lively for "old
men.
Now. as to the writer and the time
that weighs heavily on him just now,
which in measure will account for so
much of a letter. Sunday morning,
Dec. Ii, 1862, some of my Confederate
| friends tried TO induce me TO leave my
right leg Just below your city, by clip
ping my ankle with mimic ball. Some
times think it would have been wise
to have done so, for it has been source
of trouble ever since. Next trouble
was my knee in 1876. Next was
three year spell with my thigh, 1917
and 8. at which time piece OF bone
had be cut out. Next was knee and
thigh hurt on engine work in 1894, and
here again, Oct. 30, | had to meet
with trolley car accident and break
vein in that same unfortunate walking
peg. So here | am, laie up at home
and on my third months retirement.
Had my leg cut open for the fourth
time now, and hope it will be more for
tunate for the rest of my time on this
side of the "Jordan.
Today / am preparing an itinerary
for another pilgrimage of the 18th N.
IL. Reg't The coming month Of May
we take in Gettysburg, Pa; Shenan-
doah Valley, Luray Cayerns, Va, and
Washington, ID. c.
We are in hopes of making one more
trip, at least, to your city before all
our bows answer the last roll call. In
the meantime, when the writer can
travel, he intends 20 visit you early
this spring, if he has any funds left or
the walking is good. The men Of the
regiment are anxious to know how the
winter storms have cared (?) for the
monuments. AS / am the inspector,
they look my way for report. shall
be only too well pleased to do that duty.
And now, with best wishes, | am
most resDectfullv YOURS.