Year: 1864

to hear from you if you knew how glac
you would write oftener. l trust Goo
that I shall see and be with you all again


Although ] have passed through the
greatest dangers | have learned not tc
complain at hardships or priyations, but
to thank God that when battles are over
| have been unbarmed | have learned
to sleep when bullets are flying over my
head I have been in two ights--one al
Spottsylvania, where our regiment wa:
first under fire. The old boys say it was
the most severe fire Of shells and the
best range the rebels ever got on oui
troops. Our regiment acquitted them
selves nobly and done all they we're or
, dered to do. We supported our front
lines of battle, advancing under that aw.
, full shelling through the open field. We
halted in the field and hugged the ground
till our batteries opened on the enemy
and slenced their artillery, and we were
ordered back. Two men in our compa.
ny were slightly wounded. Our colonel
was wounded in the neck quite badly, but
not dangerously. He is in Vermont
Lieut.. Glazier of Co. A had his arm shot
off. l believe-strange to say-uone
were killed in our regiment on that day


and but few were wounded. This fight
occurred on the 18th of May. Our re-
giment was divided into three battalions
> and we are attached to the 9Th corps -
The next fight ! was in occurred the night
Gen. Grant made his flank movement
and started with his army for Richmond.
A portion of it however having gone be-
fore him, you know Of course which part
and how many hours they had been on
the march, from the papers. About $50
Of our men we're on picket that after
noon and night, myself among the rest.
In the afternoon our picket withdrew to
the first line OF rifle pits, our forces hav-
ing withdrawn 10 the next line Of pits,
probably to draw out the rebels where
they could get cross fire on them and
make the flank movement safe. Just at
nigh. the enemy either supposing from
the withdrawal of our pickets that our
forces were moving away, and had left a
small force to cover their move, or in or
der to cover their own retreat, came on
with two or three brigades to charge the
rifle pits where our pickets lay in a skir-
mish line, old II" brigade boys, the pick
cts were in the edge of the woods, the
timber was slashed down for few yards
in front. We opened fire, on they came
nearer and nearer, we giving it to them
as fast as we could load and fire. / fred
till my gun was hot T.; we kept them Of
awhile, bat on they came again, yelling
like demons, charging in three lines OF
battle. We fell back as fast as cur legs
could carry US to our lines, the enemy
still following, and falling into the trap
we had set for them. Our artillery open
ed upon them a terrible cross fire OF
shells, our infantry at the same time do
ing their part in fine style. | car tell
you their yellings soon ceased, Two Of
battery NJ men were wounded and two
killed in the regiment-on picket. Our
loss was slight, but theirs must have been
very heavy. After the battle our forces
quietly took up their march for Rich
mond f; we marched night and day, many
of our men falling out sunstruck and ex-
hausted. AT North Anna our advanced
forces met the enemy and whipped them
again; the next day l saw squads of
prisoners constantly coming in. We are
within sight Of Richmond-ten miles off
and close up to the enemy. There is
flag of truce up, and have stood on
the breastworks and looked at the rebels
a few yards from US; there is no firing
near here now; our battery is behind a
strong breastwork there are two lines of
rife pits in front occupied by our forces


/ am we'll and hearty, have stood the


marches wonderfully. We have driven


the enemy at every point, but they dis


pute every inch of ground and fight like


devils they have charged upon us lit


tie to our right three nights in succession,


and have been repulsed every time with


great loss. We are advancing slowly but


surely; our losses have been very heavy.


In the battle of the first of June two or


three companies of the eleventh were


badly cut up-L, F and X. / have seen


eight thousand rebel prisoners pass by


me and have learned that they are well


fed and clothed; they looked well and


strong; this was when we were en- route


from Belle Plain to Fredericksbureh :;


since then they may have been pinched


! for ratiops, | think we shall take Rich