Year: 1861



 CAMP NEAR MUDDY CREEK

 EDITOR LITCnTIELD ENQUIRER-De0T Sir: 1 had intended when l wrote my last letter to continue from where left off, detailing Whatev- CT might be of interest, occurring from time to time. l shall waive fer the present many incl dents that have happened since last wrote, to give room for an account of our late passage of the Potomac into Dirie. For it isu solemn fact that witnessed with mine own eyes, and Here fore not to be disputed. It is 1fGct that Co. I, of the 5th C. ", in conjunction with many other Cos. of other I.eg'is. did in utter defiance Of the threat that no Yankees foot should ever press the sacred soil of Virginia, on or about the 23u day of Oct. A. D. 1861 cross the Rahicorn that divides the contending portions of oar Country It vii! rot be necessary for me to further detail ] the crossing Of our own Co. for, of the general 1 movement you are vel! informed.

 | You know our troops crossed tie river and failed to hold their positions tho te iate Of the noble regiments engaged in that fearful fights, attested their othness to yicld-even when at tacked by thrice their number. Many poor fellow lies where he sank iii the Potomac, held there by the weight of bis l,laiJ@ac'';; end gun which he chung to, even wslci death stared him ill the face rather than leave them for the enc ny. 1 heard young man say, who WAS engag- ed In the battle, that lie saw mere than dozen SiiA u licS l!O EiOit tCOlilC NUuiI ltdNc tiiC shore loaded down with their accoutGc!aent all on and swimming tsw yards would go down ; others uncncumbprcd would also atttHmEt to swim the river and would perhaps get half way oTer-would bo soizcd with the cramps, aud struggling for while, trying in vain to reach the opposite bank at last would sinl: and nought but the bubbiing waters was left to show that a human form lay beneath the cold stream, with its lamp of life burnt out.

 Some noble acts were done Che officer of the Mass 20th came back destitute of clothing with the exception of rantaloons, having thrown away the rest ill order to save one poor fellow who was unable to swim, and it is said that he actually brought him across on his back. Our Regt reached Edwards Ferry about daylight the Tuesday after the fight, having marched all night All the way after we reached Pooesville till WE arrived at the Ferry, We met ambulances ill great numbers containing the wounded. On Wednesday morning an order came from Head quarters for company out Of our reg't to cross the river and to act as scouting party. Co. 1. was chosen. We got ready, went to Gen. Banks Headquarters, received our instructions and then started for the river, which on reaching we were ushered into an old canal boat more to be admir- cd for its strength and durability than elegance, but 3 months of camp life had taught us not to be too particular in cur mode of conveyance nor what we were.conveyed in, as long as there was respectable probability of reaching the other side of the river. After being safely located in the boat the order to cast off lines wasgiven and away we went up the stream as fast the swift running at rate of four or five miles an hour would admit. Our propeling power consisted of the united efforts Of some l5 men provided with poles wherewith to propcl us up the stream. The highest speed ever attained was about the velo- city that an enterpris!ng boy would attain, should he attempt to run away with about twenty of thc feline species, with their caudle appendages at- tached to his eye, and each individual grmalkin exertng their muscular powers to the utmost to escape ill an opposite direction.

 After moving about 1 mile up stream, the wind and tide proved too much for us and bask we came with degree of velocity that boded no good to either our own beat or one another if our course was not checked which thro' great exer- tions on the part of the men was done. As soon as we could get ready and after putting on more loaa We started again in full expectation of crossing this time, sure. But, as human hopes are sometimes blasted, so were we doomed to dis appoin.m snt, fer we had hardly proceeded the length of our boat when a snag thought proper to act in opposition to the rudder and with such good success that we, in order to get of, let the boat swing down stream once more landing at the old spot It was now almost night and but little nearer our journeys end than when we started Finally our young Lieut.. came on board and declared he would put us across, which he did with the help of horses of the long-earel kinds to tow us up stream The sun was fast sinking behind the hills when we landed in Va, rather inclined to be moody at our ill success for the lateness of the hour prevented us from ul- dertaking what we were detailed to do, viz; to SCOUT piece of woods in which it was supposed the enemy was concealed in considerable num- bers, an object which had we been allowed to carry out, l fear, would have proved a sad one : for us and made many sad hearts in Lltchield Co., for out of the fifty or more that went over, a good half, if not two thirds, were of that place

 l think I can say without boosting that there was not one in our Co.,, as late as it was and in face of the certain danger, would have hesitated to have entered the woods; on the contrary many thought it burning shame at not being } permitted to go, and directly sought consolation in that most delectable of all food, or articles o diet that the stomach of an epicurean would be de-lig7stetl with, viz those crackers that men toned in my last or as the boys ironically styled them, Uncle sam's pies, They are the mos