Engineer Camp April 6^th 65

 

Dear Cousin

                        I received your letter yesterday and today as I have a little time I will try and answer it, but I donot think that I had ought to because you didnot answer mine as soon as you received it, but the good book says render good for eavel, that is so, to. I presume that you have heard that Petersburg was evacuated by this time. I have had the pleasure of seeing the battle and the city both with mine own eyes and with no one elses. I will try and tell you all that I saw that is of any consequence. 

 

we left camp on Sabath morning and went up to the front where we could see the fight very plain we got there about noon and about three Oclock the 20^th Regament made a charge up on a fort in front of us along with the 61^st and took the fort we took the fort twice the first time we took it we didnot have amunition enough to hold the place but had to give it up again to the rebb all the amunition that our men had when they took the fort the first time was what they carried in their haver sacks but the next time that we took it we were shure to have enough to last us for some time. About 11 Oclock the ninth Chore took posetion of the place the rebbles having evacuated it and set the tobacco and cotton factories on fire / besides the bridges on which they crossed the buildings were set on fire about 10 Oclock in the eavning in the morning we were marched into the city and were ordered to put out the fire on the bridges and to rebuild them which we did in a short time after we got there and soon the whole army was on the moove again in persuit of the rebbles and I should judge by the prisoners came in that they were crowding them up rather clost. everything in the city showed sines of a hasty retreat and that they were not expecting to leave the place as soon as they did for they had been to work in the factory the day before they left the place. Petersburg is more of a place than I had anticipated it was by what I have heard from it. it is the nisest city that I have seen / in the south the streets are real plasant but rather narrow and the houses are all built out of brick. all of the inhabitance that I had any talk with apeared to be very glad that we had come and the nigers especily they laughed and hollared all the time most, at least they were all struck with the same feaver that I saw we staid in the city all day monday and left on tuesday and worked both day and night then we left for City Point where we are now waiting for orders to moove we have five days rations delt out to us and we expected to leave before this time but we have not gone yet. I will close for this time hoping that you will be more punctual in writing the next time from your

 

Cousin Geo B Goodrich

Co C 15^th Regiment

NYSV Engineer          Washington DC

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