Jacksonville Fla.

Feb 23^d 1864

 

Cherished ones

                        As I have nearly recovered from the hard march after the battle I think how anxious you might feel about me, and I resolve to write a few lines to each of my correspondents if no more to let them know that I am not yet numbered among the many killed wounded or missing that you have probably read of in the report of battle beyond Sanders Station

 

But I have been where the balls whizzed by us, but fortunately for the 30 that were there of our Company, none were damaged by the dance at Finegans Ball

Engineers are not supposed to be in front but I was near as I wanted to be

 

            By this you understand that I have returned to my Company. There was not much work / for me to do in the Q.M. department, and I was needed in the company so on the 13^th inst. I got orders to shoulder my knapsack and go with my company. the first day we went 20 to a place called Baldwin a Rail Road Station house, and a few buildings a tavern of course but no church. We pitched our tents there, and rested a day or two and then 30 of our Company got orders to go on about 12 miles farther to a place called Barbers Plantation (or Ford) located on a branch of St. Marys River Here we fortified until the 20^th and then a General order to push our way to Lake City. There we would probably went but a few miles this side the Rebs had thrown up preparations to give us battle And they did and our brave soldiers were obliged to fall back

 

            The Engineers came back to Barbers & / arrived about one in the morning & tired enough to lie down. We were aroused at day break to go to Baldwin. We arrived there about 2 p.m. pitched our tents, and in about two hours, we got orders to take every thing that we could carry conveniently with the probability that every thing would be burnt that was left, for the officers got wind that Reb was trying to get into Jacksonville ahead of us by another road. But we hear since that our things are all safe & Baldwin is still in our possession and the report is that the five brass pieces that the Rebs took from us have been retaken

 

3 Cheers for our brave men we may come out best after all. Though many of our brave have kissed the dust, and many more wounded and some taken prisoners / The exact amt of lost will probably be from one thousand to 1500. It was awful to see the fellows go in full of pluck and be shot down in such numbers all done in about 2 hours

 

            Only 30 of our Engineers were there and we were placed across the road to stop all that were not wounded from skedadling. It was heart rending to send a man back after he had been in the thickest of it but we only stoped them so as to prevent a panic But I saw the Officers draw their sword and tell men to return to their Company right under the the crest of the fire. Oh tis Horible But such is war. We are now putting up at a large brick store in Jacksonville and I am writing where the book keeper used to keep the books. We have the up and down of life if anyone. We are now on the top shelf. But many are doomed to the loss of some loved one and to prove it more true I brought a port folio from the field and in it was a song When this Cruel War is Over

 

I did not take this from any knapsack but it lay beside a tree and I snatched it up when we were coming off. Weeping sad and lonely "Hopes & fears how vain. Yet praying when this cruel war is over Praying that we meet again"

                                                                                   

Yours in Affection James

 

[top margin upside down]

 

I hope I shall get a furlough after this expedition Love to the little ones Keep good cheer till I come

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