Washington July 22^d 1861

 

                        Dear Mother

                                                Saturday & Sunday we had a bloody fight at Bulls Run our time is up and my Regiment is comeing home but I am going to stay and fight my way through I think me and and Captain Chamberlain will stay in the fight we lost about 800 hundred and retreated back to Centerville Shermans Battery was all captured but two pieces also one of our big cannons was captured this was a desperate fight but I am all safe the Rebels even bayoneted our dead. thare was about 125.000 on the secession side. But we only had 40.000 we expected to meet Gen^l Paterson but he did not come up in time we captured a secession Con^l we bombarded the enemy all day and killed about two thousand the fine boys from New York fought bravely they tumbled 90 men out of their saddle but lost some men themselfs—perhaps half. I shant come home I am bound to fight the war through. this is a hard sight 

 

tell the folks the boys are all well we dont know what minuet we will go to fight again. no prisoners we will I take I am bound to shoot them when I take them dead or alive I will not come home we are now retreated to fort Ellsworth. I come up to Washington for 1 of Sharps Rifles & 2 knives. I think we will give them Hell the next lick for our forces are all up. I am fighting on my own hook dont belong to any Company. I am picking on their officers for they have such fine ones it does me good to pour lead into them.

                                                                                                           

Yours Affectionately

 D. B. M^cGregor

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