Camp 5 miles south of

Strasburg Va Mch 27^th/62

 

Dear Marshall

                                    I wrote to you while at Winchester I think about the 16^th inst. Since that time I have taken a part in all the important work that our Division has done since then. On the 18^th we left Winchester and forced Jacksons force to retreat 28 miles. we came up with his rear guard at Strasburg but they would not stand and after shelling us for a short time retired we then came back to Winchester and staid in camp until the evening of the 22^nd at which time we heard that Jackson had followed us back and was about to attack as our Reg^t went out and stood on picket during the night. I forgot to state that our pickets were drove in before dark by the enemys cavalry and artillery and that Gen^l Shields who was present was wounded in the arm. about 10 oclock on the morning of the 23^rd our Reg^t was ordered to the front to support artillery and the Battle of Sunday began until near sunset the artillery alone was engaged at that time Jackson got a position on our right flank and brought his force nearer to us our Infantry then attacked him and after a hard fight drove him off the field the battle was over as the night came on and the day was ours. Our Reg^t was separated in the early part of the fight five companies being taken to support a battery leaving five companies to go into the charge our comp^y was of the latter and for an hour was in the hottest of the fight during the time our five companies and the enemy were within pistol shot of each other our troops broke on our right and left and for a time I thought we were all lost as the secesh came on cheering thinking that they had us. A storm of 2 oz leaden hail met them again and drove them back at this time the 13^th Indiana came up to our aid and fell in on our left when the 84^th Pennsylvania had run out of the secesh then broke and run in every direction and we after them. they got some reinforcements and made another stand in some heavy timber where their batteries had been we went at them again and again they ran and this ended it. Our cavalry got after them and took a great many prisoners. our Regt were all on guard again at night on the morning of the 24^th we were ordered to support a battery on our right wing and before noon we found that the enemy were retreating and we took the road after them the houses on the way were filled with their dead and wounded our artillery rode close on their rear and kept throwing shell into them we reached this place on the eve of the 25^th and have been in camp since the rear of Jacksons force is about 5 miles distant and as I write his guns are throwing shell at our advance guard our Reg^t at present has the right of the line our company and comp^y C of our Reg^t were the first Union troops in Strasburg.

 

            In the Battle of the 23^rd the 5 companies of our Regt who were in the engagement lost about 20 in killed our company had 5 killed and 6 wounded, 4 of them very slightly. Our National Flag which was just to the left of our company has 47 holes through it and the flag staff. the staff was shot through in two places and the spear head on the top shot off. the pieces were again spliced together and the old flag again waved right in the teeth of its enemies

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