Grimball's Plantation, James Island S.C. June 17. 1862.

 

I suppose you will hear before this reaches you that our Regiment has been in a battle and badly cut up, and so I tho't I would write you the particulars before too many rumors got in circulation.

 

In the first place I got off without a scratch.

 

Secondly there were seven (7) in Co. B. wounded and one missing, the names are as follows, and you can depend on this let others say what they will

Samuel Caban, Slightly, in leg below knee, no bones broken.

W^m Caban Badly, in shoulder, may recover, doubtful.

D. W. Elliott, Ball thro' right arm, no bones broken.

Fred. H. Favor, (Fisherville) Slightly, in arm.

James Gerah (Chester) Slightly, in ankle.

W^m S. Marston, Slightly, in leg below knee no bones broken.

Jacob Smith in Side, Badly, recovery very doubtful.

W^m H. Merrill (Danville) is missing and report says badly wounded and left on the field when we retreated I cannot say how that is, all I know is that he has not been seen by any of the Company since we got back. 

 

All the rest of our Company, and all the rest of the Exeter boys that were in the fight are well. I don't suppose I can say that we have been in a battle, but our Regiment has suffered more than some Regiments have in larger battles. Night before last our Company together with 3 others from our Regiment were out on picket. yesterday morning about 4 o'clock the Captain came round and told us to get ready to join the Regiment when it came along, and told us that an they were going to try to take a battery about a mile from our picket posts which are about a mile from our camp.

 

We fell in and marched up there, when we got up in sight of the battery we found that Gen. Stevens' Brigade had just been repulsed after waiting about half an hour Gen. Williams ordered our Regiment round to the rear and told Col. Jackson to take the battery if it took every man in the Regiment. we marched round to get to the rear, when suddenly there came from our left a shower of grape shot, that broke thro' our ranks, but didn't break us up. we closed up and marched down to the banks of small creek when we commenced firing at a battery on the opposite side. at the the same time we were exposed to two cross fires one on our left and on our right. We stayed till the enemy were reinforced and then retreated in good order.

 

J. W. Clement

 

To Mr John Clement                                      

            Exeter N.H.

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