Head Qurs 'E' Co. 38 W.I.V.

Near Petersburg Va Aug 5-64.

 

My Dear Friends.

                        I guess you think that it is about time that I was letting you know where I am & what I am doing.

 

I dont know as it is neccessary for me to enter into details but you could understand how matters stand now better if I did.

 

            Well in my last I told you where I was & how I got there. I am in the same place I was then but it is not such an easy matter to tell now how I got there.

 

            You have undoubtedly heard of our last unsuccessfull fight and had it explained and blamed all you want to / but I dont intend to argue over it now but tell my own simple story of what I saw.

 

            In the first place I was not in the first fight. Friday morning the Acting Quartermaster of our Regiment sent for me to come down to where he was, two miles this side of City Point. at noon I got a horse and went down. at 7 P.M. that evening our Company received orders to report to the front where the rest of the Regiment was.

 

            They layed in the trenches all night. early the next morning they were formed for the charge. they were to be the second line to advance, but the officers could not get the first line to lead in the charge, so they called upon the 38^th Wisconsin and 109 New / York. just as soon as the order was given our boys jumped over the works & put for the rebel fort, our Captain on the lead. just as he reached the rebel works he was shot thro the breast. our boys entered the fort & commenced to dig out the rebels according to orders. while in here the rebels just more than rained shells on them. here our first Lieut was wounded and our Orderly Sergt. besides good many men.

 

            The negros charged the second line of works but it was after a long delay, and when they did, they never went half way, but turned, run right over our boys, and put for the rear.

 

            At noon I heard that they were fighting and I hurried to the front as fast as my / horse could carry me.

 

When I reached the Regiment they were (or those that were left) back where they were before the fight. The Captain & Lieut. had been taken to the Hospital and had sent for me. I went over, saw that my Captain could not live long. he took my hand and tried to speak. after some effort he said—"Frank. I know you I feel better now but I suffered terribly this morning. Take good care of the Company—" Then I looked around the Hospital. Lieut Holton was wounded through the leg, was doing well. I found the brave Col. of the 109^th New York with his right leg shot off and a serious wound in the left side.

 

Of my Company I found that 4 had been killed, six wounded and one wounded & a prisoner, he was wounded in the rebel fort & when they recaptured it he could not get out. that was all of our loss besides the two commissioned officers that went into the fight.

 

I came back, got all of the company together that I could, and went back to the front line. we kept up a heavy fire all night. just before / morning we were relieved. we came back to our old camp grounds. next morning we moved over a little further to the front & went into camp.

 

I then took command of the Company got things straightened around and then went over to the Hospital. The Captain died about 9 P.M. good many of the boys were sent back to City Point. Lieut Holton did not go back for two or three days. I did all I could for all of them before they went. since then I have been to work, makeing out returns, reports, &c &c, all these 1001 things that keep a person buisy. I have had to make out Final Statements for all killed, and Inventories of things lost and send them to the Washington Depts. besides that we have to drill twice a day & all together I have all I can do and if anything else more / I have been to work and got the Captains body embalmed and now it is all ready to send home. when I get time I shall do it.

 

We had quite a fight here between 5 P.M. & 7 P.M. just as we was comeing in from Batallion drill. The rebels (this is the report I heard) blew up one of our forts & made a grand charge, was bloodly repulsed. it seems that our Generalls found it out, so they put wooden guns in the fort & then built a line in the rear that commanded this fort, so when the rebs came up to the fort they found nothing but wooden guns, and our men further to the rear pouring in a murderious fire on them so they had to put back. now this is the first report & I cannot tell how true it is. you can have / it for what it is worth. The fight was not on our front, but on the left of the 18 Corps which is on our right. The pickets are fireing rather brisk now, but that is nothing more than what they do every night. but it is rather late & I must go to bed. I will give you a list of our Cos loss

Capt N. S. Ferris                     Killed.

1^st Lieut Frank G Holton        Wounded.

Sergt Cha^s A Smith                 "

Corpl. John E Wess                "

"          Jessie Cornish             "

"          John K Hallowell        "

"          H. W. Wadsworth       Missing & W.

Privates. W^m S Johnson          Killed

"          Hans H Friesbourg      "

"          Wilhelm Hartevic       "

"          Simon Skesuc             "

"          Asa Cass                     Wounded

"          M. Dechardeau           " /

 

                        Loss—

Commissioned Officers          Killed              1

Enlisted Men                           "                      4

Commissioned Officers          Wounded        1

Enlisted Men                           "                      6

"          "                                  Missing           1

                                                                      13.

                                                            Total Loss

 

            As for myself, I am doing well, have good health. it seems almost Providential that I was not in the fight all the men & officers said that they was glad that I was away, but I wished and do now that they had sent for me so I could have been here with them. But it cannot be helped.

 

I must close write soon & often for they may be times that I cannot let the folks at Menasha know that I am all right. Give my best respects to all friends. lots of love for all of the folks. dont forget now under any curcumstances to write.

                                                                       

Yours truly

Frank Phelps

 

Uncle & folks                                                             

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