Camp near Yorktown Va Apr 18^th 1862

 

Dear Mother.

                        I received your nice long letter night before last but I have no chance to answer it until now. And I will tell you why. The night that I received your letter we were turned out 5 or 6 times under arms expecting to have to reinforce Burns Brigade which was supporting the batteries that were shelling the enemys batteries, for there was any quantity of musket fireing and shelling that night. Yesterday our Brigade went down to reinforce relieve Burns's, and we laid in the woods all day and last night, watching our battery which fired 2 guns every 10 minutes day and night. You might stand close to the battery see hear the report when the shell / left the gun then in about 6 seconds you could hear another report and see a puff of smoke when it burst in the rebel Battery. The shells were of this shape [drawing] about as big as a sausage filler and weighed 10 pounds. the was a hole in the end marked A and the fuse was inserted in that and if they wanted it to burst in 4 seconds they would put in a 4 second fuse and so on. We have 4 men to a gun one to thumb it, one to swab it, one to pass the cartrige, and one to ram it beside the corporal to sight and fire it. The rebels cannot return their fire for our sharpshooters lay concealed, and when they attempt to work their guns, they pick them off. They only fired 3 times yesterday and lost over 60 men in so doing. One sharpshooter told me that day before yesterday, he fired / over 90 bullets, and when he gets the range of them he rarely misses. When the rebels found they could not work the guns, they forced up some poor negros up to work them but they also were killed. then they put up some coats and hats on sticks, but the sharp shooters wouldnt fire at them, then they held up a yellow and white dog, when a sharpshooter drew up and put a ball through his head, and they did not put up any thing more. Their is a ditch about 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep all around the fort and they try to get our troops across that and then flood it. But we are trying to get artillery near enough to destroy their dams and drain the ditch, and then infantry can charge right in. But I think that the first fort is only a trap, / for I think that if we get into it, they have batteries arranged so as to open a cross fire on us. One thing is certain that they wount come out to charge on us. About writing letters to me remember, so far, I have received every letter you have wrote to me and the last one was only 2 days coming. Dont worry about me but think as I did when lying under the fire of the rebles, if I am to be killed well and good if not the same. I was not afraid but I will own that I hugged the ground pretty close when the first shell burst. I do not wish I had not come, if I knew that I should be killed or wounded I should wish so, but if I live to come home safe I shall be glad indeed that I did, but I must commence another sheet. /

 

2^d sheet. Dear Mother. this is rather poor paper but my paper is getting scarce having bought none since I received my first box. I should think by what you write that you have had a most excellent singing school and no doubt you are sorry that it is going to close. I am sorry that the people of Litt couldnt appreciate Susan Ramsdells singing qualities but I suppose she can rank as one of the retired and graduated singers of Littleton. I am sorry about Babys face, but she must have some afflictions I suppose and you must be thankful that it is no worse. We have got (shelter tents) now 2 men in each, weigh 2 pounds, compose of to pieces of canvass which can be buttoned together, and separated at your will. Jim Smith and I occupy one together, whenever we march we each take ½ of the tent put it on our knapsack so it can be literally said that we carry our house, bedding, clothing food and means of offense or defence. I today signed the allotment roll, and alloted to father 7 dollars of each months pay, commencing from the 1^st of March. When we are paid March and Aprils pay I shall only get 6 dollers each month the rest will be sent to the state treasurer from there to the town treasurer and father by applying to him and giving a proper receipt can get 14 dollers. What do you think of it. But I have wrote a good long letter and as we get our mail to night I will close for now hoping to get a letter tonight. I wrote a letter day before yesterday and it went yesterday morning. this will not I think go until Monday morning

 

So good bye for now. Geo H Patch. 

 

Saturday night.

                        Dear Mother.

                                                The mail has come and no letter so I will finish this and send every thing has been quiet here in camp today but I expect to have to turn out tonight. The sutler arrived in camp today and had tobacco and ginger cakes to sell. I got an order from the captain and bought 50 cts worth of tobacco. I have heard nothing from my box so I thought I would get some. But I must bring this to a close now for it is getting dark.

                                                                                   

from your aff' son

Geo. H. Patch.

 

[diargram]

 

                        Battery                        Rebel                           Rebel                           Rebel

                        Rebel                           B

Union                                                                          open field

Battery            width ¼ of mile

 

                        sharpshooters              sharp               sharp                           sharpshsho

                                                Woods

                        Union                          Union                          seige                            Union

                        Battery                        Battery                        mortars                        Battery

 

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