Apr. 23^th 1862

Camp near Yorktown Va

 

Dear Mother.

                        Our mail priviledges are extended now for the mail goes and comes every day, and as I am expecting a letter tonight I think that I will write you a few lines. I am in as good health as usual and hope this will find you the same. The weather still holds very pleasant and the roads are in a pretty good condition now and if the weather continues good you may expect to hear of the fall of Yorktown in the course of 2 or 3 weeks. Every day there is a brigade goes down from this division to support the batteries. 1^st Burns's 2^d Gormans, and 3^d Dana's so we (this Regt.) has to go once in 3 days. When we go we have to stay up all night, and then perhaps the next night we are turned out 2 or 3 times so all the sleep we get in the night is but little. But we are willing to endure a considerable for we think that the war will not last but a little while after the Battle of Yorktown. There was a negro departed from the Rebels the other day, and came over to our side who said that he left so as not to have to work guns, and he said that there were 8 regiments in this first Battery who retreated into the woods near their fort and left their Pickets in the fort, and he said that all their guns went on wheels, so they cant have anything but field pieces, and if so no heavy guns. The rebels dont know that we have gained such great victories as we have one of the sharpshooters captured a wounded rebel and he says, "!Perhaps you can take Yorktown, but you cant take fort Donelson, nor Island N^o 10, nor fort Pulaski, for they are impregnable". I think that if they new how much they got defeated they would not fight at all. Yesterday Jim found a good revolver while down to the brook washing, and he has been offered 12 dollars and a half for it and pay pay-day. I dont know whether he will sell or not. I have not received a letter from Geo Whit yet, nor heard from my box yet. But I guess that I will wait until the mail comes before I write any more.                                                              

 

April 25^th

Dear Mother.

                        Night before last I got no letter, and yesterday morning we went as usual every 3^d day to support the Batteries. They are throwing up breastworks to mount seige guns on. And when they begin to play on the rebels you may believe that there will be one of the awfullest rackets around this place that ever was heard. I went out into an open field where you could see the enemys Batteries, about as far away as Mr Rends house from your house. They have got good barracks inside the fort and I guess they live comfortable. You need not fear the loss of many lives when Yorktown is taken for the artillery has got to do the chief part of it we shall have to support them and when they make a breach in the walls we shall have to charge in at the point of the bayonet and take posession of them. Our colonel when the shell was bursting around us, said dont run boys, lie flat and so escape the greater part of the danger. I thought that if I was to be killed I should be just as quick if I lied down as if I stood up so I sat down on a log and watched them burst. the colonel was walking back and forward encouraging the men, and he did not seem to have the least bit of fear in him. /

 

It is a good thing to have brave officers. I would follow that man through any place he was a mind to lead us. Where we were yesterday you might see on the right of their principal fort a large sand battery, with an old tent standing on the top. A shell went from one of our guns and made the tent fly, the lord knows where, and the sand accordingly. Then 3 men started to go in front of the battery over to the tent. When they heard the report of the gun they laid flat and when it went over their heads they jumped up and ran like fury. They fired 2 shells at us one burst about 20 feet from us a piece of shell went flatways through a mans clothes in Co A and hit him without breaking the skin right over heart and another piece tore up the skin on his leg, but he was more scared than hurt. Capt Bartlett who is at present in command of the 20 Regt Mass had to have his leg taken off yesterday. He was stooping down superintending the erection of some earthworks when he was struck in the knee by a minie ball the ball coming out of the calf of his leg and shattering the cords. He has gone to Fort Munroe. Jim has sold his revolver for $12.00 pay day. I do not believe that we shall be paid before pay day the taking of Yorktown but I dont know. I am real sorry that the babys face is sore but perhaps it is better to have it sore now than when she grows older. I never have heard from New York yet. You tell George to write to me I will try and answer it. Dont you believe any newspaper reports even if you see my death mentioned in them. If I am wounded Jim will let you know it. So now good bye with much love to all and a great portion to yourself I will bring this to a close. from your affectionate son

                                                           

Geo. H. Patch.

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