Sunday night. Our cavalry have pursued the

                        enemy 12 miles. Harrah.

 

[margin]

 

(10 cts for a little sore)

faced baby.

 

Camp Winfield Scott near

Yorktown Va May 4^th 1862

 

Dear Mother.

                        I begin this letter with most cheering news. The rebels have evacuated their Batteries and the 19^th Regiment had its colors first planted on the fortification I will give you an account which you can rely upon above all newspaper reports. Our Regt was on picket during the day and we lay all night in the woods until the break of day at which time we could discover no signs of life in the works. There was some picket firing up to the right early in the morning, the Colonel got up, looked around and turned in again; When it became sufficiently light we / discovered a negro riding along in the edge of their woods. Shortly after Lieut Hume came in with 3 negros. they (upon being questioned) said that they had been evacuating for 3 days and that yesterday there was only a Louisiana Regt there, who on account of the crowded roads had been ordered back to camp, and that they went last night, and their Pickets went at 10 oclock PM. The colonel then sent Lieut Hume and one man out to reconoitre their works. they kept going nearer and nearer until at last they discovered that it was empty and they went up on the breast works, and at the same time a cavalry captain rode in through an embrasure. The Gen. (Dana) then gave colonel leave to march up the regiment and we had a race with the 42^d New York / but got in first and planted our colors on breast works. The rebel had evidently left in a hurry for they left kettles pans and even some buisket biscuit on the fire cooking knives of all sorts clothing blankets tobacco and every nick nack that could be imagined. There was a board up on the side of the breast works with these words wrote on it. "The rebels have flown but will meet you and defeat you wherever you meet them"! "Remember Bull Run"! "Leave your gunboats and try us on open field we will give you 5 to 1 in numbers"! "Why do you try to subjugate us you cannot conquer us without exterminating the whole of our race"! and a few more such inscriptions. About a mile and ½ beyond the breast work / the was a house and a piano. The day before Brig. Gen. Hill of the rebel army took his dinner and to day Col Hinks took his breakfast there. I think that they are afraid that Richmond will be taken, and they will get taken in if they get there for they will get taken altogether. You will find a little ticket in this letter which you will have to present to the bank before you can draw my money. There is tremendous cannonading off to the left of us today I guess it is the gunboats. You would think that it was 4^th of July here today (sunday) For a long time we have had no bands drums nor bugles but yesterday bands were playing Hail Columbia Yankee doodle Star spanggled banner all day, cheering and every thing All our Regt got a gill of whiskey apiece. Every body is busy packing up ready for a move we expect to go tomorrow. And now hoping that you will be glad of our success I will close with my love to all

                                                                                   

From your son

Geo. H. Patch.

 

PS "Happy are we tonight boys

            Happy Happy are we."

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