June 2^d 1862

Camp within 6 miles of Richmond

 

Dear Father and Mother.

The day that I wrote you last we went on Picket and that afternoon we heard tremendous musket firing as if there was a great battle and so it proved for the rebels made an attack upon Gen Caseys Division and they had to leave double quick and also leave their blankets canteens and haversacks, but the 1^st reserve was immediately ordered up and their ensued a fight (on the ground we now occupy) which resulted in the repulse of the rebels and occupying their ground. We moved from Picket the next morning and crossed the chickahominy and was drawn up in line of Battle loaded and faced to the right and marched about a mile formed a line of Battle in the / woods, stacked arms and laid down until about noon, (all this time there was an awful fight going on. But I did not hear it for I was asleep. But about noon we marched up to the edge of the battle field and halted. the firing had almost ceased and you could see nothing but squads of men carrying of the wounded and here and their a gang of prisoners under guard. We halted about 5 minutes and then were ordered back we marched back and stopped until night when we were ordered back again we marched back to the edge of the field turned off to the right about a half of a mile and formed close column by division stacked arms and laid down to rest. In front of us round a house is posted 13 cannon and we are supporting them. The reason the enemy fought so hard was to hold the railroad and to prevent us from flanking the batteries on the / James river. The hardest part of the fighting was done near the railroad Howard Brigade lost 600 killed and wounded and Brig Gen Howard lost his left arm. The 45^th New York and the Alabama 19^th had a hard fight in the railroad cut where the killed of the rebels were piled 3 deep a cross each other. Col Francis Meaghers Brigade now holds the railroad to within 4 miles of Richmond. The rebels lost a great many killed and wounded. The rebels are all rawboned long legged smooth faced men with a dirty gray uniform and slouch kossuth hats. But they fought well the North Carolina troops since the N.C. Governers proclamation have been ordered to the front and they fight like fury. This morning I with 3 others of this Co was detailed to bury the dead we have been out all the forenoon digging trenches and / putting the rebels in them we have buried 41 this morning The flys have began to blow them and the stench is awful. We buried Col Davis Lieut Col Winter and Lieut Hoyt of an Alabama regiment there are a good many wounded in the woods to day. I saw one poor fellow of a North Carolina Regt who had his arm shot off above the elbow yesterday was left in the woods last night and this noon he was picked up the flys had blown in his wound there is was crawling in the sore a lot of maggots and he alive yet. He was so weak that he could hardly speak. I gave him a drink of water and he tried to thank me but could not he was so weak. But I guess you have heard enough of these horrors. But suffice to say I am alive and well but do not know how long I shall be so. Dont fret about me at all. The story is that our cavalry are in Richmond any way McClellan has gone up the railroad with 2 divisions this morning. I can hear distant musket firing as I write this and perhaps before night we may be in a fight. But trusting in God to preserve me from harm I will close this remaining as ever your affectionate son,

George. H. Patch.

 

PS Jim is well and in good spirits

            and sends his love home.

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