On Picket Near Deep Bottom Va.

July 29^th 1864

 

Dear Parents,

                        It is some days since I have written to you, owing I suppose to our moveing round so much during that time. The day I should have written we were ordered across the four mile creek to assist in reestablishing a picket line lost by some regiments of the nineteenth Corps. at last late in the afternoon the line was established. that evening we were put on it to do duty with orders for no one to sleep during the night.

 

Early the next morning firing commenced again, with a great deal of talking we supposing / a urging forward of men we supposed it was the rebels trying to get their men to charge our lines. the firing increased rapidly and seemed to be on our right. soon we heard cheering, and soon after learn that the second Corps who had silently almost crossed river the during night before had attacked enemies lines on our right drove them from the works they they were building, and had come upon them so suddenly and unexpectedly that it drove them away leaving four twenty pound rifled parrot guns their skirmishers were soon advanced beyond our pickets, thus relieving us from so vigilant a watch, and we were soon after relieved on picket by another regiment, and supposed we were going to return to camp, but just as the regiment was formed and ready to start we got orders to go on picket again. of course we went. / we stopped on picket until about three oclock when we took off our pickets and returned to camp.

 

            The ranks of the second Corps are very much reduced. we were favored with a sight of some of the gallant officers of the second Corps. Some of the boys saw the gallant Hancock himself I was not so favored, but I saw the noted and boyish looking Gen Barlow and the brave and dashing Sheridan who was on the ground with a large Cavalry force and moved out into the country through the opening made by Hancock, to deal out terror and destruction to the Johnny rebs. he will probably be heard from before long, and in a way that will probably make the Johnnies open their eyes. they seem to have got an idea that our Cavalry is all used up, and is unable to act, while, on the contrary, it is looking finely, the horses in good condition / Breckenridge and Early had better have a care to their rear, or possibly their second raid in my Maryland may be a sorry one to them. I do not know any thing about it it is merely conjecture on my part as what might happen.

 

            I recieved a letter this morning commenced at North Granville and finished on the way home. I recieved one while we were away from Grandfather which I shall answer at my earliest convenience. The losses in our regiment were very few, only had a few wounded. the loss in our Brigade were more from our own artillery than from the rebels. shells falling short and exploding prematurely injured a number, and one monitor shell thrown at the rebels fell short and exploded in a company of the eleventh Maine killing two and wounding eight. The boys are all doing well I believe.

                                                           

Your son

William

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