Camp 10^th Regt. Conn Vols Inf

Deep Bottom Va.

August 6^th 1864

 

My Dear Parents,

                        I recieved yours of August 3^rd last evening and as ever was glad to hear from you. I do not know whether any of my other correspondents are among living or not, as I have not heard from any one very recently except Grandfather.

 

            It is but a day or two since I wrote the last time. I was on picket, but I thought I should not have another good opportunity to write for a number of days, as this evening we have to go on picket again, to spend the / the ensuing four and twenty hours it is no very pleasant place to write or do any thing else, and beside we do not know what may happen during that time. great changes sometimes take place in less time than that, and where two such immense armies are as near together as these, and to, so near the seat of government, it does not take but a very few short hours to bring about a great battle. Last evening about sunset we heard a tremendous artillery firing in the direction of Petersburg, the most artillery firing we have heard from them at any time since we have been here. it very much resembled the firing we heard at the battle of Cold Harbor. It is not known hear for certain what was the occasion of it, but it is supposed to be the enemy attacking our lines. / If that is so there was probably some hard fighting and they were most likely severely punished.

 

            This assaulting fortifications is poor business so far as our experience goes; and I should think our General would see it soon, when so little is accomplished by it, except great sacrifices of men. It is a course very seldom followed by the enemy unless they think they are almost certain of success, or, it is left them as a last, and only resource when surrounded, as in the case of Hood at Atlanta. It is thought that A. P. Hills Corps has gone to Hood's assistance. From what we can learn from late rebel papers, their loss, in the late attack of our forces, through the breech made by the exploding of a mine, was about equal to our own. the fighting was desperate. They have a deadly hate against negro troops. /

 

One of our officers the last time we were on picket was talking with a rebel officer, and a South Carolinean. he said they did not care so much about fighting white soldiers, but when the niggers come we are bound to fight em And he said, "If you have got any more nigger troops bring them on, we'll fight them as long as there are any left." A very pleasant feeling certainly.

 

            Tomorrow is sunday; it seems to be our luck to be on duty every sunday. the next day Monday we have to move camp again, back to the same camp ground, from which we came a little more than a week since. The paper and envelops for Silas I delivered to him. All the boys are well as usual. I still have an idea that the paper you sent me will last until I get home, may not. I know well what the feeling is north, and we have to fight for the cowardly traitors.

 

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Cant be spared to go home to our friends. It is an expression I hear daily. "I would like to be up there hear them fellows talk that way I'd fix em" or "I would like to have the privelidge of saying who should go in such town I know of some fellows that would get halled out." But no that is not the programme. But let those at home stay there and hire some returned soldier or alien to take his place. And keep those that are in the Army as long as there's one left. Oh outrageous why is he better than I that he shouldn't come.

                                                                                   

Your son

William

 

WLS

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