Bermuda Hundred

                                                                                                            May 18^th 1864

 

My dear Mamie.

                                    I have received your letters of the 2^nd & 5^th Since I wrote you last which was at Cold Harbor We of late move around like a bird After the Battle of that place (which I wrote you about) we lay there occasionaly loosing a man among others was Lt. Col. Burbee & about this time Maj Crosby was taken sick & we were informed of Col Dalton death. leaving us without a single field officer. Capt Brown is now in command Saturday night a week ago our Regt moved up to the extreme front where we lay without any incident worthy of mention/till the next night when the Rebs probably learning that we were leaving their front commenced a vigorous shelling of our lines but lucky for us none of them struck near us About 2 oclock it became more quiet & we prepared to leave them “alone in their glory” We moved away from their front silently & took up our line of march for the White House but they followed closely upon our rear rendering it unsafe for one to fall out We arrived at White House about noon having marched a distance of 18 miles since Sunrise We were all pretty tired We immediately embarked for this place. where we arrived on the morning of the 13^th We lay here till the next/morning when about 2 oclock we were aroused from our slumbers to again start on the “war path”. We crossed the Appomattux & moved in the direction of Petersburg There was two Brigades of Niggers ahead of us & so we did not get into the first of it the Niggers met them & drove them inside of their works capturing 2 pieces of Cannon. When we arrived at the front our Regt lay in the reserve while 2 in the Brig went into the fight Our lines gradualy closed in on their works all day while the Rebs kept Shelling our reserves we getting our share making a number of our men suddenly sick so as to go to the rear A few minutes before Sundown our men commenced to advance/upon their works & our artillery moved into position & you could hardly hear your own conversation for a few minuets when there arose a cheer as deafening as had been the roar of battle our fellows had carried the heights capturing a fort with 7 pieces of artillery & over a thousand prisoners we moved into the works at a double quick & now the Niggers carried another fort capturing 4 pieces—The following night we [?] in turning their works against them during the night we captured 2 more pieces making in all 15—making a noble record for the 18^th Army Corps. The next morning our Regt was ordered to try and capture a small fort across an open field of about 3/4 of a mile our skirmishers moved up so close as to hear them talk but we found them to strong & therefore fell back There has been hard fighting but last night we left them & marched back here how long we shall stay I do not know I hear we gained a great victory last night at any rate there was hard fighting

 

[overwriting]   Enclosed find a morning report of the Rebs a Company which we captured I had more such stuff but could not send it

 

I am very sorry that you were so much grieved about what I wrote when I was here before I did not think for a moment that Mamie had forgotten me but meant what I wrote which was written just after our meager mail came in           Court

Tell dear [?] John is all right

 

[fragments]     2          I feel to thank God that I have been spared thus far & hope I may come out all safe I tell you it tries ones mettle to go right up under fire one knows nothing about it till they try it I suppose there are many brave ones at home that would like to walk right up to a cannons mouth & are cursing the poor soldiers because they don’t end the “Damn them I wish I could make them march up in front of me. I have not flinched yet/allthough my life is as dear to me as any ones is to them We have many cowards among who when a fight commences are taken sick or when we are ordered to fix bayonets they have to stop & answer to a call of nature We have only 15 men in the Co. left that go with us through “thick & thin.” Dearest Mamie you are scarcly ever out of my thoughts & your assurances of remembrance & love are no stronger than I would make mine of love & confidence in you—Hoping the war will end with this campaign & we be restored to each other I must close Give my love to mother & tell her I hope to come home safe & sound again but if I fall it shall not be said her son died a coward            Court

 

Sunday Morning         To day is a fine day I received a very kind letter from Mamie this morning was surprised that you had not recd my letter written at Cold Harbor enclosing Bounty check—Suppose you have received it ere this I was very much grieved to think you felt badly about my letter for I meant nothing refering to you—John cannot be mustered as 2 Lieut on account of not being enough men in the Regt He is therefore discharged/& is coming home—I feel sad & want to go home to but cannot John has been a dear friend to me you thought I would not mess with him for the last month I have lived with him & Lt. Packer When he arrives home he will of course frequently see you but for God sake don’t on account of his & my close friendship allow intimacy which will cause scandal—You know how easily it has & can again be started Forgive me for this caution but you know how sensitive I am on such matters   Court

 

Sunday Morning         No 2.   We have just had Inspection It seems old fashioned to be away from the bullets How long we are to ly thus I cant tell—You wrote me you were at Davises while Annie was there You will please me not to associate to freely with her for I have positive knowledge of what she was up to while in N. York—Herm Hillard/came back with a troublesome disease which if he had seen Annie in N. Y. she would probably been troubled with if she was not already—But enough about her you can judge and act for yourself I only tell you my wishes & give you my reasons When you see Mary Ann Randall tell her I think she improves in appearance Judging from a picture I saw [?] has she one of your Photographs If she has it yet I shall tell you next time why I wished to know

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