12^th Corps Hospital

                                                                         near Banks Ford May 4^th 1863

                                                                                                                        

My Dear Wife

                        You no doubt are anxious to hear from me & know how I am getting along. So I will tell you that I am well though pretty well worn out.

 

We left our camp at Aquia last Monday morning just a week ago to day & proceeded by way of Wafford to Kelly’s ford there we crossed the Rappahannick without oppisition the Eleventh Corps having crossed the evening before & proceeded driving the Rebels before us & crossed the Rapadan & followed the plank road leading to Fredericksburg the Rebels retreat/ing so fast as not to take time to destroy all the bridges befor after them we made quick time & nothing of importanse happened until thursday when some skirmishing commencd between our forces & the Rebels who tried to cut off our rear we came up to the enemy next day however & encamp & our co. was thrown out as skirmishers when it was discovered that the enemy was in front in full force & made a desperate attempt to get in our rear when we retreated to our camp of the evening before & fortified ourselves as best we could & expected an attack which was commenced by a feint in our front in the morning & in the afternoon made a desperate attack on our right & rear & broke through/the Eleventh Corps & broke them they appeared to be in our front & rear & things looked desperate for awhile. in the night they attempted to break through two or three times & we repulsed. I was at this time with some others detailed to go to the Hospital of the corps to erect shelter for the wounded yesterday the fight commenced in earnest & was terrible in the morning the drove our force being reinforced & commanded by Hill, Lee & Jackson the then commenced shelling our Hospital when we had to leave takeing the wounded who could walk & the other poor fallen had to remain we moved the Hospital to this side of the river then last night & this morning they commecd/shelling it at daylight again but from the other side but was soon stopped by our forces who yet remain on the other side of the river there has been no fighting yet this morning but I expect a hevy battle will come off before night our Regt was engaged yesterday but had but one killed & severall wounded we will be likely to remain with the corps Hospital unless the Reg. comes over it is commencing to rain & as I am out in the woods must close now with love to you & all at home I remain your affectn Husband

                                                                                                                                    George

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