Helena Arkansas August 15^the 1862

Mrs M E Keller

 

                                                                                    Deare wife it has been several

days since I have writen to you as part of our Regiment have been out on a scout for several days in Missisipi my company H and Company F was ordered out over the River seven days ago on a scout we wer out two days when two more Companys of our Regiment A & D joined us and one Company of Cavalry our object was to catch Rebels and hunt up Cotton we found quite a quantity of cotton some of it was consealed the first night we traveled untill midnight and surrounded two plantations and captured two Negro drivers about midnight we stoped at a plantation and put out our guards and laide our selves down on the ground to rest untill daylight but daylight came and we was not disturbed by the enemy during the day four Rebels rode up close to us before discovering us or we them one of them pulled up his gun to shoot one of our boys but a negro seen it and halloed to our boy who jumped away out of his sight the Rebels then took the back track and run away as fast as there horses coulde run in the eavning we started for another plantation and camped close to a large pile of Cotton about sundown we seen some Rebels but they run as soon as they seen us at night as usual / we put out our guards and some of us lay down but few of us went to sleepe as we expected to be atacked by the enemy but was not disturbed during the night we did not move during the day but in the eavning Company A that is the company M C glaucan took from Bluffton went about one mile and a halfe from us to guard two piles of Cotton about as day was breaking we hearde guns fiering and we fell in to ranks and started off in double quick to there assistence for we wer well aware that they wer atacked by the enemy we soon arived on the ground but the enemy was gone but they had made sad worke among our boys there was two Cotton piles and the Captain had devided his Company for the purpose of guarding bothe piles twenty at one place and twenty two at the other place there was ten Cavalry also sent along with the Company the enemy atacked the place wher the twenty men and some cavalry was posted they killed three men and wounded thirteen and took five prisoners Company A had two men killed and eleven wounded Preacher Johnson who has two Boy in Company A had one Boy killed and one wounded probaly one or two of the wounded will not get well one was taken a prisoner. out of the twenty but seven escaped one Rebel was laying on the ground shot through the neck he died before night poore fellows how I pity them but the Boys or some of the officers are very mutch to blame they laide down / and went to sleepe and the Rebels come on to them while in that condition and shot them as they was geting up to run and shot some of them as they was runing Al Miller and John Thomas are wounded

 

Malvina you will never heare of Company H Boys being shot while asleepe especialy while out on a scout as long as I remain with them for I never can sleepe when men are in danger that are under my command the next eavning West Aspinall shot at a Rebel but missed him Bob Walker shot at two but as it was dark did not hit them I coulde write a good deale more about our tramp but I must come to a close I have not had a letter from you since the one dated July 26 I received one from Harter yesterday he says you was over ther the first of this month with Ella he saide she was not very well I hope she is well by this time and that you are all well my healthe is good although I have been sleeping laying out for seven nights in the open aire on the ground without a Blanket or any thing except my clothing I usualy weare and almost living on roasting ears. do write I want to heare from you Your most devoted husband

                                                                                    Sam J Keller

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