Camp at Vienna Va May 25^th/63

 

            Dear Brother your letter of April 25^th came to hand this evening and it is with pleasure that I embrace this opportunity of answering. I am in the enjoyment of good health and sincerely hope these lines may find you the same. I have not had any letters from home for more than a month I cannot tell why we are now about 15 miles from Wasington City on the Leesburg & Alexandria Railroad. the government is getting a large lot of wood here and we have to load and unload it and again load it on the cars but we have fine times and would rather be here than in Washington City where the remainder of our Brigade is Hooker made another move and had to retreat he got badly whipt though the papers are loth about acknowledging it. I do not know whether I can give a description of a batte that would prove interesting though I must try and write something I will commence with “Gaines Mills” /

 

The battle of Mechanicsville was fought on the 26^th of June our regiment was on picket on that day and was not in the fight though some of their balls & shells came close the next morning we were ordered to fall back though our division had held their ground and whipt them day before but Jackson was trying to get in their rear we fell back some three or four miles and made a stand the enemy came up about 1 Oclock and the fight commenced we were first taken to support some batteries and were not taken into the action until three or four Oclock we relieved the 4^th N. J. we had to lie considerable time under fire before we got into the fight several of our company was wounded and some We had to fight in the woods the Rebs was down in the hollow and we stood on the brow of the hill we stood and fired for over two hours some one was still getting wounded or killed the Rebs would often come within a few rods of us creeping upon their hands & knees but we would give them a volley which would / Send them back we held our ground for over two hours but the Regt^s on our right and left had fallen back and the Rebs had got in our rear and was firing on us with our own batteries which they had taken orders was given us to fall back and when we came out of the woods we found the Rebels had two lines formed in our rear and it was impossible for us to get away you had better believe there was some bullets hit the ground close to us and a great many hit we had to surrender and were marched some three or four miles that night and next morning were marched to Richmond where we spent 39 days and never got enough to eat. The whistling of the bullets do not sound very pleasant and for my part I never wish to see another fight but if I do I will try and do my duty. M^cClellan is the man we want to lead us but it happens he is a Democrat and does not suit the abolitionists but he is the idol of the army of the Potomac / And it has met with no success since he has been removed. our division is sadly reduced in numbers and I do not know when we may be called to the field may be soon and may be never the weather is very warm at present but to day has been quite cool the health of our regiment is good I suppose the conscription will soon take place and I do not know whether there will be any Resitance I must close let me hear from you soon Excuse this awful scribble and poor letter I will try and do better next time. Lee is reported to be advancing and we may get some fighting to do near home I remain your affectionate Brother till death

Wm Ray                                                                      R H Ray

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