March 25. 1864

 

Have just returned from a visit home to vote.

 

I was at Dover Saturday March 12^th, met a friend at the Depot in Durham. I remained at Abbie’s (sister’s) until Monday afternoon. Left Concord for Boston on Tuesday. Left Boston on Steamer “Guide” at 4.30 PM. Tuesday March 15^th. We had a reasonably smooth voyage, arriving at Portsmouth Va. at noon of Friday. Found the Camp quiet when we arrived there. I was put on duty the next day, Saturday, as Officer of the Camp Guard. Inspected my Company, E, Sunday morning. Attended a Court Martial, as witness, at Portsmouth, on Monday. Tuesday M^ch 22, we had a heavy snow storm here. I never saw a severer one in New Hampshire for the time it lasted. About a foot in depth fell. It was a damp snow, and the wind blew a perfect gale all day Tuesday and the night following. The most of the snow now remains on the ground. Yesterday snowballing was the order of the day. I worked hard at it and to day there’s a kink in every joint in my body. The secesh say that this unusual fall of snow here is due to the preponderance of the Yankee element.

 

            A portion of the 13^th are now at Portsmouth on provost duty. We may get that job through the summer.—but we ought to be in the field. I would as soon be there, as run the risk of small pox and yellow fever in any one of these southern cities. I shall be proud indeed if I pass through this war unhurt. I would not part with the experience gained here at any price.                                                                                                                     T.

 

                                                                        Officers General Hospital, Hampton Va.

                                                                                                            July 12 1864.

“Now if my hand will keep steady long enough, I will use it this morning” in writing you a short letter. “I can now sit up at a table and write.—Can go on crutches a little.—can sleep pretty well; can eat all I can get; have but little pain except among the bones—which were slightly “confused” by that bullet I presume. I think I could now lift 25 lbs!” I am coming home just as soon as my papers return from Gen. Butler, or Gen’l Baldy Smith, to whom they have been sent for approval. (Alas—they never came.) I have borne a great deal of pain in the past month. I am thankful that the wound is no worse—and that I was hit while in the Van. (Let me say right here, that on June 15, several hours before I was wounded and about 2 PM, I was placed in command of between thirty / and forty men, and sent with them to the left and rear of the 13^th as flankers. Just before the charge, we were ordered up again abreast of the line, on the left, and when the charge was made, I started with these men—practically now the Eleventh Company in the Regiment—toward the front and right, into the charge on Battery Five, and had moved perhaps two or three rods forward when I was shot. This accounts for my receiving a bullet in my left ankle, and on the outside of it, as I was leading these men diagonally across the enemy’s line of fire from his rifle pits situated upon the slope toward the large house on the hill, and to the left of Battery Five.)

SOURCES