Rifle pits nearer New Madrid

Mch 13^th 11.O.ck. A.M.

 

Dear Nellie

                        I have nothing to do at the present moment & am tired watching the flight of shot & shell through the air so I will ocupy mind to relieve suspense with this copy of my marching orders & a shovel on the edge of my pit for a desk here goes for a letter from a battle field if you will excuse dirt & broken sentenses as I have to “down” every few seconds. As you will notice by the order we left Camp after dark last eve drove in the Rebel pickets & planted a battery of 4 heavy guns within 1/2 mile of the enemys Fort and are now trying to shell em out Our force here is 10^th Ills 6 Companys 16^th 2 Co^s Regulars with a reserve in rear My Company is deployed in “pits” forward of Battery and will have a hot plase if an attempt as we suspect is made to capture our Artillery. Only one man (Capt Ham 10 Ills) of our force has yet been killed that I have herd of A shell struck one of our guns since I commenced but I cant see from here what damage is done I think some men are wounded. We opened fire at daylight and are replied to from the Fort & 3 Gunboats, about 30 Guns their shots mostly pass over us. God only knows how the thing terminate if they are not driven out before night we will probaly take the fort by storm or be reinforced by more Artillery as it is the odds are greatly against us but if they will come out what we want we will soon settle the the thing. The excitement is painful we can see them load their guns & hear the word to fire but musket balls wont reach them—pitty aint it? Nellie I would give worlds for a cup of coffee we worked hard all night. some of my Boys are assleep amidst all the uproar poor fellows are tired out. Col Smith and Charly Kerr are in the same “pit” with me & nearly “used up” Col has a pipe & superb Tobaco enough for us for 2 days we may / have to stay here a week & may have to leave faster than we came but thats to be tried yet—A ball has just splattered some mud on our Regimental flag the Old Col & Boys are very indignant and threaten vengeance when our time comes—Nellie Col Smith is the coolest man I ever met. I have more confidence than ever in him.—there is sharp firing on our left I supose that our force is moving on the town from that direction We will soon hear something probably orders to close in on them. I hope so as I am tired waiting for them to come. the gun boats are moving up the river in direction of the firing, which relieves us considerably, for some reason Our artillery is not being used as rapidly as it might be the gun struck is disabled (3 killed 5 wounded) One of the Genl aids has just come to us & reports that the enemys shell are doing considerable execution amongst our reserve in the timber Several shell have exploded on the right of the battery where the 10^th & bal of our Reg are behind the parapet, but I can not see with what effect, & it is not very safe to try to satisfy curiosity

 

            Special Order                                                  Head Quarters 16^th Regt Ill Vols

                        No. 179.                                                          Camp Near New Madrid Mo

                                                                                                            March 12^th 1862

            Capt Cahill Co. D.

                                                You will have your Company in readiness to march at 5. O’Clock this P. M. with one days Rations in Haversacks and 40 Rounds of Cartridges

                        Leave all your inoficient men to Guard Camp

 

                                                                                    By Order Of

Chas. D. Kerr                                                                          R. F. Smith Col.

            Adjt                                                                             Cmdg 16^th Regt Ill Vols.

 

Nellie the Rebels have already aforded me better opportunity for writing than I anticipated when I began. I will close for want of more paper and they might get careless and have an accident happen so I will get my head below ground & take a smoke. I am tired, dry, hungry & sleepy but we are all in fine spirits & hope before tomorrow morning to show what we can do. as it is we all enjoy the fun and dont fear any danger One of my Boys just remarked when a 64 struck the top of beastwork and covered 5 or 6 men with dirt that “This is better than a Circus” My dear Nellie dont feel the least alarmed cannon balls never killed anybody. I will write to you the first opportunity No change has occurred since I commenced I will give you full particulars next Excuse this under the circumstances I expect Tom every minute I think he will manage some way to get to us with refreshment—Good bye Nellie—Fred Cahill

 

I dont know how I am to see this to mail

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