Maryland Heights Oct 5^th

 

Dear Father

                        I had a letter from you some two or three days ago, and one from Rash written from New York, and of course they were welcome as news from home is the greatest enjoyment of the soldier. I wrote to you from the Heights, yesterday was a week ago, the day after we were moved around on the hill above Sandy Hook. while encamped there we we were visited by Mr Strickler, Hagey and Squire Snare and John Fockler whom we were all of course glad to see. the Old Squire luckily for him had a pleasant night to stay in camp, if had been with us last night I am afraid he would have suffered a little. On Friday we were moved back again to our present encampment, / last night up where we are now it was no pleasant birth to sleep without tents or any shelter of any kind. You asked in your letter who took charge of the Colours after Geo Simpson was shot, for my part I did not see anything of them myself as my position was at the right end of the company. when the firing commenced, I stepped some four paces in the advance of the company line, as I was more afraid of being shot by the rear rank, than by the rebels. I got down on my knees and loaded and fired as fast as I could deliberately, as there is no use wasting ammunition shooting into trees. the order to retreat was given to our company three times before it was obeyed. until I turned around to retreat I did not know there was a single man hurt. the first man I saw was Nicholas Decker badly wounded about the ankle, his / ankle bone shattered badly Capt Wallace, Lieut Zeigler and I helped him behind a large tree where we were compelled to leave him (we have since heard from him he is in one of the Hospitals, his leg was amputated below the knee) after I came out into the field about twenty paces, a member of the 102^d New York scrambled up off the ground and prayed me to help him. of course I could not refuse if my life paid the forfeit I assisted him the whole way over the field to a place of safety under fire, and perhaps it was my act of mercy to him that saved me, the only running I did was across the field to get out of the range of our battery which was beginning to open on the enemy before I had gotten away from the front of it. but to return to the colours the true version of the affair as nearly as can be ascertained / is as follows, George Simpson was shot dead in the ranks in the woods, the colours were then picked up by a boy in Capt Greggs company by the name of Eugene Boblitz he carried them some thirty paces when he received a ball in his leg and fell. a young fellow in our company by the name of Peterson then called to Walter Greenland, "there is the Colours" bring them off! Walter picked them up carried them some thirty or forty paces and handed them to Capt Wallace who brought them off the field.

 

I suppose Rash will be home in a few days with new goods, when you will of course be busy for a while at least. I wish I was there to help you, as you having been sick may overexert yourself

 

my love to Mother sisters and all friends

 

                                                Your Affectionate Son

                                                                        Tom

SOURCES